Speaker Series
Open to the public. Everyone is welcome.
Big Ideas. Fresh Perspectives. Everyone Welcome.
Creativity is constantly evolving. From the resurgence of hands-on craftsmanship to the influence of artificial intelligence and the business of creative entrepreneurship, today’s creative landscape is full of new possibilities.
Join MICA for a series of conversations with creative leaders, entrepreneurs, and industry practitioners exploring the ideas shaping the future of art, design, and creative work.
Whether you’re a MICA student, prospective student, working creative, entrepreneur, or simply curious, there’s a conversation for you.
Three events. Countless perspectives. Everyone is invited.
Discover What's Happening at the Intersection of Art, Design and Innovation.
The MICA Speaker Series brings together diverse voices and perspectives to explore these questions and more. Through engaging discussions and real-world insights, each event offers an opportunity to discover new ideas, challenge assumptions, and connect with the people shaping today’s creative industries.
The Renaissance of Making: Why Gen Z Is Rediscovering Analog Creativity
NOVEMBER 10, 2026
7:00pm EST
Featuring Jessie Frances
From sewing and ceramics to knitting, vintage fashion, and other hands-on creative practices, a new generation is rediscovering the value of making things by hand.
Why are younger creatives gravitating toward tactile experiences in an increasingly digital world? This conversation explores the desire for slower, more intentional creativity and how digital communities are helping revive traditional craftsmanship.
Discover why the future of creativity might have more to do with getting back to basics.
The Human Advantage: Identity, Intention, and the Value of Making in an AI-Accelerated Creative Economy
NOVEMBER 17, 2026
7:00pm EST
Featuring Sam Smith
As artificial intelligence continues to expand what’s possible, what makes creative work meaningful—and what makes it uniquely human?
Explore the intersection of identity, cultural context, consumer psychology, and hands-on making in a conversation about the evolving value of creativity. Discover why lived experience, human intention, and creative discernment remain essential in a world where technology can increasingly produce the work itself.
A conversation about what technology can do, what humans bring, and why the distinction matters.
The Business Behind the Art: Using AI Without Losing the Human Touch
DECEMBER 1, 2026
7:00pm EST
Featuring Bianca Jackson and creative entrepreneurs from MICA’s Fall 2026 Creative Ventures Strategy cohort
Baltimore Creative Entrepreneurs on Building Stronger Businesses While Protecting Their Craft
Artists and creative entrepreneurs don’t lack vision. What they often lack is the time, resources, and business infrastructure to turn that vision into something sustainable.
AI doesn’t have to replace the creative process. It can help with the administrative, analytical, and strategic work that often takes founders away from what they love creating.
Join MICA adjunct professor and BrickRose Exchange founder Bianca Jackson alongside creative entrepreneurs from MICA’s Fall 2026 Creative Ventures Strategy cohort for a conversation about building the business behind the art.
Explore how AI can support customer discovery, market research, pricing strategies, and smarter business decisions—without sacrificing the human creativity at the heart of it all.
Your Creative Impact
At MICA, creativity extends beyond the studio. It’s about exploring new ideas, developing new skills, challenging conventions, and finding new ways to bring creative thinking into the world.
Through undergraduate and graduate degrees, professional development, and continuing education opportunities, MICA provides pathways for creatives at every stage of their journey.
Three events. Countless perspectives. Everyone is invited.
Be Part of What’s Next.
Great ideas start with great conversations. Join MICA this fall to explore the ideas, people, and perspectives shaping the future of creativity.