June 24–August 5, 2026
During the eight-week Summer Intensive of the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art (MFA) program at Maine College of Art & Design, MFA low and full residency graduate candidates come to Portland, Maine, to bond as an artistic cohort while exploring the interdisciplinary conversation that will challenge and inform the art created throughout their program. Central to this Summer Intensive is the accelerated professional development that our artist candidates receive from Visiting Artists who are on-site each week for lectures and studio visits.
We are pleased to announce the 2026 Visiting Artist Summer Lecture Series running from June 24 to August 5. Each lecture is open to the public and will be held in Osher Hall at MECA&D (2nd Floor, Porteous Building, 522 Congress Street, Portland, ME). Lectures begin at 5:30pm.
Nyugen E. Smith is an interdisciplinary artist whose work investigates how stories are formed, transmitted, and disrupted within Black cultural life. Lecture: Wednesday, June 24, 5:30pm
Garrick Imatani is an interdisciplinary artist who uses performance, functional objects, or interaction to draw attention to one’s embodied subjectivity. This lecture is in collaboration with the Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design. Lecture: Monday, June 29, 5:30pm
Colin Self is an artist, composer, and puppeteer who creates music, performances, and new systems for interfacing with the human spirit. Lecture: Wednesday, July 1, 5:30pm
Jeffry Mitchell is a self-described “gay folk artist” whose primary medium is ceramic, drawing on traditions around the globe. Lecture: Wednesday, July 8, 5:30pm
Jess Perlitz's work is informed by our formations of landscape and the body’s place within it. This lecture is in collaboration with the Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art & Design. Lecture: Monday, July 13, 5:30pm
Allison Schulnik's practice spans the mediums of painting, sculpture, animation, and dance. Lecture: Wednesday, July 15, 5:30pm
Taraneh Fazeli is an Iranian-American curator and cultural organizer. Lecture: Wednesday, July 22, 5:30pm
Gail Spaien’s studio practice centers around the idea that a painting is a site of connection. Lecture: Monday, July 27, 5:30pm
Cristóbal Martínez, PhD, is an artist, digital media systems designer, and publishing scholar. Lecture: Wednesday, July 29, 5:30pm
Liz Collins is a New York-based artist and designer whose work moves fluidly between fine art and design. Lecture: Wednesday, August 5, 5:30pm
In 2025, the MFA Visiting Artist Lecture Series featured Pap Souleye Fall, Faythe Levine, Yoko Inoue, and others.
To learn more about the opportunity to work with world-renowned faculty, visiting artists, and graduate advisors, visit meca.edu/mfa.
Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art at Maine College of Art & Design
Supported by renowned faculty, visiting artists, and carefully selected graduate advisors, the MFA in Studio Art curriculum emphasizes the intersection of production, individual research, and critical analysis. Students choose either a low or full residency option. MECA&D’s full residency MFA provides 24/7 access to private studios and staffed fabrication facilities where students work alongside peers and with local faculty. Among the first programs of its kind in the country, MECA&D’s low residency MFA combines intense periods of on-campus instruction with the freedom and independence of working from any home location, anywhere in the world.
Graduate Programs at Maine College of Art & Design
Maine College of Art & Design offers a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art (MFA), Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), online Master of Arts in Education (MAEd), online Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy, online Graduate Certificate in Arts Leadership and Administration, and a Salt Graduate Certificate in Documentary Studies. MECA&D’s community is diverse, and each new student adds immeasurably to its vibrancy. Applications are evaluated individually, with consideration given to the strength of the portfolio and academic achievement.
