The Maine College of Art on Tuesday unveiled a name change and a strategic plan that envisions expanding the school’s physical footprint in Portland.
As of Tuesday, the academy founded as the Portland School of Art in 1882 calls itself the Maine College of Art & Design. While design has been part of the curriculum for over a century, the new moniker is a nod to the fact that 60% of today’s students are pursuing design careers.
According to the school, the new name is more inclusive and reflects the school’s academic offerings that will now capture all students’ interests. The change was accompanied by a new logo, designed by faculty members Drew Hodges and Steve Bowden (a 1997 graduate) with contributions from 2017 graduate Hallie Mitchell, of the Portland-based design company behind Broadway brands including “Rent,” “Chicago” and “Hamilton.”
The school also worked closely with Portland’s VIA Agency on its new creative identity.
Asked how long it took to come up with the new identity and logo, Laura Freid, the school’s president, said that students, staff, faculty and alumni worked to create the college’s new look over the last three years.
She also noted the school’s importance to the local and state economies, calling its flagship Porteous building a vital anchor in Portland’s Art District, where the school’s Institute of Contemporary Arts attracts 17,000 visitors annually.
“Portland would not be the arts city it is today without the tremendous contributions of the very talented faculty, students and alumni of MECA&D during the past 140 years,” she told Mainebiz. “We believe that artists have the power to change communities for the better, and we are committed to empowering our students to make art, make an impact and inspire change in the world.”
She added that “when you see art on the street, the logo for your favorite restaurants, or shop in a local boutique, chances are you’re seeing the influence of MECA&D.”
Attracting more students from away
Freid said the expanded name will make it easier for students from across the country to find the Portland school during college searches, “and will more accurately communicate the extent of the educational opportunities they will have access here.”
Around 71% of MECA&D students are originally from outside Maine, and more than half of those students stay in Maine after graduating, according to Freid.
“It is those talented alumni who have helped make Portland so unique and who help to drive the $1.55 billion arts and culture sector’s contribution to Maine’s economy,” she added.
In addition to the name change, the school released its first-ever strategic plan outlining growth over the next decade, the school outlined five goals including diversity and inclusion, academic excellence and remote learning.
Specific goals include the creation of a new Living and Learning Center for programs and to house 200 sophomores and upperclassmen.
Asked about possible locations, Fried said the school is considering site locations that offer a walkable commute to its downtown Portland campus buildings.
“Based on the possible sites under consideration, this will likely be a renovation, not new construction, and we hope to have the new living and learning facility ready within the 2023-25 time period,” she said.
Freid added that the new facility will both build on the school’s historic role as the creative anchor of Portland and expand the institution’s Portland footprint and identity while providing a new hub for student activity and engagement.
She declined to give an estimated cost of the building project, saying, “We are planning on a lease-to-buy option, which provides the most favorable financing for the college and allows time to fundraise.”
