ArtWaves MDI Competitors

Founded in late 1892, the Portland Art Museum is the seventh oldest museum in the United States and the oldest in the Pacific Northwest. The Museum is internationally recognized for its permanent collection and ambitious special exhibitions, drawn from the Museum’s holdings and the world’s finest public and private collections. The Museum’s collection of more than 42,000 objects, displayed in 112,000 square feet of galleries, reflects the history of art from ancient times to today. The collection is distinguished for its holdings of art of the native peoples of North America, English silver, and the graphic arts. An active collecting institution dedicated to preserving great art for the enrichment of future generations, the Museum devotes 90 percent of its gallery space to its permanent collection.

Located in the heart of the Portland Arts District, Maine College of Art & Design offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art, a Master of Arts in Teaching, an Online Master of Arts in Education, an Online Graduate Certificate in Arts Leadership and Administration, an Online Graduate Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy, a Salt Graduate Certificate in Documentary Studies, as well as Continuing Studies for adults and youths, including a Pre-College intensive for high school students. The College transformed a former department store into the main campus building with vibrant classrooms and studios that are open 24/7. Also located in the Porteous Building, the Institute of Contemporary Art serves a critical regional role in its commitment to presenting contemporary, provocative work by living artists from Maine and around the globe. The Joanne Waxman Library is one of the largest independent libraries in Northern New England. Undergraduate students spend the first year developing a foundation and the second year exploring a variety of media. At the start of junior year, students declare a major and spend the next two years working within their discipline. The College offers 8 majors in the BFA program: Ceramics, Animation & Game Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, and Textile & Fashion Design. The College provides individual studios to all juniors and seniors, and it is part of a five-college alliance that allows students to access classes and resources in the surrounding area. Maine College of Art & Design is a non-profit institution of higher education that is both NEASC and NASAD accredited.

The Farnsworth Art Museum offers a nationally recognized collection of works from many of America’s greatest artists. With almost 16,000 works in the collection, there is always something new on view at the Farnsworth. The museum has one of the nation’s largest collections of works by sculptor Louise Nevelson. The Museum has an extensive collection of Maine works by three generations of Wyeths—N.C., Andrew and Jamie—and in a unique partnership with the Wyeth Center for American Art and the Brandywine Museum, has access to more than 7,000 Wyeth works of art.