Creativity and Community

For 40 years, MassArt New England has offered intensive workshops in a variety of artistic disciplines, in a community setting. MassArt New England is designed to refresh and expand personal artistic practice. Away from day-to-day demands, the classes, instructors, food, access to studios, and program staff are all there to allow you to focus on one thing: your artwork.

MassArt New England is built on the understanding that time and focus for creative work are extraordinarily rare and precious. We strive to ensure that each class offers an intensive, specialized focus, while giving students the space to explore their personal vision. Instructors are chosen both for the excellence of their work as well as their skill as teachers. Each day is structured to allow people to work as intensively as they choose.

This year we are delighted to welcome back many faculty who have helped make MassArt New England one of the best summer residency programs in the country. And we are also delighted to welcome new faculty who bring new classes and fresh ideas.

MassArt New England is a program of Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

Location 

MassArt New England will for the first time be located on the campus of Keene State College. The 170 acre campus is easy to navigate, and only a few minutes walk from downtown.

Keene, tucked in the scenic Monadnock Region of southwestern New Hampshire, exudes a quintessential New England charm. Steeped in history, with 18th-century architecture lining its streets, Keene offers a vibrant cultural scene and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Schedule 

Courses are intense and focused around making work. The schedule is: a first meeting, Sunday night (from 7pm-9pm), classes follow, Monday-Friday 9am-4pm and Saturday, 9am-noon, studios are open 7am-midnight. On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights faculty present lectures about their work. There is open life drawing for all available Monday through Thursday nights. Participants take one class per week, and receive a discounted rate for taking two (see registration information for discounts and prices).

Grading and Credit

All MassArt New England classes may be taken for two graduate or undergraduate credits. Students registered for credit are graded on a Pass/No credit basis (P or NC). Please be advised that letter grades (A, B, C, etc) are not used by MassArt. A grade clarification form may be requested. While the grade clarification does not change the transcript, it gives a brief overview of the student’s work in the class and may include a letter grade.

Students seeking credit for career enhancement or reimbursement are urged to contact their home institutions to arrange prior approval. Course credit is not automatically transferable to Massachusetts College of Art and Design or other degree programs; policies on transfer credit vary by institution and by program, so it is important to seek the approval of your advisor before you register. Registration for credit must occur before the class begins.Â