Massachusetts College of Art to offer MFA at FAWC

This MFA program will offer artists working in painting, drawing and mixed media an intensive and flexible program based in, and inspired by, an environment renowned for its beauty and artistic heritage. Candidates, to be selected by the Boston-based Mass College of Art, will study and work at the Fine Arts Work Center during four 24-day residencies in September and May. They will be taught and evaluated by a faculty of prominent resident and visiting artists, many of whom are affiliated with MassArt and/or have participated in FAWC’s prestigious Summer and Fall Workshop Programs.

During periods between the Provincetown residencies, graduate students, many of whom are already pursuing careers in the arts, will return home to work under the guidance of approved mentors who will visit their studios monthly. On-line art history and academic courses will support an understanding of the historical and cultural contexts of contemporary work, including their own. At the conclusion of the program, candidates will return to Provincetown for a final two-week residency in September to present their thesis shows, participate in thesis reviews and submit their written theses. While in Provincetown, students will live in area guesthouses and other accommodations.

"MassArt is delighted to partner with the Fine Arts Work Center in offering a low-residency Masters of Fine Arts program in Provincetown," says George Creamer, Associate Dean of Graduate Education, Massachusetts College of Art. "Provincetown has played a significant role in the cultural heritage of this country. For over a century, its natural splendor and creative community have inspired and supported great artists and writers—and FAWC deftly continues that legacy. I can think of no other location, nor two institutions better committed to meeting the needs of visual artists."

FAWC Executive Director Hunter O'Hanian says, "We are pleased to be working with MassArt, which enjoys a reputation as one of the best schools of the visual arts in the nation. This collaboration allows FAWC to further its mission to sustain our Winter Fellowship Program as well as help cultivate the growth of the Provincetown arts community. Over the past ten years, the Work Center has expanded its programs in order to reach a wider and more diverse group of artists and writers. This new relationship and endeavor brings us to a new and exciting level."

Of educational and historical note, this is the first known graduate-level MFA-degree program offered on Cape Cod. This educational program is part of Campus Provincetown, the successful endeavor to use education to help stimulate the off-season economy in Provincetown.

For further information or to apply to the MFAWC program, potential candidates should contact George Creamer, Associate Dean of Graduate Education at MassArt, at 617-879-7163, or Nadia Savage, at 617-879-7162. To submit a formal application for the MFAWC program, download the MFA application from the MassArt website at www.massart.edu or indicate in a cover letter that you are applying to the MFAWC program. The application requirements are the same as the standard Fine Arts 2D MFA application requirements and include 20-30 slides placed in a carousel. The application deadline will be in March 2005. A complete course brochure is available from either FAWC or MassArt.