MIT has a unique creative culture, where experimentation and innovation cross all disciplines and break new boundaries. More than half of all undergraduates enroll in arts classes each year on a campus that features over 3,500 noted works of contemporary art and landmark buildings designed by legendary architects like Frank Gehry and I.M. Pei.
MIT faculty are award-winning leaders in a wide range of artistic fields, including architecture, design, film, literature, multimedia, music, theater, visual arts, and more.
Since the 1960s, the Institute has forged connections between science and engineering and the visual and performing arts.
Faculty from all fields are invited to take advantage of the multitude of opportunities in the arts at the Institute.
FUNDING FOR CREATIVE PROJECTS
Funds for faculty projects are available via grants distributed by the MIT Center for Art, Science & Technology and the Council for the Arts at MIT. Faculty, full-time instructional staff, and directors or principal researchers of centers and labs are encouraged to submit a proposal for evaluation in the biannual review cycle for creative projects, whether undertaken independently or in collaboration with another MIT faculty member or a visiting artist. Projects may be presented on campus, domestically, or internationally.
CURRICULAR SUPPORT
Support is available for new classes that integrate the arts into the core curriculum and engage students from across the Institute in producing new artistic work. Faculty can apply for funds to bring their class to off-campus arts venues to enhance the curriculum or to invite a visiting artist into the classroom. Grants range from $30,000 to $50,000, including honoraria for visiting artists/lecturers and project materials for students.
EXPERIENCE THE ARTS ON CAMPUS
Stay informed about events, exhibitions, performances, grant deadlines, and general arts news by subscribing to a weekly email digest arts.mit.edu/subscribe and following @artsatmit on Instagram.
The MIT List Visual Arts Center is the contemporary art museum on campus presenting rotating exhibitions throughout the year. The List galleries are located on the ground floor of the Wiesner Building (E15), and are free and open to all. The List also maintains and develops the Institute’s Public Art Collection, which includes dozens of publicly-sited sculptures by such artists as Henry Moore, Anish Kapoor, Cai Guo Qiang, and Alexander Calder. Faculty are able to loan artwork from the MIT Collection for display in campus offices and workspaces.
All members of the MIT community have free admission to the MIT Museum located in Kendall Square. Making research and innovation accessible to all, it features three floors of art, science, technology, and more.
The MIT Museum invites faculty to explore interactive exhibitions, robust public programs, and experimental projects. It showcases the fascinating world of MIT, including artwork in the Architecture & Design Collection, the Holography Collection, and multidisciplinary artwork presented in collaboration with the MIT Center for Art, Science & Technology.
EXPERIENCE THE ARTS OFF CAMPUS
MIT ID holders receive free entry to the MIT Museum, MFA Boston, ICA Boston, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, through institutional memberships underwritten by The Council for the Arts at MIT.
The MIT Activities Committee provides discount tickets for MIT ID holders to attend select performances and events in the Boston area.
LEARN MORE AND CONNECT
Please email us at arts@mit.edu if you are interested in talking about how we can support your specific creative endeavors.
The arts have been an essential part of the Institute’s culture from the start, and currently there are more ways than ever for the campus community to engage with the arts.
There are over 25 majors, minors, and degree programs offered by the School of Architecture + Planning and the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, as well as cross-disciplinary curriculum offered in all five schools.
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