Maine College of Art’s Above and Beyond Grant helps currently enrolled BFA, MFA, and MAT students access structured opportunities and experiences that take them above and beyond MECA’s classrooms and facilities. Students will learn basic skills in grant writing, budgeting, and formatting work samples while assembling proposals to fund activities such as conferences, workshops, or professional events. All applicants will receive feedback on their applications.
The maximum request is $500.
There are three grant cycles.
All applicants are required to attend an informational workshop before submitting a proposal.
Workshops:
October 2020, January 2021 and March 2021. Exact dates and locations to be determined.
Reserve your slot here
Deadlines: October 2020
With notification by November 8, for activities taking place between December 1, 2020 and September 1, 2021.
Deadline: February 2021
With notification by February 21, for activities taking place between March 15, 2021 and December 1, 2021.
Deadline: March 2021
With notification by April 10 for activities taking place between May 1, 2021 and January 30, 2021.
Application
Eligibility:
For BFA applicants: students need a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the most recent semester. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors must be enrolled for the upcoming semester to qualify.
Funds cannot be used for:
+ equipment
+ projects that are part of the curriculum
+ activities that earn academic credit
+ resources that are available at or through MECA.
+ day-to-day creative practice expenses (rent, materials, marketing, etc.)
Requests are capped at $500. Each grant cycle has $2,500 available.
Review Criteria:
+ Artistic practice is clear
+ Funded activity is clear
+ Activity relates to practice
+ Goal of activity is clear
+ Activity advances practice
+ Budget is clear
+ Budget is realistic
+ Work samples are well presented
+ Quality of work
Spring 2020
Ian Colwell ’20, for a residency at Oxbow
Ramone Lampos, for a residency at ACRE
Liz Rhaney MFA ’20, for a video class at Maine Media Workshops
Phoebe Zildjian ’20, to attend Wooden Boat School
Elyse Grams MFA ’20, to attend NCECA conference
Matanah Betko ’20, for travel to Zambia
Ann Finkel ’20, to take courses in coding
Melanie Kim ’23, to attend Vancouver Film School
Fall 2019
Natalie Brown ’23
Spring 2019
Rachel Monegue ’19, Photography
Ashley Page ’20, Sculpture
Rebecca Richards ’20, Metalsmithing + Jewelry Design
Anna Marie Valenti MFA ’20
Evelyn Wong MFA ’19
Fall 2018
Maggie Cote ’19, Graphic Design
Samantha Myrdek ’19, Illustration
Katherine Miller ’19, Photography
Sumayo Shute ’22, Undeclared (Freshman)
Spring 2018
Prudence Ho ’19, Painting
Jamie Latorre ’20, Woodworking and Furniture Design
Ozlenen Ozbicerler ’19, Graphic Design
Brendan Shea ’18, Painting
James Sylvester ’18, Printmaking
Sarah Belhumeur ’18, Digital Media, minor in Drawing
Emmett Freeman ’17, Ceramics
Meg Hahn ’17, Painting, minor in Art History
Ellanor Milkowski Dahlgren ’17, Printmaking
Catherine Quattrociocchi ’17, Metalsmithing & Jewelry
Lewis Rossignol ’17, Illustration
Sophie Cangelosi ’16, Illustration
Mary Forst ’16, Metalsmithing & Jewelry
Ashley Wernher-Collins ’16, Fashion & Textile Design
Amelia Garretson-Persans, MFA ’16
Katherine Ackley ’15, Illustration
Caitlin Ervin ’16, Sculpture and Public Engagement Minor
Sara Inacio ’17, Printmaking
Jonathan Novak ’15, Graphic Design
Elana Sternick ’16, Woodworking & Furniture Design
Jacqueline Weichemann ’15, Photogrpahy
Tessa O’Brien, MFA ’16
Veronica Perez, MFA ’16
Chloe Beaven ’15, New Media
Forest Gagne ’14, Woodworking & Furniture Design
Liz Long ’14, Illustration
Rangeley Morton ’14, Woodworking & Furniture Design
Nicholas Norris ’14, Painting
Hillary Stucker ’14, Ceramics
Charley Young, ’14