Musica Por el Pueblo from Art of Solidarity-MICA on Vimeo.
July 5-August 6, 2013
Innovation, social justice, and adventure thrive in the MICA in Nicaragua program. Here students interested in community arts and in documentary video come together to collaborate with Nicaraguan artists. The small mountain city of Esteli, where the program begins, has deep roots in music, dance, and folklore. Since the revolution of 1979, it has become a hub of public art and performance. Esteli's Casa de Cultura (Cultural Center) is a municipal art space with studios, workshops, and exhibitions-muralists, oil painters, corn husk mosaic artists, musicians, youth media groups, and performance artists all use the space. For two weeks, MICA in Nicaragua participants will build relationships with artists, collectives, and community art organizations. Workshops will introduce students to traditional and emerging cultural practices and offer the opportunity to discuss social, political, and generational significance. Esteli will orient students to the language and culture before they proceed to Limay.
La Gran Nacion - 2012 from Art of Solidarity-MICA on Vimeo.
The village of Limay is isolated from many resources but has a wealth of artists among its population of 13,400. Among these artists are collectives of soapstone sculptors and ceramicists who innovate with local materials. The youth of Limay exhibit talent and dedication to their traditional art forms and desire exposure to new forms of expression. Through their work with artists' collectives as well as the high-school age artists, program participants will assist the artists of Limay to empower youth, teach local traditions, and connect with the world.
Students will spend the finals days of the program in the town of Leon on the Pacific coast, where they will have time to relax and reflect.
This month-long program offers 3 studio credits in either community arts (general fine arts) or video, with an optional 3 credits in art history-classes may be taken for undergraduate and graduate credit or audit. The program is open to undergraduate or graduate students (rising sophomores to second-year graduate students), and to lifelong learners at least 18 years of age who have completed at least one year of college study. All students must have a current, valid passport for travel.
This program is open to all majors.
Las Madres de Héroes y Mártires (The Mothers of Heroes and Martyrs) from Art of Solidarity on Vimeo.
Program Fees
Airfare is not included in the program fees below, which include all accommodations, all ground transportation within Nicaragua, and some meals.
- $3,700 includes tuition for 3 undergraduate studio credits in community arts (general fine arts) or video
- $5,200 includes tuition for 3 undergraduate studio credits in community arts (general fine arts) or video + 3 undergraduate credits in art history (as an independent study by special arrangement with the MICA Department of Art History)
Graduate credit is available to qualified students with the approval of the Program Coordinator at an additional cost of $75 per credit. A limited number of merit and need-based scholarships may be available, contingent on the continued availability of gift and grant funding. To inquire about scholarships or request a detailed itinerary or additional information on this and other MICA programs, contact the MICA Summer Travel Intensives program at: summertravel@mica.edu or by phone: 410.225.2219.
Limay: Esculpiendo Nuestra Historia (Limay Sculpting Our History) from Art of Solidarity on Vimeo.
Faculty
Maria Gabriela Aldana came to the USA as a child during Nicaragua's Contra War. Maria has been interpreting and living two cultures her entire adult life, advocating for social justice through education and adventure. She has been intensively researching her Central American roots and aligning with the poor while leading Baltimore-based groups to Nicaragua every summer since 2004. Maria received her BFA and MA in Community Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Aldana is a Baltimore-based community artist and is the Outreach Coordinator for Creative Alliance, where she directs community- based programs through creating art and corralling performances, such as the annual Maryland Traditions Folklife Festival and Halloween Lantern Parade.
Aleks Martray is an artist and educator who uses visual art, music, and digital media as a vehicle for empowering and connecting people. Aleks received his BFA in painting and MA in community arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has worked with the Baltimore Mural Program, Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, Scribe Video Center, and Spiral Q Puppet Theater and has traveled Central America extensively producing documentaries in Nicaragua and Guatemala.
For more information on any of these summer programs, please contact us.
View more videos from past Nicaragua trips at The Art of Solidarity Vimeo page.
Maps & Directions