This city's art and design scene
Some frequently asked questions about living in Baltimore.
Students can find off-campus exhibition space, participate in alternative theater projects, see local acts that have national recognition, and invent new ways to contribute.
Listen to a collection Baltimore-based music artists.
Like most east coast cities, Baltimore is a collection of dozens of smaller neighborhoods.
Baltimore has a different feel from cities like New York and even Washington, D.C., because there is less emphasis on upscale gallery representation—the scene is more community- and artist-driven.
That’s always a tough question because it is always a comparison. There are some good online cost of living calculators (Expatisan is our favorite—it is truly global in scale) that will help you compare Baltimore to where you are living now.
The short answer is no. Baltimore is small, and the area surrounding MICA is relatively compact. In fact, Walk Score calls Baltimore the 11th most walkable city in the U.S. Additionally, a recent uptick in bike lanes and a large number of student bikers make bicycling a great transit option as well. Baltimore’s is also home to sprawling bus lines (including the free-to-ride Charm City Circulator) that can be tricky to learn but will take you almost anywhere. If you do bring your car, Residential Parking Permits for street parking are available for all neighborhoods and cost about $20 for the year--so bringing a vehicle is manageable.
For low-residency students coming from outside Baltimore, we definitely recommend taking advantage of the on-campus housing for the six-week residencies—although it is not required. For full-time students, MICA has very limited on-campus housing options, and we tend to prioritize international students (and others coming from great distances) when it comes to housing assignments. Baltimore is a largely residential city with many students, so finding off-campus housing can be very easy. We talk about how to research both options on our housing page, but we definitely recommend at least doing some general research on living off-campus because there are some great options available for students.
The best thing to do to learn more about Baltimore—what to do, where to eat, where to live—is to talk to your faculty and classmates. Because Baltimore is small, friendly and accessible, you can learn a lot about the city in a very short amount of time. Most of the faculty and staff have been living in Baltimore for a long time, so they can be a great resource for information about everything from where to get a haircut, to where to get a cheap dinner. We’ve always loved how generous most Baltimoreans are with their time and knowledge, so take advantage.