Maine College of Art & Design's President Laura Freid was a guest on the most recent episode of architectural photographer Trent Bell's podcast, Architecture, Design & Photography.
The interview encompasses Dr. Freid's views on the creative process, arts advocacy, her approach to arts education, and Maine College of Art & Design's unique position as "the right-sized school in the right-sized city." One need only look at the statistics to see that this identity has been well-received by young artists from far and wide: From 2016 to 2019, applications to the College's BFA program went up 53%, and the selectivity of the program increased by 24% while the diversity of the incoming class increased by 7%. During that time, the MFA program grew from 17 to 38 students.
"I think we're all born to be creative and to express ourselves through art," says Dr. Freid. "So, I just encourage everyone to assume they are an artist until proven otherwise, and to keep perfecting their ability to express what's in their mind."
The full interview is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and in video form on host Trent Bell's website. The interview is sponsored by Maine Home+Design magazine, to which Dr. Freid contributed an article for the September 2023 issue.
Laura Freid on Trent Bell;s podcast Architecture, Design & Photography