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Institutional Policies

Policy on Performance, Installation, & Sound Art in Public Spaces

The College fully supports students’ right to artistic expression and recognizes the merits of performance and installation art; however, students must comply with MICA policies in order to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for everyone. Students and other participants in performance, installation, and sound art must comply with all MICA policies regarding drugs, alcohol, weapons, explosives, and other hazardous materials. Specifically prohibited in MICA buildings and on MICA property are:

  • Setting off fireworks, explosives, or any similar device
  • Displaying or using a knife, gun, or other weapon
  • Possession or use of illegal drugs (including alcohol, if under age 21)
  • Exposing others to blood, urine, feces, chemicals, or other hazardous materials (as an unsafe practice, this is not acceptable)
  • Any activity that has the potential to cause injury to the artist, any other participants or performers, audience members, or others

Artists who would like to display or install performance, installation, or sound art on public spaces on the MICA campus must obtain prior written authorization from the MICA Office of Events. This is necessary to ensure that desired space is available and property damage and safety hazards will not result. Installations or performances in classrooms during class time do not need authorization; however, they must comply with the policies above.

Installation or performances in galleries must obtain prior authorization from the Director of Exhibitions. MICA public spaces include:

  • All exterior spaces on campus, including entrance plazas in front of Bunting Center,Mount Royal Station, Main Building, Fox Building, and Brown Center (grass, walkways, fountains, and patio areas)
  • All balconies, stairwells, entrance and lobby areas, and restrooms in campus buildings, and any other non-gallery, non-classroom spaces in MICA buildings
  • Main Building Court, including air space to ceiling
  • Mount Royal Station parking lot, hill, exterior stairways, portico, and train shed
  • Meyerhoff House front patio, Alex. Brown Garden, and Daniels Garden
  • Founders Green front steps

Please be aware that MICA does not own the median strips, trees, sidewalks, streets, telephone or light poles—they are property of the City of Baltimore.

Students interested in presenting performance, installation, or sound art on MICA’s campus (even for one class session) outside of classrooms or the College’s gallery spaces must submit a proposal at least two weeks prior to the start date to the Office of Events, outlining the details and the timetable for the artwork. Proposal forms are available at the Office of Events. A committee will review the proposals, and the student will receive notification of the committee's decision. Any installed art deemed a public health or safety hazard and installations that have not received authorization will be removed immediately.

We encourage students who intend to exhibit artwork in public spaces on campus (even for one class session) to consider MICA’s close proximity to a daycare and elementary school. No artwork may be on Corpus Christi Church or church property, elementary school, or daycare property; we also discourage displaying or critiquing work containing sexually explicit images in public areas where underage children may be walking to and from school. Alternative locations on campus should be considered.

Performance, installation, and sound art proposals for Brown Center’s Leidy Atrium, Lower Lobby, or Rosenberg Gallery are coordinated by the Exhibitions Department.

Graffiti and defacement of MICA buildings and public or private property are not considered artwork. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action. See page 309 for MICA’s graffiti policy.

Gallery hours for all exhibition spaces

Monday–Saturday: 10 am–5 pm

Sunday: 12 noon–5 pm

Closed major holidays

NOTE: The student space galleries are closed when students are not on campus. All exhibitions and opening receptions are free and open to the public. For current information\ about exhibitions in the student space galleries, contact Student Activities. For information about all other exhibition spaces, call the Exhibitions Office (ext. 2280) or visit MICA’s website.