BOSTON — Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) President Mary K. Grant announced a new Business of Creative Industries minor launching in Fall 2025, following a directive from Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey during 2025 Creative Sector Advocacy Day. The move aligns with a newly released Massachusetts Cultural Economy Advisory Council report focused on developing better economic tools for creative workers.
The Business of Creative Industries minor is a 15-credit program crafted to empower artists and designers with essential business acumen, specifically tailored to the nuances of the creative economy.
“At MassArt, we are cultivating the next generation of founders, influential leaders of creative teams, visionary directors of cultural organizations, and innovative thinkers,” said Dr. Grant. “I’m thrilled we will be able to offer our students a path to bring their artistic practice and entrepreneurial spirit together and equip them with an outstanding foundation for business and creative success.”
“Massachusetts is fortunate to be home to the nation’s only independent public college of art and design, MassArt,” said Governor Healey. “For generations, they have trained talented artists and designers who make significant contributions to the cultural fabric of our state and our country. It’s great that they are launching a new Business of Creative Industries minor, which will provide students with the business skills they need to succeed in our creative economy.”
The new minor builds upon the success of the College’s Creative Economy Business Incubator. Led by Sara Hartmann, this program supports arts entrepreneurship with guidance from MassArt faculty, industry experts, and more than 50 visiting entrepreneurs every year. In 2022, MassArt dramatically expanded the Incubator program by partnering with the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture to create free professional development opportunities for Boston-based artists and creative entrepreneurs.
“Congratulations to President Grant and her team for creating this new minor that will have positive benefits for our students, our creative sector and our economy,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Our arts and culture sector contributes so much to our communities and also generates billions for our economy. We look forward to even more students succeeding in this crucial industry.”
“At its heart, art mirrors entrepreneurship – both demand a powerful vision and the drive to bring it to life,” said Sara Hartmann, MassArt’s Program Director of Creative Entrepreneurship. “By fostering a strategic mindset in our emerging artists, we’re equipping MassArt graduates to thrive professionally and simultaneously enriching the Commonwealth with a uniquely creative and visionary talent pool.”
Moving beyond traditional business education, the Business of Creative Industries minor will consist of required coursework such as economic and financial analysis, strategic planning, and market analysis. All core skills will be viewed through the lens of contemporary challenges and burgeoning opportunities within creative fields. To learn more about the Business of Creative Industries minor, visit www.massart.edu/business.
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About MassArt
The only independent public college of art and design in the country, MassArt was founded in 1873 in response to a bold idea: art and design are essential to our daily lives, and key to improving our society and economy. What began as a school to teach drawing is today a bold, comprehensive art and design institution that spans 18 undergraduate and nine graduate programs, certificates, continuing education, and post-baccalaureate study.
Media Contact
Matt Wilder
(617) 504-1718
matt@wilderstrategies.com
MassArt student Julie Nguyen ’25 turns her love of decorative cakes into a booming business with Fake Cakery.
Julie Nguyen, the artist and founder behind Fake Cakery
Written by Rachael Dubinsky
Graduating fourth-year student Julie Nguyen, BFA ‘25 Film/Video, didn’t set out to go to art school, or create a business from scratch for that matter. In fact, her high school didn’t offer any art classes. In high school while working at a bakery, she found herself making short food-related videos. It wasn’t until she decided culinary school and the restaurant business weren’t in her future that she found Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), where she thought she would get a film degree and go into food media. However, life however had other plans.
During her time at the bakery, she was drawn to the “fake cakes” that were on display to market the business. Julie started making these “fake cakes” with spackling, paint, foam and other materials for fun, but what she found was there was a real demand for her creations online. Little did she know, what started as a way to get rid of the “clutter” in her mom’s house would become a booming business, practically overnight.
“I put my “fake cakes” on Depop (a clothing selling website) under the home decor section and the items sold out,” said Julie. “Then I put them on Instagram and started taking pictures and making reels that were garnering millions of views. I was selling out of “fake cakes” faster than I could make them. That’s when I started doing themed collections and product drops.”
Fake Cakery inventory. Photo by Julie Nguyen
The reception for Nothing Is Edible: The Mini Mart, Julie’s senior thesis exhibition at MassArt, included a pop-up by Fake Cakery and featured sculptures, films, and interactive installations that explore food through memories, culture, and nostalgia. Photo by Dario St. Luc
Her business, Fake Cakery, became more than just a passion project, it was a full-time job. That’s when Julie decided to enroll in the Creative Economy Business Incubator Program, knowing she needed to be surrounded by peers who were also navigating the challenges that come along with a rapidly growing business.
“I formed so many connections with other artists, creators, and professionals that really helped me build confidence in talking about my business,” Julie shared. “That was a game changer as I was figuring out how to maintain my voice and focus on my goals for the business.”
Now, Julie works with national brands like Live Nation and Sony, while still doing exclusive product drops for the masses. She recently launched a new project, Nothing is Edible, that focuses on the motivation behind her creative venture.
Using her knowledge from building the Fake Cakery brand, Julie wants to focus her new brand on community. Her goal is to keep creating products that have multiple functions and make a more direct connection to her story.
“It’s all about taking the first steps,” Julie shared. “There are tons of resources available at MassArt and within the creative community, and I feel fortunate to be building my dream business.”
Fake Cakery inventory. Photo by Julie Nguyen
Empower your creative practice with essential business acumen to navigate the market, launch ventures, and build a sustainable and impactful career in the creative economy.
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MassArt Industrial Design student Rachel Buckley shares how scholarship support empowers her as a nontraditional student.
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Yes, they met new people, tasted the food, and took in the landscape. But students who traveled to Laos with Fashion Chair Jennifer Varekamp also worked hand-in-hand with local artisans to support their creative entrepreneurial efforts.
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BOSTON – The Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) Board of Trustees has approved the following faculty members for promotion or tenure, effective September 1, 2025:
Promotion to Associate Professor
Hossein Alizadeh, Integrative Sciences and Biological Arts (ISBA)
Ryan Diaz, Communication Design
Abraham Evensen Tena, Illustration
Tatiana Gómez Gaggero, Communication Design
Kayla Mohammadi, Fine Arts 2D
Promotion to Professor
Wesley Bedrosian, Illustration
S. Billie Mandle, Photography
Martha Rettig, Communication Design
Daniel Rowe, Animation
María Cecilia Vázquez Gutiérrez, Fine Arts 2D
Awarded Tenure
Stephanie Cardon, Studio Foundation
Erik DeLuca, Art Education
Joshua Hart, Studio Foundation
Lisa Daria Kennedy, Illustration
Calvin Lee, Animation
Robert Maloney, Illustration
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About MassArt
The only independent public college of art and design in the country, MassArt was founded in 1873 in response to a bold idea: art and design are essential to our daily lives, and key to improving our society and economy. What began as a school to teach drawing is today a bold, comprehensive art and design institution that spans 18 undergraduate and nine graduate programs, certificates, continuing education, and post-baccalaureate study.
Media Contact:
Amanda Karr
Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
akarr@massart.edu
Olivia Costa (‘23) was selling jewelry she fashioned with pieces of Murano glass that she had picked up on a trip to Venice. Rising senior Jada Coplin, alongside her mom-slash-sales-rep Celeste Payne, marketed T-shirts with her eye-catching periwinkle-on-white design that exhorted people to “BURST OUT OF YOUR SHELL.” Newly minted alum Ethan “Eebee” Donaldson (‘24) kicked it with chunky men’s rings and unisex denim fashion.
It was Night Market at the Station last Friday, July 12, and attendees were having fun both browsing and purchasing. MassArt Provost Brenda Molife was one of them. “I really love that the Night Market provides a venue for MassArt alumni and students to be able to showcase their work,” she says. “I’m always able to find a couple of gifts for friends and something for myself! This time was no exception, I purchased several beautiful bookmarks and handmade journals.”
Jada Coplin (’25 BFA) with her mom at the Dehiscence booth.
Ethan “Eebee” Donaldson (‘24 BFA).
But Night Market didn’t just showcase great, one-of-kind pieces that would make well-appreciated gifts – including for oneself. It was also a relaxed evening of fun, friends, and family. For instance, to keep handmade paper sold by Olivia Lynn (‘22) from being blown away by the breeze, her friend, rising junior and glass major Chloe Jones, crafted arresting glass paperweights with swirls of pastels. The two, who welcomed visitors together, have known each other since attending the same middle school in Connecticut.
A mash-up of zines and RISO prints were hawked by four MassArt pals who shared a group booth: rising senior Bianca Lobodin, Maverick O’Meara (‘23), Emmy Kelly (‘24), and Ava Pomilla (‘23). And Jasmine Gonzalez’s family – father, stepmother, siblings, auntie, and others – traveled two and a half hours to enter her interactive Cucina del Amor (Kitchen of Love), where children played and more than a few Night Market attendees posed for photos. How could you not? The vibrant pinks and greens she used to color her kitchen cabinets and appliances were hard to pass up, as were the sliced bread and other foods that she made in the 3D FabLab.
Cucina del Amor (Kitchen of Love), Jasmine Gonzalez.
Jasmine Gonzalez stands in her interactive Cucina del Amor at the Night Market.
Four MassArt pals shared a group booth at the Night Market: Bianca Lobodin (’24), Maverick O’Meara (‘23), Emmy Kelly (‘24), and Ava Pomilla (‘23).
Taking a break from booth hopping, some visitors enjoyed watching adorable dogs frolic right on the grounds in a pop-up dog park, replete with pool and fountain; the happy pets could (and did) enjoy interludes of cooling off in the water before resuming their games of tag and other canine shenanigans.
Then it was back to browsing and shopping. Jess Baer (’07) sold beautiful ceramic ware such as 3D-printed bowls that she worked on with her husband, Zach Hastings (also ‘07). “He was in ID, so we collaborate on everything together,” says the ceramics artist. Tori Pearson (‘23) showcased handmade journals with truly dazzling, often mesmerizing, covers.
A pop-up dog park the Night Market at The Station, July 2024.
Jessica Baer of Baer Ceramics.
It was a terrific evening where art intersected with both commerce and good feelings–and many more artist offerings than could be mentioned here. If you missed out on it, you can catch the next two MassArt Night Markets on September 6 and October 4.
Today, Provost Brenda Molife announced Professor Matthew Hincman will serve a renewable three year term as Dean of Faculty, as of August 19, 2024.
Over the last two years, James Mason has served admirably as the Associate Provost as well as the inaugural Dean of Faculty. We are indebted to James for what he has accomplished in this combined role. James will continue to provide leadership in Academic Affairs as the Associate Provost
Our new Dean of Faculty, Professor Hincman, began teaching at MassArt in the early 2000s as a part-time faculty member, and was hired into a temporary position with the retirement of Professor George Greenamyer in January 2005. He oversaw the birth of iron casting at MassArt as the first faculty advisor for this student-led initiative, and has taught many of the metalworking, sculpture and 3D courses such as “Discourse in Practice: Public Art” which is part of the new FA3D Practice strand. He championed the establishment of the required all-FA3D sophomore class “Studio Practice” that brings together students from across the five disciplines housed in 3D, to create more engaged cohorts across media and processes in the department.
If you are in Boston’s Fenway area on July 12, make sure to stop by the MassArt Night Market, where rising MassArt senior Jasmine Gonzalez is using art to help adults reconnect with their inner child.
Located at The Station, visitors can expect lots of playtime in the interactive kitchen, which Gonzalez calls the Cosina del Amor or “Kitchen of Love.” The space, adorned in welcoming pinks and greens, will have toys like hand-painted fruits made in MassArt’s 3D FabLab that can be sliced with a play knife, sinks with marbles, and other make-believes. Some of the effects will be for sale. The exhibit itself will be in place until August 12 during normal business hours at The Station.
When asked about the inspiration for her installation, Gonzalez shared, “When I was growing up, the kitchen was the place I always hung out with my family. One titi [“auntie”] would teach me how to dance. My other titi is a caterer – she’d have us try her desserts. That room was where the warmest, coziest moments happened.”
“I really like the idea of playing adults. When you’re told to act your age, it seems like you have to cut out the things you enjoy to be ‘mature.’ The aim is to bring back some of the security and embrace of childhood fun.”
Part of MassArt’s Creative Economy Business Incubator program, the Night Market is a celebration of creativity and community, showcasing the work of the next generation of artists. Tickets for the Night Market are free and can be found here. Additional Night Markets will take place on Sept. 8 and Oct. 4.
BOSTON – Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), the country’s only independent public college of art and design, announced today it will host a series of Night Market events highlighting the entrepreneurial ventures of MassArt students and alumni. This unique pop-up art installation and open-air market is being created in partnership with Samuels & Associates at their outdoor community space, The Station, in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood.
“MassArt prides itself on being a college where artists hone their craft, and also one where they develop leadership, business, and entrepreneurial skills that all contribute to financial success doing what they love,” said Dr. Mary K. Grant, MassArt’s President. “The Night Markets are an innovative way for our students and alumni to introduce their art to new customers and incubate their start-up businesses.”
MassArt launched the Creative Economy Business Incubator program to support arts entrepreneurship with guidance from MassArt faculty, industry experts, and visiting entrepreneurs. Working individually or in teams, participants spend two semesters developing, market testing, and refining a business idea.
The Night Markets will take place on Friday nights from 4 to 8 p.m on July 12, September 6, and October 4, 2024.
Visitors to The Station will have the opportunity to view the work of three artists from recent incubator cohorts and an immersive installation curated by MassArt students. Visitors and customers can meet artists, get creative, learn new skills with interactive art demos, and purchase goods from some of MassArt’s next student and alumni entrepreneurs.
The Night Markets are free to attend. The September and October night markets will also include video projections as the sun sets. The October Night Market will be fashion themed and will take place as an official event during Boston Fashion Week.
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About Massachusetts College of Art and Design:
Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) is a public, independent institution that prepares artists, designers, and educators to shape communities, economies, and cultures for the common good. Since 1873, MassArt has built a legacy of leadership as the first freestanding public college of art and design in the country, and the nation’s first art school to grant a degree. MassArt offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in art, design, and art education, taught by world-class faculty.
About The Station:
Designed and operated by Samuels & Associates, The Station is The Fenway’s newest outdoor gathering space, first opened to the public in September 2022. Located at 1400 Boylston St., The Station is committed to the intersection of art and community, a place to celebrate our neighbors, and the new site of a rotating series of playful initiatives. This creative space is designed to foster experimentation, visibility, inclusivity, and amplification of local businesses and creators – with everything from a rotating art gallery to a wine garden, community pickleball court, rotating food and beverage vendors, swings, and games, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Citybiz highlights MassArt at the Station this summer, noting that the Fenway spot (1400 Boylston) will host rotating exhibitions in partnership with the College’s Creative Business Incubator in the space’s on-site gallery. There will also be a series of MassArt student art sale markets and interactive art demos.
