Classes Begin this Fall to Meet Demand of Boston’s Burgeoning 
Comic Arts Scene

BOSTON – July 27, 2023 – Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) has announced it will offer a Visual Storytelling and Comic Arts Certificate Program this fall to meet the demands of Boston’s burgeoning comic arts scene. The program is open to all students with an interest in storytelling and no prior drawing experience is required. MassArt is offering the program as the first in the college’s new model of non-credit certificate programs that are fully online and can be completed in under a year.

“Not only is the popularity of graphic novels and memoirs growing, but there is also an increased demand for visual storytelling in a range of industries such as film, web design, video games and advertising,” said Dr. Mary Grant, President of MassArt. “This art form connects with people of all backgrounds and I appreciate that everyone is encouraged to join this program. We all have valuable stories to tell and as the Commonwealth’s art and design college, we are proud to provide an accessible opportunity for students to learn this skill.” 

The program, which begins in September and will be held virtually, is led by cartoonist and media scholar Dr. Heide Solbrig. LJ Baptiste – art educator, cartoonist, and member of the Boston-based group Comics in Color – will teach classes introducing comics and visual narrative starting this fall. Additional faculty will join the program this academic year. 

Students in the Comic Arts certificate program will refine both their writing and drawing skills, learning to combine the two in a rigorous and accessible approach to the sequential arts. MassArt’s program is structured as a community of artists learning in small classes, in close dialogue and critique with MassArt faculty and a wide range of visiting artists and writers. There is flexibility within the curriculum so that each student can build skills and progress toward an area of expertise and focus that suits their vision. As students’ toolkits expand, they’ll participate in professional practice training in order to strategize ways to build an artistic community and then distribute, exhibit, and publish their own work.

An information session will be held Wednesday, August 2nd and the deadline to register for classes is August 11. More information is available at https://massart.edu/degree-programs/visual-storytelling-comic-arts-certificate

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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.