Montserrat College of Art

The Montserrat College of Art is a visual arts residential college. It is an educational community for students involved in the study of design and art. The varied curriculum challenges individual students by nurturing technical and perceptual skills.

Foundation and Development

The Montserrat College of Art was established in 1960 as the Montserrat School of Visual Arts. It was founded by a group of artists who wanted to start a new kind or institute for professional visual arts education. In the beginning the school only offered a professional diploma. By the 1980’s the Montserrat School of Visual Arts acquired accreditation and had the authority to award Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts.
After getting accredited the Montserrat School of Visual Arts came to be known as the Montserrat College of Art. Within 1990, the Montserrat College of Art changed its original location and moved to downtown Beverly. The college was housed in the newly renovated Hardie Building. The college gradually expanded its teaching facilities and acquired residence halls. The Montserrat College of Art has accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

Courses at the Montserrat College of Art:

The Montserrat College of Art has programs in Bachelor of Fine Arts and also offers a Diploma. The subjects available in the Montserrat College of Art are fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Painting & Drawing, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture. A complementary Art Education program is also available. The college has nine chaired departments and the office of the Dean of Faculty.

The Montserrat College of Art is comparatively small as far as student count is concerned. This allows for individualized attention for students and helps the students to progress better. The college alumni includes famous fashion designer Sigrid Olsen and Illustrator Giles Laroche.