Maine Media Summer Academy: Join the Next Generation of Artists

The Summer Academy is for teens aged between 14-18 who want to learn new skills, get hands-on experience, and produce content for their scholastic portfolio or pursue a career in photography, filmmaking or book arts & design. Many of our Academy students have utilized their time at Maine Media to create the stepping stones needed to become successful artists.

Each workshop runs for 2 weeks, is capped at $3995 USD, and includes accommodation, access to campus amenities, transportation once the workshop has begun, meals (including a lobster dinner!), Resident Advisors, Teacher’s Assistants, and tuition. There are also Young Artist scholarships available.

Students can take advantage of our special pricing which is available for students taking more than one workshop. Email registrar@mainemedia.edu for more information.

We recommend students have access to $150 over the two-week period for incidentals, snacks, movies, field trips etc. You can view the Summer Academy workshops currently on offer here.

Yes! Maine Media offers numerous scholarships for potential Academy students. Please view the Young Artist scholarships page to learn more about their purpose, opportunities, and application process.

Students may request a transcript to be sent to their high school for possible credit by emailing registrar@mainemedia.edu.

The Summer Academy is located at Maine Media’s campus: 70 Camden Street, Rockport, Maine 04856. Detailed travel information is included in the student acceptance packet. Please find an overview of travel options below and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any travel questions – we’re here to help.

If You Drive:
Getting to Rockport is relatively easy. Rockport is halfway up the Maine coast – easy to find – just off Route 1, 80 miles north of Portland, between Camden and Rockland. By car, Rockport is less than a two-hour drive from Portland, less than four hours from Boston, eight hours from New York and Montreal.

If You Fly:
Delta, Jet Blue, American, Southwest, Frontier, Cape Air, Elite and United all service Portland Jetport (PWM) with several flights daily. We recommend flying through Portland Jetport, then renting a car or catching a bus.

Bangor International Airport (BGR) is another option, though flight options are often fewer and more expensive. The drive time from Bangor to Rockport is similar to Portland, under two hours.

Cape Air offers frequent commuter flights each day between Boston’s Logan Airport and the nearby Knox County Airport (RKD), just 20 minutes from Maine Media. Taxis are available to drive you to Rockport.

Rental Cars:
All the major rental agencies have a presence at the Portland Jetport. Avis, Budget and Enterprise are available in Rockland.

If You Take the Bus:
Rockport is served by Concord Coachlines with daily summer service to Camden/Rockport from both Boston and Portland. Be sure to book the Maine Coastal Route into CAMDEN / ROCKPORT (not Rockland!). Please visit Concord Coachline’s website for up-to-date information or call 1.800.639.3317.

If You Take the Train:
AMTRAK currently operates between Boston’s North Station and Portland. From Portland, you can then connect to Concord Coachlines (see above), though scheduling can be difficult.

Yes! During their stay, Resident Advisors (RAs) supervise the students when not in class and help make group decisions about weekend activities, including swimming, bowling, movies, and hiking. There are many awesome activities to do in the midcoast of Maine during the summer!

Yes! During the week, all meals are provided and taken together in the dining facilities directly across the street. Weekend meals are taken in the local economy and transported by the RA’s – or sometimes do cookouts. This cost is included in the tuition package. Parents may indicate any special dietary needs upon registration.

Students also have access to snacks and drinks throughout the day when on campus.

A lobster dinner is served (there are other choices) on the last Friday night of each workshop, and all Maine Media students gather for an evening presentation of highlights from the week’s work. Parents are welcome to attend, and meal tickets may be purchased in the Registration Office on-campus or by emailing info@mainemedia.edu.

Everything here is informal, just focus on what makes you comfortable and ready to make work! Note that we provide each student with a list of what to bring in our comprehensive acceptance packet. We recommend bringing appropriate layers (In May, June, and September the days are usually cool with chilly evenings. The days in July and August are usually pretty warm), sunscreen, closed-toe shoes, a bathing suit, laptop, medicines (please see acceptance packet for more details on bringing medicines).

Some workshops will have special gear lists–we usually send those out about two weeks before the start of a workshop. If you ever have questions about what to bring, just ask!

Check-in is on Sunday, between 3 and 6 PM and departure is on Saturday morning once the workshop has finished. This and more comprehensive information is provided in each student’s acceptance packet.