Stamps: A home for Michigan’s creative community

By: Julia Gordon

Situated amidst a top-tier research institution, the Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design is a close knit community of creative and innovative individuals. Though it was officially founded in 2012, the university has always valued art and offered courses in fine arts and architecture for more than a century. Stamps is now recognized as one of the top graduate schools in the country for art and design and provides a creative curriculum grounded in research. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are the core of Stamps’ efforts to unite research and creativity. Stamps employs an interdisciplinary curriculum to ensure that the leaders and best become leaders in their creative industries. Undergraduate students have the opportunity to experiment with a range of mediums and making methods that span everything from fine arts to digital design as well as tracks that intersect with other schools like LSA and the School of Music and Theater. Stamps also offers graduate programs that provide students with experience in real-world, hands-on projects related to art and design. Additionally, Stamps offers all Michigan students the opportunity to enroll in courses and lean into their creative interests.  

To view the amazing work that Stamps students are producing, visit the Stamps Gallery, a center of art and design located in downtown Ann Arbor. Through April 29th, 2023, the Stamps Gallery is hosting the MFA Graduate Thesies Exhibition. Click here to learn more about upcoming exhibitions. 

Another way for the community to get involved is through the Penny Stamps Speaker Series, a weekly discussion on art and design that takes place at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor. To learn more about these free events, click here.

The MFMS was honored to partner with Stamps this year for our annual 2023 summit. Tap into your creative side at Stamps, and visit https://stamps.umich.edu/ for more information.