The Maryland Institute College of Art is a private art and design college in Baltimore, Maryland. It was founded in 1826 as the Maryland Institute for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts, making it one of the oldest art colleges in the United States. MICA is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design, a consortium of 36 leading US art schools, as well as the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. The college hosts pre-college, post-baccalaureate, continuing studies, Master of Fine Arts, and Bachelor of Fine Arts programs, as well as young peoples' studio art classes.