Danielle Moriarty, MPA

Danielle Moriarty has spent the last 15 years shaping the arts and culture sector as a changemaker, educator, and administrator. With her unique blend of experience as a nonprofit leader, former K-12 arts educator, and advocate for creative communities, she brings a dynamic perspective to her role at Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D). As an instructor in MECA&D’s online graduate programs, Moriarty is helping to redefine how students approach leadership and entrepreneurship in the arts.

Currently serving as Program Director at the Maine Arts Commission, Moriarty holds a bachelor’s degree in cultural studies with a minor in studio art and a master’s in public administration focused on public humanities and art. Her career has been dedicated to embedding creativity into civic life, ensuring that artists, cultural practitioners, and arts organizations can thrive where they live.

Reflecting on her path in arts education, Moriarty recalls a pivotal moment early in her career. “Once upon a time, I was a K-12 arts educator,” she shares. While teaching high school students who weren’t on the college track, she collaborated with her school principal to create a program tailored to their needs. “It didn’t make sense for them to be doing another year of curriculum based on the foundations of design and principles of art. So we worked together to build a program and a course that was rooted in community art and community experiences with education.”

This innovative program combined community engagement with reflective studio work. “One day, we went out into the community. We visited galleries and museums and looked at public art. Then the next day, we did a reflective studio class,” Moriarty explains. The result was a deeply meaningful experience for the students that shaped how she views arts education today.

“I think at that moment, it became really clear to me how I would be navigating arts education moving forward and thinking about it outside of the four walls of the classroom. I think the really beautiful thing about arts education and arts educators is the ability to take these informal learning experiences and create something really meaningful with them.”

Now teaching in MECA&D’s online graduate programs in arts education, Moriarty is excited about the opportunities this format provides. “What’s most exciting about teaching online is the flexibility,” she says.

“We live in a day and age, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, where we all have different facets of our lives. Being able to juggle and manage them all requires a lot of flexibility, and an online program provides that flexibility that can serve the needs of so many working professionals. It gives them an opportunity to grow and gain knowledge and skills and understanding on their own time and for a schedule that works best for them, which is invaluable.”

What sets MECA&D’s programs apart, according to Moriarty, is the combination of practical, hands-on learning and rigorous academic content. “I think the combination of hands-on, collaborative learning mixed with rigorous academic course content makes this a unique program that students can get really excited about,” she explains. This balance ensures that students not only gain theoretical knowledge but also develop the critical thinking and entrepreneurial skills needed to succeed in the arts and culture sector.

Moriarty co-teaches the Leadership and Entrepreneurship in the Arts and Culture Sector course with fellow instructor Martha Piscuscus. This course is designed to prepare students to lead arts organizations or businesses by exploring essential topics such as leadership styles, reducing barriers to access, and facilitating high-level organizational change.

“This is an opportunity for students to explore critical thinking skills and entrepreneurial skills they’ll need to run an arts organization or business,” Moriarty says. “They’ll also learn what it takes to be a good leader and the different types of styles that are necessary to facilitate change on a high-level, organizational capacity.”

For Moriarty, the role of arts educators goes far beyond teaching creative techniques. “Artists and teaching artists have the ability to give people the tools to not only create something beautiful but to create change,” she says. “The more we can facilitate and encourage students to gain those skill sets and tools, the better off we'll all be as a community, and be able to create not only a beautiful world but make change for a better world.”

Danielle Moriarty’s dedication to uplifting communities through the arts aligns perfectly with MECA&D’s mission to empower the next generation of art educators and leaders. Through her work at MECA&D, she’s helping students embrace their roles as changemakers, using the arts to build stronger, more vibrant communities.

Maine College of Art & Design Online delivers innovative, flexible learning experiences for aspiring and current art educators. Programs include a fully online Master of Arts in Education and Graduate Certificates in Expressive Art Therapy and Arts Leadership and Administration.

To learn more about our program pathways, request information today.