Description

The experiential education programs of the Salt Institute collect, communicate and preserve non-fiction stories about Maine people, culture and landscape that, as they relate to the larger world, foster community and celebrate the diversity and the commonality of humanity.

Our Purpose
To teach responsible storytelling.

Our Approach
Intense. Experiential. Collaborative.

Our Focus
People. Their Stories. And telling them well.

Our Students
Are driven, passionate individuals who seek to immerse themselves in the documentary process. They struggle to find their own voice, to sit comfortably with discomfort, and to ask hard questions not only of their subjects, but also of themselves.

Our Program
Graduate and undergraduate students attend the Salt Institute to study documentary radio, writing, or photography. The program entails fifteen weeks of intensive, extensive field research coupled with workshops and seminars. Throughout the semester, students gather cultural materials and develop their craft in order to create documentaries of professional caliber. While the immediate focus and location is Maine, approaches and skills learned at the Salt Institute travel well to any regional study or to comparative studies.