Lesser know programs or hidden gems?

Thank you all for the input thus far! Any suggestions for ‘hidden gems’ within a 5-6 hour radius of Connecticut? (WesConn is practically in our backyard, so S doesn’t really want to consider it.)
And does anyone know if there are any schools in RI that offer a MT BFA (or BA)? I didn’t see any on the schools by State, other than a MT concentration/minor, but thought with so many new programs emerging, that maybe there’s something new out there?

Or schools near/in Boston other than BoCo or Emerson?