PORTLAND — The Maine College of Art has received a $3 million gift from a foundation named for the co-writer of some of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ biggest hits.

The donation from the Bob Crewe Foundation is the largest monetary gift in the Portland school’s history.

College President Don Tuski tells the Portland Press Herald the money will be used to launch a new program allowing students to explore interactions of art and music, at a time when art installations increasingly involve multimedia components and as bands add light shows and elaborate visual displays to their performances.

The 83-year-old Crewe is in poor health in a Scarborough nursing facility.

He co-wrote many Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ hits including “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Walk Like a Man.”