Maximum Award: $10,000

Match: 1:1 cash match

Contact: AIE Program Manager

Arts in Education Arts Curriculum Project (AIE ACP) grants of up to $10,000 are awarded to schools and non-profit or governmental organizations and institutions to help support projects that advance the goal of arts as a basic part of education. Projects must seek to enhance current arts curricula or must assist in the goal of establishing on-going arts programming and/or curricula in schools and organizations. An AIE ACP may last from one day to one year.

Arts in Education Arts Curriculum Project (ACP) grant awards are made for projects, programs and activities occurring between July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009. Grant award payments are scheduled to accommodate the grantee’s program requirements to the extent possible.

Grant funds may be used for workshops, technical assistance, in-service training and other projects designed to increase skills in and awareness of arts in education. Activities may serve K-12 students, adult and/or special constituents directly or indirectly. Colleges, universities, arts centers, local arts councils, museums, public schools and other such entities are encouraged to apply and must demonstrate involvement with elementary or secondary schools. An AIE ACP is not to be used as an AIE artist residency program or Arts on Tour program.

Activities may include, but are not limited to:

The AIE Arts Curriculum Project program is designed to strengthen the role of arts in education with the understanding that the development of aesthetic awareness and participation in the arts should be an integral part of life and the basic education process. Based on guidelines provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, Arts in Education Arts Curriculum Projects are funded by the Arkansas Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and local sponsoring schools or organizations.

Grant funds are supplementary to the budget of any grantee. Applicants are encouraged to secure and demonstrate broadly based financial commitments for the proposal submitted.

Grant awards are based on anticipated Arkansas Arts Council revenues and can be reduced at any time during the grant period. The grant awards process is highly competitive and past receipt of an award does not guarantee an award in the next funding cycle.

Funds from the AIE ACP grant may be used only for contracted administrative or artistic/consultant expenses related to the proposed AIE ACP residency program. Funds cannot be used for faculty salaries/benefits, fundraising costs, capital expenditures or for artistic and technical staff salaries/benefits.

Eligibility

An ACP APPLICANT must

Criteria Scoring

The Council has established a weighted scoring scale that the Arts Curriculum Project panel is instructed to use during review to evaluate the different narrative categories. The sections are scored on the following scale:

Application Limits

Eligible applicants may submit one proposal for an AIE Arts Curriculum Project along with one proposal in either of the two remaining Arts in Education categories, or they may submit one proposal for an Arts in Education program and one proposal in the Collaborative Project Support category if they do not receive operating support from the Arkansas Arts Council.

Matching Funds

A 1:1 cash match is required. Matching funds that are anticipated at the time of application must be received and obligated no later than June 30, 2009.

The source for matching funds cannot be other Arts Council funds, Arkansas Arts on Tour reimbursements, subsidies for artist fees through the Mid-America Arts Alliance or grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.

In-kind contributions may not be used as matching funds on applications or counted as matching funds on final reports. They may, however, be included in the application as evidence of the commitment of additional resources.

Project Requirements

Planning Committee

A planning committee for the project should be formed to develop the project goals, select the project consultant or artist, plan and implement all details. An AIE program coordinator should be determined to be the contact person and primary administrator for the project.

Artists and Consultants

Applicants may use AIE roster artists or outside consultants of recognized professional and educational experience to implement the ACP. Applicants wishing to use an outside consultant must submit with this application:

The required consultant information will be reviewed in conjunction with the AIE ACP application. Consultant information will be used as an important piece in evaluating the overall quality of the proposal. The consultant information must show his or her qualifications to meet the goals of the proposed project.

Artists must be selected from the Arts in Education Artist Roster, unless prior approval is obtained from the AIE Program Manager. The roster can be found on the Arts Council’s website at http://www.arkansasarts.com/programs/aie/roster.asp. A review panel of experts selects artists for the roster based on the quality of their artistic work, a demonstrated ability to work in educational settings, which include diverse groups of any age, and evidence of experience with K-12 curriculum-based arts activities.

If an applicant is using an artist from the AIE roster, the organization must include an indication that the roster artist is part of the described Arts Curriculum Project proposal.

Budget Information

Fees

Artist/consultant fees may vary, but state rates for travel, lodging, and meals are listed below for reference.

Travel

If the artist/consultant is outside of the residency site’s phone calling area, reasonable round trip travel expenses may be included in the budget proposal. Travel by car should be estimated at 43 cents per mile. If the artist/consultant lives in another state, travel expenses can only be estimated from the Arkansas state line to the location of the residency.

Lodging and Meals

The Arkansas Arts Council will fund meals at $36 per day and lodging expenses up to a maximum of $60 per night for the artist/consultant during the ACP program. Any costs over these limits must be paid from other sources of funding. If the artist/consultant must travel more than fifty miles per day, it is recommended he or she stay overnight in the site’s community.

Prior to submitting an ACP application, the sponsoring organization should consult with the artist/consultant to determine acceptable lodging arrangements prior to submitting the application. Sponsors are encouraged to pursue possible in-kind donations for lodging.

Supplies

Sponsoring organizations should discuss supply needs with the artist/consultant and determine costs prior to submitting the application. In-kind donations for supplies are encouraged.