Step into Arts Learning (SAL) Grants

Applications will be accepted until Friday, April 18, 2008 (postmark date).

Applications and Guidelines for fiscal year 2009 Quick Turnaround Grants will be posted online in May 2008. Applications for fiscal year 2009 Quick Turnaround Grants (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009) will be processed starting July 7, 2008.

Download the Step into Arts Learning Application

Step into Arts Learning (SAL) grants are a new pilot artist residency program intended to introduce schools and communities to the rich learning opportunities that are available through the learning experiences teaching artists can provide. The program provides funds and technical assistance resources for the design and presentation of standards based arts education programs by teaching artists. Students will engage in making and thinking in the arts with artists in the classroom or out-of-school site. Classroom teachers and/or out-of-school program staff will also have the opportunity to learn new ways to infuse arts based learning throughout the curriculum.

The intent of the program is to:
· Help students and educators become grounded/comfortable in the arts discipline through the experience of making arts.

· Help students and educators use the processes and tools of the arts in a purposeful way.

· Engage students and educators with a professional teaching artist.

Eligibility: public and not for profit Pre-K–12 schools and after-school programs in Arizona that have not received funding assistance from the Arizona Commission on the Arts in the past 3 years. Particular interest and support provided for rural and underserved student populations. If your site received an ACA Grant in FY08, FY07 or FY06 you are not eligible to apply.

Requirements: non-matching grants of up to $1,200 for a mini program and $2,000 for a full program may be requested to cover fees for guest artists to present an artist in residence program, conduct professional development for classroom teachers or out-of-school program staff, present a community event and funds for supplies and travel. If granted, your guest artist is required to provide a written final report on how your site can build on the residency program to the site. Application must be received at least six weeks in advance of the project.

The SAL grant is meant to be a step into our annual grant programs; therefore you are only eligible for this grant every three years. Once you have completed a SAL Grant it is our intentions to have you continue to build arts based learning by applying through our annual arts learning grant program.

Disciplines: Music, theater, dance, literary arts, visual arts and folk arts.

Eligible fees: You must choose to present either a mini or full residency program. All artist fee’s are set and your site will determine how to spend the OTHER category funds.

Mini - $1,200
Artist Fees $800 (minimum 20 student contact hours)
2 hours of professional development workshops $80
Follow up activities created by Teaching Artist $80
Other: Community Event/Supplies/Travel $240 (to be used in full at discretion of site)
Max Grant $1,200

Full - $2,000
Artist Fees $1600 (minimum 40 student contact hours)
2 professional development workshops $80
Follow up activities created by Teaching Artist $80
Other: Community Event/Supplies/Travel $240 (to be used in full at discretion of site)
Max Grant $2,000

How to use the OTHER category
These funds should be entirely expended and not exceed $240.

· Community Event
These funds can only be used to pay the artist for the community event. The artist sets a fee for performance/reading/presentation. These funds cannot be used for refreshments.

· Supplies
These funds can be used for consumable supplies used during the course of the residency or to purchase arts based learning items to remain on site (example: purchasing Taiko drums).

· Travel
These funds can be used if your guest artist is traveling over 70mile roundtrip travel a day. An all-inclusive honorarium of $60 per day is available.

Applicant Match: There is no cash match required. You are required to document any in-kind contributions (staff time, supplies, advertising, etc.)

AND

Applicant must complete one action to create systemic change in the school/district/organization regarding art based learning. (Examples could include but are not limited to: Participating educators and or teaching artist present information about the residency to Principals/PTO/school board. Educators who participated in professional development with teaching artist commit to sharing the work with a colleague.)

Funding Criteria: The following criteria are the basis of review for SAL Grants:
· Artistic Quality of Project Design
· Articulation OF Student and Teacher Learning
· Evidence of Understanding
· Evidence of Community Support
· Appropriateness of the Budget

Application Process

We recommend that you contact ACA Arts Learning Staff to discuss your project plan before submitting the application.

Complete the Step into Arts Learning application. Please include:

• Project Application/Budget Page

• Two-page project description

• One-page resume for each artist or consultant (not required for Residency Roster Artists)

• Supplemental Material

Review: Requests will be reviewed upon receipt and you will be notified of the decision as soon as possible. If approved, you will receive notification of the grant amount awarded along with final report forms for your learning institution and guest artist(s).

Payment will be made once you have submitted all required paperwork, including copies of signed contracts or letters of agreement with the guest artists or consultants and copies of receipts for eligible expenses. A completed final report form is required no later than 30 days after the completions of your project.

Application must be received at least six weeks in advance of the project. Send to Arizona Commission on the Arts, 417 W. Roosevelt Street, Phoenix AZ 85003. Attn: Kim Willey, SAL Grants.

A limited amount of funding is available for Quick Turnaround Grants for the current year.

For more information please contact the Arts Learning Staff:
Kim Willey Arts Learning and Poetry Out Loud Coordinator, 602-771-6521.