Arts in Education Grants

Linda Bamford
Arts in Education Director
linda.bamford@ncdcr.gov
(919) 807-6502

The Arts in Education Program provides support to schools and nonprofit organizations to strengthen the use of the arts in pre K–12 settings. We give priority to funding fees for professional artists to work in educational settings and collaborations between arts organizations and schools. Arts in Education grants are not intended to substitute for a school's arts education program.

There are three AIE grant categories:

Additionally, each year the Arts Council selects two to four performing arts groups to tour as part of cARTwheels II through an application process. Designated cARTwheels II groups will tour to four to six communities providing age-appropriate, 50-minute performances for students as well as teacher workshops and other educational offerings in the classroom. Guidelines for cARTwheels II will be available in May of 2010.

Although they can be part of Artist Residency projects, organizations that receive General Support will be more limited when applying for Arts in Education grants. They will be eligible to apply for:

(*AIE General Support groups are not eligible to receive additional AIE grants.)

Lastly, the Arts Council supports public art projects in a school environment. The School Public Art Residency Collaboration (SPARC) allows public high schools to apply to get a school-based residency project to hire a professional artist to create a work of art with the participation of students, staff and the school community. The SPARC Guidebook offers additional information. Contact Brendan Greaves, Public Art and Community Design Director, at (919) 807-6509 for application instructions.

All applicants must call the Arts in Education Director at least one to two months prior to submitting an application. This conversation should happen early in the planning process so that our staff can help you make the application as competitive as possible. In addition, all applicants should review the General Grant Information in advance of writing the grant and contacting the Arts in Education Director. Only one arts-in-education grant can be submitted per organization/school.