Arts in Education In-School Residency

The Arts in Education (AIE) In-School Residency Program is administered by the Arkansas Arts Council, which operates under the Division of Arkansas Heritage. This grant program is part of the Council’s broader initiative to support arts access and integration throughout the state of Arkansas. It is funded through a combination of federal and state resources. Federal funding is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), while state funding is appropriated by the Arkansas General Assembly. This grant aims to enrich K-12 education by embedding professional artists directly into school environments. The primary goal of the AIE In-School Residency Program is to foster artistic expression and creative development among pre-K through 12th grade students by placing professional artists in schools. These residencies provide students with direct, hands-on interaction with artists, offering opportunities to observe, engage, and participate in the creative process. The program is structured to integrate the arts with the broader curriculum, emphasizing the importance of aesthetic awareness as a fundamental aspect of basic education. Residencies funded under this grant may range in duration from 10 days to an entire school year. Artists involved in these residencies must be selected from the Arkansas Arts Council's official Arts in Education Artist Roster, with exceptions only made for specific Veteran's Projects. The maximum grant award available under this program is $40,000, and grant payments are scheduled according to the specific requirements of each funded program. A 1:1 match is required for all grant awards, and this match may consist of up to 50 percent in-kind contributions. To be eligible, applicants must submit a complete application online through the Arkansas Arts Council’s Grants Portal. All required pieces must be included for the application to be considered. The deadline for submitting applications for the AIE In-School Residency Program is February 3, 2025, and applications will be reviewed by a panel on April 16, 2025. Applicants are encouraged to consult with the appropriate program manager before submission. The application must include a fully completed budget form, available as a downloadable Excel file, and must follow specific formatting instructions. Grants are not available for several categories of spending, including start-up costs, capital expenditures, entertainment, tuition or scholarships, faculty and staff salaries under the AIE program, and lobbying. All applicants are also required to have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), which replaces the former DUNS number system as of April 2022. Applications are reviewed by panels consisting of Council members and arts field experts, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation process grounded in artistic and educational merit. For further assistance or inquiries, applicants may contact Matt Boyce, the Arts in Education Program Manager, at 501-324-9769 or via email. Other program-related contacts include Chloe Cunningham, Community Development Program Manager, and Brazier Watts, Grants Programs Manager.