Arts in Schools Grant Program

The Arts in Schools Grants program, offered by the City of Tempe, is designed to expand and enhance arts services for students in Tempe schools. This initiative aligns with the broader Community Arts Grants Program, which aims to support immersive arts and culture experiences for collective impact and sustained value within the community. The program's mission is to foster arts education by providing resources directly to visual and performing arts teachers, enabling them to introduce new equipment, supplies, or guest artists into their curricula and programs. The primary beneficiaries of these grants are visual and performing arts teachers and, by extension, the students within Tempe Union High School District, Tempe Elementary District, Kyrene School District, Tempe Preparatory Academy, and New School for Arts & Academics. The program targets schools and activities located within Tempe's city limits. The impact goals include enriching existing arts programs, offering students unique artistic opportunities, and contributing to a more vibrant and culturally engaged school environment. The program prioritizes several focus areas, offering teachers two main options: up to $750 for specialty equipment or supplies, or up to $2,000 for a residency. The residency option further breaks down into up to $1,500 for a guest artist, clinician, or arts organization, and up to $500 for supplies. For visual arts teachers, additional planning support is available if they select an artist from the Studio Artists Program. This structured approach ensures that resources are allocated to either enhance physical resources for arts education or bring in external expertise to enrich student learning. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in the quality and variety of arts education available to students. For the "Specialty Equipment or Supplies" option, the outcome is the acquisition of new materials that enhance teaching and learning. For the "Residency" option, the outcome is the direct engagement of students with professional artists or organizations, providing unique immersive experiences. Measurable results will be tracked through final reports submitted by May 30, 2025, which will detail how the funds were utilized and the impact on the arts programs. The program's strategic priorities are centered on direct support for classroom arts initiatives, ensuring that funding directly benefits student experiences rather than administrative overhead or infrastructure. This grant does not fund activities outside of Tempe, administrative salaries, compensation for immediate relatives, permanent infrastructure enhancements, construction, debt reduction, fundraising, re-granting, scholarship programs, or projects already funded by a 2024-2025 Community Arts Grant.