Teaching Art Together Spring Grant Program 2025

The Teaching Art Together grant for fiscal year 2026 is administered by the Kentucky Arts Council, the official state arts agency. This grant program supports Kentucky's values of educational excellence, community enrichment, and creative collaboration by bringing professional teaching artists into classrooms across the state. The objective is to strengthen student engagement and teacher development through short-term artist residencies that align with state academic standards. This program funds artist-led classroom residencies ranging from one to ten days in length, supporting immersive arts instruction for students in preschool through 12th grade. It is open to public and private school teachers, as well as representatives from nonprofit organizations that provide full-time educational services to minors, including youth detention centers and group homes. The key goal is to provide students and educators with direct access to Kentucky-based teaching artists while integrating artistic practices into the school’s curriculum. Disciplines may include visual arts, dance, literary arts, and interdisciplinary forms. Residencies may culminate in student work displayed in community venues, though the primary focus remains educational. The grant pays artists $80 per session, with a maximum of four sessions per day. The funding covers artist fees only, and the applicant school or organization is responsible for providing necessary supplies, materials, and any post-residency showcases. The artist is not paid until the grantee submits a final report, which is due within 15 days of residency completion. The program allows for professional development (PD) hours—up to three per 20-hour residency—in lieu of classroom time. Each residency must include at least one "primary group" of students who meet with the artist daily, while "secondary groups" can participate more flexibly. Assemblies may substitute for some sessions, and a maximum of eight primary groups may be involved in a ten-day residency. Applicants must select artists from the Kentucky Arts Council’s Teaching Artists Directory and may not submit more than two applications per school or organization per fiscal year. No artist may be scheduled for more than 40 residency days statewide. Classes must be capped at 29 students for elementary levels and 31 for secondary levels. Residencies may not occur before or after school hours unless arranged separately. All applications must be submitted through the online GO Smart system, with a required organization profile. Documentation such as the IRS tax-exempt letter, FEIN, 501(c)(3) date, and Unique Entity ID (UEI) are required. Applications will be evaluated on planning and implementation, student impact, and cultural equity. These are scored on a 100-point scale, with particular emphasis on how residencies will include students in creative processes, link to academic standards, provide measurable learning outcomes, and offer culturally responsive programming. The review process includes both a public panel discussion and final approval by the Kentucky Arts Council board. Funded applicants must send acknowledgment letters to state legislators and local government officials and must credit the Kentucky Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts in all promotional materials. Applications are due by July 31, 2025. Residency activities may begin as early as September 1, 2025, and must be completed by May 31, 2026. Final reports are due within 15 days of the residency’s end. For assistance, applicants may contact Cynthia Warner, Director of Arts Education, via email at cynthia.warner@ky.gov or by phone at 502-782-4982.

Prepare materials and approvals in advance; coordinate early with teaching artist; review curriculum standards carefully