Artist-in-the-Classroom Grants

The Artist-in-the-Classroom Grant, offered by the Salt Lake City Arts Council, is designed to support elementary schools within the Salt Lake City School District by integrating professional artists into the classroom during regular school hours. The initiative is part of a broader effort by the Arts Council, a division of Salt Lake City Corporation's Department of Community and Neighborhoods, to enhance and expand arts education in the public school system. The Council administers several arts programs and maintains a nonprofit foundation to support its mission of promoting community engagement through the arts. The primary purpose of the Artist-in-the-Classroom Grant is to fund artist residencies that run for a minimum of six weeks, providing at least one session per week with the artist. These residencies are intended to supplement, not replace, existing arts instruction, and the grant cannot be used for after-school programming. Each grant award is fixed at $3,000 and is paid directly to the participating artist. Applicants are encouraged to ensure artists are compensated at a rate of no less than $30 per hour. If the artist must provide supplies, this must be indicated in the application budget. The total available funding for the program is approximately $30,000 annually, and schools are limited to one application each. Priority consideration is given to Title I schools. Artists may be selected by the school, and in cases where no artist is pre-selected, the Council recommends using the Utah Division of Arts and Museums Teaching Artist Roster. The school is responsible for managing the residency, submitting documentation, and ensuring compliance with district policies, including background checks for artists working unsupervised. Eligibility requirements include that the applying elementary school be physically located within Salt Lake City and accredited by the district, including charter schools. Participating artists must either be U.S. persons eligible to receive taxable income (citizens, green card holders, or permanent residents) or represent a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization with an EIN. Artists must also be at least 18 years old. Ineligible expenses include those incurred outside the grant timeline, administrative overhead, subgrants, and payment to district-employed instructors. Applications for the FY27 cycle open on February 9, 2026, and close at 11:59 p.m. on March 27, 2026. Preliminary notifications will be issued in May 2026, though final approval by the Salt Lake Arts Council Board of Directors will not occur until August 19, 2026. Written notifications will be sent in August, followed by grant agreement acceptance in early September and fund distribution in October. The final report is due no later than September 30, 2027, or 30 days after funds are spent, whichever is earlier. All applicants are evaluated using a rubric that scores the artist’s qualifications, residency description, and instruction details. Applications must be submitted through the grant portal, with required components including a letter of agreement from the school principal. Office hours are available for technical assistance during the application period. Any questions not answered by the guidelines or FAQs should be emailed to [email protected]. All inquiries will be answered within two business days and shared publicly unless they contain sensitive personal information.

Indicate if the artist will supply materials; priority to Title I schools; artists must undergo background checks if unsupervised; ensure only one school application is submitted.