2026 Artist-in-the-Classroom Grants

The Salt Lake City Arts Council administers the FY26 Artist-in-the-Classroom Grant to support partnerships between experienced artists and elementary schools within the Salt Lake City School District. This grant program is specifically designed to fund in-school artist residencies during regular classroom hours and does not cover after-school programming. Residencies must last at least six weeks, with a minimum of one session per week. Artists and schools are encouraged to collaborate prior to submitting the application. Applications open on Friday, February 10, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. and close on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. The grant review process will take place from April to May 2025. Preliminary notifications will be sent by Monday, May 26, 2025, with final approval granted by the Salt Lake City Arts Council Board on August 20, 2025. Written notifications will be issued on August 29, 2025, and accepted agreements are due by September 26, 2025. Grants will be disbursed in two installments: the first upon the start of the residency and the second upon submission and approval of the final report. All grant activities must occur between September 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026, and final reports are due within 30 days of fund expenditure or by September 30, 2026. Grant awards are $3,000 per residency, paid directly to the artist. Schools may only submit one application and must ensure the selected artist or nonprofit organization meets eligibility criteria. Artists must be legal U.S. residents, 18 years or older, and able to provide tax documentation (W9, SSN, or ITIN), or represent a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Schools must be within Salt Lake City boundaries, accredited by the Salt Lake School District (including charter schools), and prepared to implement the residency during the 2025–2026 academic year. Applications are evaluated on artist qualifications (20%), residency description (40%), and instructional details (40%). No matching funds are required, though schools are encouraged to indicate any additional support in the budget. Artists should generally be paid no less than $30/hour, and any required supplies must be specified in the application budget. Ineligible expenses include those incurred outside the grant period, pre-existing projects, debt reduction, subgrants, overhead or administrative costs, and salaries for district-employed artists. A signed authorization form from the school principal is mandatory, and both the artist and school must complete a memorandum of understanding if selected. Artists working unsupervised with students must undergo a background check per district policy. For additional support, applicants may contact the Salt Lake City Arts Council at ArtsGrants@SLC.gov or schedule a 25-minute appointment between February 10 and March 26, 2025. Further resources, including the application portal, FAQ, scoring rubric, and approved artist roster, are available on the Salt Lake City Arts Council website.