Get Arts in the Schools Program (GASP)

The Get Arts in the Schools Program is an arts education initiative created in 2005 through a partnership between the Arts Council of Mendocino County and the Mendocino County Office of Education. The program supports artist-led workshops and live performances in Mendocino County schools, reaching transitional kindergarten through 12th grade students with high quality, curriculum-based arts programming. Its mission is to integrate the arts into the core educational experience and ensure students gain meaningful exposure to visual, performing, literary, interdisciplinary, and multimedia arts. The program is open to professional artists residing in Mendocino County who have classroom experience, are members of the Arts Council, and demonstrate artistic excellence and educational merit. Artists must collaborate with teachers before applying, and each application requires a Teacher Request Form confirming the school’s participation. Eligible artistic disciplines include performing arts such as dance, music, and theater; media arts such as digital arts, podcasting, and graphic design; visual arts; literary arts; art history; Indigenous arts and crafts; and cross-disciplinary practices. Artists may propose performances, classroom sessions, or residencies. Performances must be designed for school assemblies of 45–60 minutes and may include interactive components. Classroom sessions involve one to four class visits per day with participatory, curriculum-linked activities. Residency programs require a series of three to thirty encounters, allowing deeper engagement over time. Ineligible projects include religiously focused programs, non-curriculum-based activities, or projects not primarily centered on the arts. The application process requires a completed artist application form, a project summary, and a teacher request form. First-time applicants must also provide a resume or bio, two professional references (including one educator), and samples of professional work. Materials must be recent and representative of the artist’s discipline, such as recordings, writing samples, or digital portfolios. Applications can be submitted by mail or email to the Arts Council of Mendocino County. Applications are due November 14, 2025. Proposals will be reviewed by a panel jointly appointed by the Arts Council and the Office of Education. Selection criteria include artistic quality, educational merit, school experience, administrative capacity, and uniqueness of approach. Awardees must comply with program requirements such as maintaining a teacher of record in classrooms, adhering to tuberculosis testing requirements, and completing required evaluation and payment forms. Visiting artists are also expected to follow state and local school COVID-19 protocols. Contracts are issued by the Arts Council prior to project implementation, and no work may begin until agreements are signed. Site visits and evaluations may be conducted during the project period to ensure compliance and impact. The program traditionally serves more than 3,000 students countywide each year, making it a cornerstone of arts education in Mendocino County. Program inquiries may be directed to the Arts Council at director@artsmendocino.org or by phone at 707-463-2727.

Collaborate with teachers in advance; provide curriculum-linked activities; highlight school experience and educational merit