Arts for Lifelong Learning Mini-Grants

The AIE Lifelong Learning Mini-Grants are administered by the Arkansas Arts Council, a division of the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, and are designed to support community-focused arts education initiatives throughout Arkansas. The Arkansas Arts Council distributes both federal funds, appropriated through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and state funds, approved by the Arkansas General Assembly. These grants aim to expand access to high-quality arts programming across the state. The purpose of the Lifelong Learning Mini-Grants is to provide enriching, hands-on arts learning experiences for adult participants of all ability levels. Funding supports short-term artist residencies of up to ten days in community-based or governmental organizations. Each residency must feature a professional artist selected from the Arts in Education Artist Roster. In addition to the core residency activities, programs may also include an in-service workshop to enhance the experience. Applicants may request up to $2,000 in grant funding, with a required 1:1 match. Fifty percent of the matching funds must be in cash, though the remaining fifty percent may be in-kind contributions. These grants are suitable for institutions looking to host professional artists for limited-duration workshops or classes aimed at engaging adult learners in creative processes. To apply, organizations must submit complete applications online through the Arkansas Arts Council’s Grants Portal, using the grant code “aac.” All components of the application, including a completed downloadable budget form in Excel format, must be submitted by the posted deadline. The budget form is designed to calculate totals automatically and requires that all fields be completed—even those not applicable should be filled in with a zero. The application deadline for AIE Lifelong Learning Mini-Grants is February 3, 2025, with no panel review indicated for this category. It is strongly recommended that applicants contact the Arts in Education Program Manager prior to submitting applications to ensure compliance with all requirements and to receive clarification as needed. For assistance, applicants may contact Matt Boyce, Arts in Education Program Manager, at 501-324-9769. More general questions about grant programs can also be directed to Brazier Watts, Grants Programs Manager, at 501-324-9781.