Arts Learning in Schools

New Mexico Arts offers two grant categories for arts education projects in or with K-12 schools: Arts Learning in Schools Projects and Arts Learning in Schools Artist Residency. Charter schools and 501 (c)(3) private schools may apply for themselves. Public schools must apply through the parent-teacher organization if that organization is a 501 (c) (3) or through the school district.

ARTS LEARNING IN SCHOOLS PROJECTS

Arts Learning in Schools Projects funding supports a wide range of programs taking place in K-12 schools either during school hours or during after-school programs. These programs may focus on creative process arts activities, arts activities integrated into other content areas, art history, or arts education professional development. Residencies with individual artists, however, must apply in the Artist Residency category. Projects may be short-term, mid-length, or long-term.

Short-term projects include numerous arts education experiences within one school or within a school district. Examples of such projects include, but are not limited to, a class-session art history presentation given in several classrooms throughout the district or an arts specialist teamed with a classroom teacher to present a class-session arts integrated program in numerous classrooms throughout their school.

Mid-length projects could range from a week to a month and include (but are not limited to) activities such as intensive immersion in an art form during that time or an arts specialist teamed with several classroom teachers to create and present a month-long arts integrated program in several classrooms in their school.  One example is a visiting theater company that auditions participants, conducts rehearsals, and presents a play to the public at the end of a week.

Long-term projects could last a quarter, semester, or even a full school year. An example of a long-term project includes, but is not limited to, a weekly arts activity  integrated into a non-arts classroom for a semester.

All projects should have strong evaluation and assessment components built into the project.

ARTS LEARNING IN SCHOOLS RESIDENCY

Artist Residency funding supports guest individual artists teamed with certified teachers to create programs that promote learning in and through the arts for schools. Residencies may take place in schools either during school hours or during after-school programs. Residencies may also take place off the school campus if the participants are teachers with their students. (Please note: Residencies for participants from the general community that occur in facilities other than schools should apply for funding in another category.)

Artist residencies in schools support visiting individual artists collaborating with certified teachers to provide hands-on involvement in the creative process for students based on New Mexico arts education standards.  Residencies may also include professional development activities for teachers, administrators, and artists.  Residencies should be considered as supplemental to a school’s regular arts education program.  Residencies may enhance an elementary school’s basic Elementary Fine Arts Education Program; secondary schools are encouraged to present residencies as well. Preference will be given to underserved schools.