Arts Learning Resources

Maryland school systems believe that partnerships are an essential ingredient in advancing the goal of improved arts instruction. Schools, cultural and community organizations, and artists are all working together to enhance the arts programs in Maryland schools. Below are some resources for information on programs and grants for both teachers and artists.

Maryland Arts Education Funding Resource Guide
Created by MSAC artist-in-residence in dance, Karen Bernstein, this guide, designed for teachers, artists, art teachers, and administrators in Maryland schools, is filled with resources to improve the quality of instruction in your classroom. The information in this document will assist you in locating high-quality individual artists and companies to bring to your school to support this effort and help you identify sources for funding to make it possible. This guide lists the professional development available for teachers to help gain insight into new strategies on how to be more effective and confident teachers. The information included will also lead you to arts organizations, web sites, conferences, and books to discover more about the arts and arts integration. 

Two Unique 2012 Funding Opportunities 
from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE)

 
Betsy Quinn Scholarship Initiative: AATE introduces opportunity for well-deserving, under-served student program
AATE proudly introduces the Betsy Quinn Scholarship Initiative, developed to support participation at the AATE annual conference by college/university or K-12 student members of well-deserving and high-quality youth programs, particularly those involving under-served populations. The student members will present some aspect of their programming as a part of their conference attendance. A youth program may be nominated by an AATE member. Upon selection, a solicitation campaign will be conducted on behalf of the designees to support their conference fees and associated expenses.
 
This award was created in 2011 in celebration of Betsy Quinn’s leadership and dedication to the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. Betsy’s tenure as President and indeed her ongoing, dynamic career has been marked by her devotion to young people in the arts, with a particular ability to celebrate diversity and inclusion in everything she does. Whether directing a cast of over 200 young performers herself, whether crafting policy or standards for our national organizations, or whether directing a production of college students and children at the university level – multiculturalism, artistry and inclusion have always been hallmarks of her groundbreaking work. The recipient of the successful 2011 Scholarship Initiative was Crawling with Monsters from the University of Texas-Pan American. More information about last year’s award can be found here. For nomination guidelines and form, click here. To download a printable PDF, click here.

Lin Wright Professional Teaching Grant: AATE continues to support the work of exemplary teachers
The Lin Wright Professional Teaching Grant supports the work and professional development of an exemplary secondary school teacher through the introduction of AATE’s national professional network. The $3,000 grant funds registration and travel expenses to attend AATE conferences in 2012 and 2013, and a project aimed to grow or enrich the theatre program in their school or to make the program more visible in their community. The project is expected to be carried out during the year in between the conferences. The goal is that the recipient of the grant will present the project at the 2013 conference along with two runners up who will receive scholarships to attend both conferences. 

Candidates may be nominated by an AATE member or self-nominated. If the selected candidate is nominated, the nominator, who will also receive a stipend to attend the conference, will serve as a mentor at both conferences and chair the session at the 2013 conference. If the selected candidate is self-nominated, s/he will be appointed an AATE mentor. The successful candidate will be responsible for AATE member dues for both years. For nomination guidelines and form, click here. To download a printable PDF, click here. 
 

Contact Information:

Kelly Prestel

Membership and Programming Coordinator

301-200-1944

info@aate.com 

Americans for the Arts – Arts Education in Your Community is the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts.In spring 2004, the National School Boards Association and Americans for the Arts convened to discuss opportunities for collaboration in a nationwide campaign to increase the presence and quality of arts education in American public schools. The arts serve as a critical component to a complete education and are proven to increase student academic achievement. For many of America's youth, public schools serve as the major provider of formalized arts instruction. Therefore, it is critical that the arts maintain their status as a core academic subject within a school district's educational mission and that they are adequately funded.

Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS) Alliance has as its mission to build support for high-quality, systemic arts education—dance, music, theatre and visual arts—for all Maryland schoolchildren.

Arts Education Partnership provides information and communication about current and emerging arts education policies, issues, and activities at the national, state, and local levels. Our major projects and activities include: commissioning and disseminating research about critical arts and education issues; maintaining and linking databases on state-level policies for arts education; and convening national forums around significant themes and issues in the field. Our partners include federal arts and education agencies, state departments of education, state arts agencies, national arts and education organizations, and arts and education collaboratives at the state and local level.

ArtsEdSearch, a first-of-its-kind clearinghouse of arts education research in four topical areas—outcomes of arts education: for students, for educators, in the context of in-school settings, and in the context of out-of-school settings—at varying educational-levels.

Arts Every Day has as its mission to strengthen learning by making arts education and cultural experiences an integral part of the education of all Baltimore City School students, with an emphasis on middle grades, through the facilitation of collaborations among the arts, educational, cultural, and leadership communities.

Class Acts Arts is a nonprofit arts outreach organization dedicated to bringing educational and culturally diverse arts experiences to schools and communities in Maryland, Washington, DC and Virginia.

Crayola: Champion Creatively Alive Children, Creative Leadership Grants 2013
The program provides grants for innovative, creative leadership team building within elementary schools. Apply now for the opportunity to receive a grant for your school. Each grant-winning school (up to 20 grants awarded) receives $2,500 and Crayola products valued at $1,000.

Edutopia
Edutopia is dedicated to transforming the learning process by helping educators implement the strategies below. These strategies -- and the educators who implement them -- are empowering students to think critically, access and analyze information, creatively problem solve, work collaboratively, and communicate with clarity and impact. Their grants resources list.

Grammy in the schools:
Eligibility: High School Students and Teachers
Description: GRAMMY in the Schools is the “umbrella” name for all GRAMMY Foundation education programs. GRAMMY Signature Schools (cash grants of $1,000-$5,000 for public high school music programs), GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles (top students selected to perform during GRAMMY week events) and GRAMMY Camp (summer music industry camp for high school students).

The Imagine Nation understands that over the past two years a number of studies indicate that current educational approaches stifle both students and educators by focusing on a definition of "the basics" that ignores the competencies demanded by the complexities and opportunities of modern life, the skills required to sustain our role as the world leader in innovation, and the values that are the basis of our pluralistic and democratic society. Fortunately, there is now strong evidence that the American public has awakened to these challenges and is demanding that schools act to once again ignite and develop the imagination of young people as the essential capacity for envisioning and attaining these competencies, skills, and values. There is an "imagine nation" at the heart of this public understanding that realizes that building capacities of the imagination rests primarily with an education in and through the arts and that the arts are essential to invigorating the teaching of other fundamental school subjects.  Additional resources can be found by clicking on "Resources" on the homepage.

InterAct Story Theatre is comprised of respected professional actors who are experienced educators. This unique mix of skills enhances the impact of our programs and products. As one administrator said, "The artist's wealth of experience as a teacher and as a professional actor really made the presentation exceptional...Teachers left wanting more."

Lego Children's Fund: Child development grants
Deadline: (typically October). The LEGO Children’s Fund is offering quarterly grants to match funds for either local or national programs that support early childhood education and development through creativity and/or technology and communication projects that advance learning. Any qualified, tax-exempt national or local organizations may apply, however special consideration may be given to applicants from Western Massachusetts and Connecticut due to close proximity to their headquarters.

National Art Education Association supports a wide variety of professional activities, including promotion of art education as an integral part of the curriculum; establishment and/or improvement of art instruction in public and private K-16 schools; promotion of the teaching of art through activities related to the instructional process, curriculum, student learning, student assessment, classroom behavior, management, or discipline; purchase of art equipment and/or instructional resources; and research in art education. Additionally, the NAEF provides professional development scholarships.  NAEA also provides grants, scholarships, and grantwriting tips. 

Staples Foundation for Learning provides funding to programs that support or provide job skills and/or education for all people, with a special emphasis on disadvantaged youth.

Target Accepting Applications for K-12 Education Programs
The company awards grants of $2,000 for programs that enhance the classroom curricula by bringing the arts and cultural experiences to schools via in-school performances, artist-in-residency programs, workshops, and so on. Programs must take place between September 2013 and August 2014. Grants are restricted to K-12 educational institutions and organizations with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Applications are accepted between March 1 and April 30 each year, with grant awards announced in September.