Accessibility in the Arts
Accessibility in the Arts provides inclusive, mutually beneficial and meaningful participation of people with disabilities in all cultural and creative spaces.
Accommodations/Interpreters
Services provided to persons with disabilities in order to improve accessibility of arts programming.
Administrative Personnel
Individuals employed or contracted by an organization to perform duties related primarily to the management of the organization.
Administrative Salaries and Fees
Salaries, fees, and the cost of benefits paid to administrative personnel.
Advertising Sales
Income an organization derives from the sale of space in printed programs or other advertisements.
Allocations to Cash Reserves
Funds an organization places in an income-bearing account for the purpose of building cash reserves.
Allowable*/Non-Allowable (as income or expenses)
Income or expenses deemed by MSAC to be permissible in figuring total operating expenses and income to determine funding amounts. Examples of allowable* operating income and expenses include, ticket sales income, grants, contributions, specific salaries, artist fees, marketing expenses, equipment rental, program costs, supplies, prorated salaries, rent, or utilities; or other prorated expenses, etc. See non-allowable* also.
Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990 (A.D.A.)
A law that protects the rights of individuals with disabilities to receive the same accommodations and benefits as individuals without disabilities. Design for Accessibility: A Cultural Administrator’s Handbook is a resource designed to help organizations comply with Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act and is available for download by clicking here.
Artistic Personnel
Individuals or groups employed by an organization to create, curate, design, perform, or produce artistic work presented by the organization.
Artistic Salaries and Fees
Salaries, fees, and the cost of benefits paid to artistic personnel.
Arts & Entertainment District Management Entity
A nonprofit or government office or agency appointed by a county or municipality holding a current Arts & Entertainment District designation as the entity overseeing management of a district.
Arts Education
Discipline-specific teaching and learning, using the creative process to inspire products based upon selected concepts while emphasizing technical proficiency.
Arts Integration
An interdisciplinary teaching practice through which non-arts and arts content is taught and assessed equitably in order to deepen students’ understanding of both.
Arts Organization
An organization that exists to further the arts and whose purpose is producing or presenting the arts through public programs or services, as stated in their mission statement. Also see non-arts organization.
Artist Profile
A professional directory on the Maryland State Arts Council’s website where an organization and/or independent artist may list their arts and/or educational services, contact information, biography or mission statement, and sample materials. Artists with profiles have the capability of updating their profiles through a login.
Audit
See Independent external audit.
Authorizing Official
Individual legally empowered to submit an application.
(CY) Calendar Year
Budget year that runs from January 1 through December 31.
Capital Assets
Those assets of an organization, including buildings, equipment, and facilities that are intended for long-term ownership and use.
Capital Improvements
Improvements to capital assets that increase their value, or otherwise benefit the owner of the improved asset.
Community
The individuals or groups identified by an organization/independent artist as those for whom the organization’s activities are intended.
Contact Person
Individual who is best able to provide information regarding application content and activities described in the grant application.
Contracted Services
Services rendered under contract to another party (agency, school, organization, company, or individual), and revenues derived from such services.
Cost of Goods Purchased for Sale
Money paid by an organization for artwork or other goods intended for subsequent sale, with proceeds benefiting the organization.
Creative Process
The process by which an idea moves from initial thought to fruition. This may include inspiration, intention, and philosophy that influences the evolution of the idea to implementation. See MSDE’s Creative Process Maps.
Cultural Responsiveness
Pedagogy that recognizes the importance of including culture in all aspects of learning through equitable and inclusive practices that promote high expectations.
Depreciation
The systematic charging of the diminished value of fixed assets to annual expenditures.
Differentiated Learning or Instruction
Differentiated Instruction is a proactive and flexible approach to teaching that guides real-time instructional decisions, embraces learner variability, and responds to the needs of all of the students. Within the Differentiated Instruction framework, adaptations are made in response to a student's individual learning profiles, interest and readiness and adaptations can be made in the content, process, product, and learning environment. Differentiated Learning is complemented by Universal Design Learning or Anti-Racism and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. From: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Direct Costs
Those expenses directly billed to the applicant’s arts program by invoice and/or transfer of funds, and documented as a dollar amount on the arts program’s financial statement.
Diversity
Differences, not different. A measure of human difference within an organization. Not an identity and not a synonym for historically-resilient communities.
Educational Engagement
An arts learning experience such as a Field Trip, Lecture, Out of School Time Program, Online Program, Professional Development, Residency, Visiting Performance, or a Workshop.
Educational Equity
Granting every learner access to the opportunities, resources, and educational rigor they need throughout their educational career to maximize academic success and social and emotional well-being, and viewing each learner’s individual characteristics as valuable.
Educational Personnel
Individuals employed or contracted by an organization to perform duties related primarily to educational programming and/or teaching.
Educational Salaries and Fees
Salaries, fees, and the cost of benefits paid to educational personnel.
Endowment
Investment funds that remain in perpetuity, and generate interest income.
Equality
Providing the same resources to everyone, independent of their needs. Equality is an outcome, not a strategy.
Equitable Funding Formula
A budgeted funding allotment per county for the Arts in Education Grant. The formula applies to educational engagements based in school (public or private) settings only.
Equity
Ensuring equally high outcomes for all, removing the predictability of success or failures that currently correlates with any social or cultural factor, examining biases, and creating inclusive environments. Providing learners with the supports that they need to flourish. Not synonymous with equality. Equity is a strategy.
Evidence of Experience, Training, or Professional Development
Examples of an artist or organization’s expertise, knowledge, and capabilities. Examples may include but are not limited to a resume, artist biography, Curricula Vitae, certificates of completion, letters of support, or sample portfolio.
Federal Taxpayer Identification Number
A nine-digit account number identifying an employer for purposes of reporting wages and taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.
Field Trip
An activity where the audience is meant to go to the presenting organization’s venue for the experience. May be a performance, gallery tour, presentation, or other activity. Must be connected to a Residency, Out of School Time Program, Lecture, Workshop, or Visiting Performance.
Fiscal Sponsorship
A contractual relationship that allows a person, group, or business to advance charitable or other exempt activities with the benefit of the tax-exempt status of a sponsor organization or individual. Must have a Comprehensive (“Model A”) sponsorship to be eligible for MSAC funding opportunities.
Fiscal Year (FY)
Budget year that runs on a 12-month period other than January 1 through December 31.
Financial Stability
The ability of an organization to generate the financial resources necessary to support current and planned activities, as measured by the organization’s prior record and the soundness of budgetary estimates and projections.
Financial Statement
A document required for all MSAC applications supporting general operations which provides information on the applicant organization’s operating budget for the most recently completed fiscal year. The statement is not narrative but a list of actual revenues and expenses. The financial statement must be signed by the organization’s accountant or chief financial officer.
Grant Agreement
A legally-binding contract between MSAC and a successful applicant setting forth the rights and duties of the parties, which must be executed before grant funds may be disbursed.
Inclusion
A sense of belonging or connectedness. Measurable. Leveraging differences (diversity) to engage in action by fostering an environment of involvement, respect, and connection - where the richness of ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives are harnessed to create value.
Income from Goods/Services Sold
The total amount paid by purchasers to an organization for artwork or other goods sold and/or for services provided by the organization.
Independent Artist
Artists making work unaffiliated with an institution or organization.
Independent External Audit
An audit report certified by an independent CPA firm that must include an unqualified opinion on the financial statements of an organization. Organizations operating over $600,000 annually are required to submit an audit with applications for general operating support.
In-Direct Costs
Those expenses not directly billed to the applicant’s arts program by invoice and/or transfer of funds.
In-Kind
Any contribution of service, equipment, supplies, printing, space, or other property made by an individual, organization, or business to an organization, as distinguished from a monetary donation. In-kind services may not be included in an applicant’s cash budget or be used to match (part of) an MSAC grant, but may be described in the application as part of an organization’s overall operations.
Learning Goals establish the intentions for student growth in content, actions, process, and progress for a given assignment. What is the learning intended by the end of this assignment? In a formative assessment design, Learning Goals are sandwiched between the Maryland State Fine Arts Standards and Success Criteria.
Lecture
An artist presents a talk or conversation for a one-time event.
Maryland State Fine Arts Standards
A Maryland State Department of Education document that outlines the philosophy, primary goals, dynamic processes, structures, and outcomes that shape student learning and achievement in dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts, connected to the National Core Arts Standards. Click here to view the documents.
Matches/Matching Funds
A match is a form of cost-sharing the expenses of an organizational or project budget. Some MSAC programs require applicants to submit proof they can pay certain expenses of a program, or pay MSAC directly their share. For example, a 1:1 match means 50% of the (project or organization’s) expenses must be covered by the applicant by non-MSAC funding sources, and MSAC may approve a grant to cover 50% of the remaining expenses.
Match Waiver
For the Arts in Education grant, applicants may request additional grant money above 50% of the total costs of educational engagements. Find more details in the grant guidelines.
Non-Allowable* (as Income or Expenses)
Not allowable as operating expenses are re-granting*, acquisition of capital assets*, accessions, allocations to cash reserves*, capital improvements*, depreciation*, deficits, loan principal payments, contributions to endowments* or scholarships awarded by the applicant organization for its own activities. Not allowable* as operating income are loans, carryover, debt forgiveness, transfer of funds earned in prior years, revenue raised for capital or endowment funds or funds intended for the purpose of re- granting, unrealized gains/losses. Other items may be deemed non-allowable*. Grant funds may not be used to make contributions to any persons who hold, or are candidates for, an elected office; to any political party, organization, or action committee; or in connection with any political campaign or referendum. Grant funds may not be used for any lobbying activities.
Non-Arts Organization
An organization whose primary purpose is other than producing or presenting the arts. Also see arts organization.
Non-Dominant norms, Values, Narratives, Standards and Aesthetics
Non-relevant and Eurocentric standards of excellence and beauty often prevail in describing and assessing the aesthetics of work that is socially and civically engaged. Non-dominant norms go against these standards of excellence. Non-dominant norms consider renewing and promoting a dynamic critical paradigm, reflective of diverse cultures as embodied by community-based, social, and civic arts practices.
Out of School Time Program
An arts learning experience that is presented outside of the normal classroom day.
Online Program
An educational engagement (field trip, visiting performance, professional development, out of school time, residencies, lectures, workshops) conducted in a virtual setting. Online programs can be done asynchronously (independent learning without real-time interaction), synchronously (simultaneously learning with others in real-time), or a blend of both.
Outreach
Often means programming that is designed to serve an identified group or community rather than including the identified group or community in the organization’s overall program design and constituency.
Panelist
Panelist work is at the heart of MSAC’s service to the state of Maryland. This highly regarded work has a direct connection to funding recommendations and MSAC relies on the expertise of Maryland’s arts sector to be a part of this exciting evaluation process. Panelist service is a way to ensure that the needs of your community are represented on the state level.
Professional Development
Activity(ies) (of any length or course of time) that strengthen identified skills for a specified audience.
Public Value
The importance, worth, relevance, or usefulness of the artistic programs or activities to the intended Geographic Area of Service.
Residency
An artist provides sequential arts learning workshops to students over a period of time. A basic residency allows sufficient time to explore the fundamentals of an art form and may include a culminating project or presentation to demonstrate learning to peers and community members.
Scope
An overview and arc of an Education Engagement that includes the topics and ideas being presented, connected Maryland State Fine Arts Standards, Learning Goals, and expected outcomes. A list or narrative of ideas, concepts, and topics that will be covered during an educational engagement. Considers learning goals and the depth of understanding.
Sequence
The order in which ideas, concepts, and topics are introduced and taught during an educational engagement through a step by step process.
Sequential Learning
A mode of learning where knowledge is learned in a particular order building upon concepts over time (scaffolding).
Site Visit
An opportunity where applicants can have their activities observed by a trained advocate who will then contribute to the evaluation process.
Teaching Artists
Community arts providers who have a career commitment to deep expertise in an arts specialty, connecting real-world practice to arts standards, the classroom, and other community settings.
Technical Personnel
Individuals employed or contracted by an organization for technical management and staff services (e.g., technical directors, stage managers, exhibit preparators, installers, wardrobe, lighting, and sound crews, stagehands, video, and film technicians).
Technical Salaries and Fees
Salaries, fees, and the cost of benefits paid to technical personnel.
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
Unique Entity ID, a generated series of numbers and letters in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), is the official identifier for doing business with the government. The UEI has now replaced the former DUNS number. MSAC receives a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, and is therefore required to obtain a UEI from each of its grant applicants. To obtain a UEI, please visit https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/office-of-systems-management/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systems-information-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update. There is no cost to obtain a UEI.
Venue
Facility or location where arts activities take place.
Visiting Performance
Presentations of one or more performances for assembly programs that travel to a destination identified by the applicant (i.e. school auditorium, recreational center, community organization, etc.)
Workshop
An artist facilitates an arts experience. Usually, but not always, occurs within one day.