Head Start Arts Integration

The Head Start Arts Integration Program (HSAIP) supports arts-integrated experiences for early education students and teachers in Head Start classrooms.

Arts-integrated instruction plays an important role in children’s academic, social, and emotional growth. The impact is specifically meaningful in working with children living in poverty, dual-language learners, and those with cognitive or behavioral challenges.

Applicants to the HSAIP are nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, such as arts or social service organizations, providing Head Start classes. Successful applicants will partner with at least one regional Head Start program to deliver arts-integrated experiences These experiences may, for example, be artist residencies of one or more days that:

• support children in reaching arts and nonarts curriculum outcomes
• support classroom teachers beyond the timeframe of the grant
• employ a teaching artist who is experienced in early childhood settings and a master of the arts discipline at the heart of the instruction
• promote opportunities for interaction, collaboration, and/or planning between teaching artists and the classroom teachers

Review the list of recent grantees to see what types of projects are typically funded.