Artists in Schools

Artists in Schools Grants support quality, multiday arts experiences in schools with Vermont teaching artists in residence and encourage collaborations between schools, youth, artists, and arts organizations. Residencies may take place during the school day or in a sequential, after-school setting. Grant funding supports multi-day projects typically between 3-10 days in length and support preK-12 teachers and students within a given school or district.

Artists on the Council’s Teaching Artist Roster meet standards of artistic excellence, have teaching experience, and have experience planning collaboratively. Eligible schools and arts organizations may apply for support of projects led by teaching artists not on the roster. Priority is given to projects led by Vermont artists and projects that support the council’s priority areas. Teaching artist fees vary from artist to artist; grant funds may not cover the entire cost of the proposed project.

Arts and arts-integrated projects provide experiential learning opportunities that offer many benefits, including helping students create and express ideas, fostering connections within the school and the broader community, supporting students around targeted proficiencies or personal goals, building student confidence, building connections with the arts and artistic processes, and encouraging reflection.

Examples of fundable projects include:

• A math teacher works with a dancer to integrate kinesthetic learning into the classroom. Students learn about dance concepts and use them to talk about geometric shapes and spatial relationships.
• An English teacher works with a poet or playwright to mentor students and provide opportunities for them to develop and workshop their writing.
• A music teacher works with a professional composer to help students compose and perform original works of music.
• A physical education teacher works with a circus artist to integrate movement, performance, and social emotional objectives into the curriculum.
• Students work with a theater artist to explore theater concepts and to write and perform a short play focusing on key themes such as collaboration, empathy, or flexible thinking.
• Students work with a visual artist and classroom teacher to research and document the story of place through multiple perspectives in their community through an exhibit or mural.
• Students work with a musician to explore musical concepts and to compare or contrast cultures through drumming or music.

For other examples of previously funded projects, look at this list of recent grantees.