At Fund for the Arts, we contribute to the overall health and well-being of our community by generating resources for, investing in, and supporting our local arts, artists and arts organizations.  

Fund for the Arts maintains a directory of teaching artists and organizations. Teaching artists and/or arts organizations interested in providing programs in learning and community centers across Louisville and in engaging with community members can learn more about the directory and related opportunities below. Teaching artists and/or arts organizations of all arts disciplines, all sizes of organizations, and all levels of experience are encouraged to apply.  

The purpose of the Directory is to identify and promote teaching artists and/or arts organizations, and to connect teaching artists and/or arts organizations with community partners.   

Fund for the Arts receives requests year-round from community partners to provide arts programs for youth and multigenerational audiences in schools, community centers, and more. As a teaching artist and/or arts organization on the Directory, the information that you submit through this application will be shared with community partners. If a teaching artist and/or arts organization is selected by a community partner, the Fund for the Arts will contact the teaching artist and/or arts organization to confirm availability, develop an agreement, and connect the teaching artist and/or arts organization to the community partners.  

• Teaching artists and/or arts organizations provide community partner sites and their clients with multi-disciplinary arts programs, for youth and multigenerational audiences, to support general health and wellbeing.  
• Engagements provide earned income opportunities for teaching artists and/or arts organizations.  
• Directory represents a fair and effective process for connecting teaching artists and/or arts organizations to community partners.   

• Teaching artists and/or arts organizations apply through the Fund for the Arts online grant portal.   
• The directory has a rolling application. Interested teaching artists and/or arts organizations may apply at any time to add their programs to the Directory.   
• Returning organizations may submit new information at any time by either submitting a new application, or sending updated information to grants@fundforthearts.org.    
• Fund for the Arts will review applications regularly, typically in advance of fall, spring, and summer program schedules. Applicants will be notified of the application status, including “accepted”, “declined”, or “need more information”.   
• Applications may be declined if they do not support the stated goals and eligibility requirements for the Directory, and the vision, mission, and values of the Fund for the Arts.  
• Community partners contact the Fund for the Arts with requests for arts programs.  
• Fund for the Arts provides the Directory to the community partners.  
• Community partners identify the teaching artists and/or arts organizations that best fit their needs based on the information in the Directory. 
• Fund for the Arts notifies the teaching artist and/or arts organization that they have  been requested by a community partner, and any information or requirements from the community partner.  
• Fund for the Arts will connect the teaching artist and/or arts organization with the appropriate contacts to confirm program details, including schedule, supplies, etc.  
• Fund for the Arts will send an agreement to the teaching artist and/or arts organization.  
• Fund for the Arts will pay the teaching artist and/or arts organization directly on an agreed upon payment schedule.  

Eligibility is based on the following criteria. The teaching artist and/or arts organization:  

• Has a primary place of business or residence in Greater Louisville.  
• Provides arts programming that aligns with at least one of the following artistic areas:  
  • Artist communities, arts education, dance, design, folk & traditional arts, literary arts, media arts, arts museums, music, musical theater, opera, presenting & multidisciplinary arts, theater, visual arts   
• Provides a staff member or primary contact person to ensure consistent delivery of programs and communication.   
• Has experience providing arts programming and/or skilled, trained teaching artists with experience.   
• Please note some community partners may require liability insurance coverage of no less than $1,000,000.  
• Completes background checks on all teaching artists prior to on-site programs. (click here for more information)  

All applications must be submitted online through the Fund for the Arts Online Grant Portal.  

Please note: As part of your application, you must submit two letters of reference from community partners that your organization has served in the last two years.    

What is the timeline?   

What is expected of me or my organization if our application is approved?  

Teaching artists and/or arts organizations selected for the Directory must:  

• Sign an agreement  
• Keep Fund for the Arts notified of any changes to the information provided in the application
• Conduct business in a professional manner during all programs  
• To uphold any policies or regulations of the community partner while working on site
• Demonstrate a plan for backup or substitute teaching artists in the event of illness or other absence during scheduled programs  
• Acknowledge the Fund for the Arts in published materials and announcements pertaining to programs funded by Fund for the Arts   
• Receive a favorable rating on any community partner post-program evaluation   
• Maintain all required background checks for teaching artists (click here for more information)  

 Application Includes: 

• Contact information – email, phone, address, website (who we will contact to book/schedule).  
• Background Information – mission or artist statement, artistic discipline.  
• Arts Programming Overview:  
• Brief bio of yourself and/or your arts programming staff,   
• Brief description of the arts programming you provide,   
• Description of the artistic, health, and educational content of your programming,  
• Your process for hiring, training, and evaluating teaching artists and their performance/effectiveness,  
• How do you ensure inclusion of participants of all backgrounds and abilities in your programming,  
• How do you engage teachers and community center staff before, during, and after programming, and  
• How you engage participants in the creative and learning process.  
• Program Format – length of residencies and availability.  
• Content and Objectives – population(s) served, subject matters explored.  
• Capacity – number of students served.  
• Work Samples – two samples of your teaching.  
• Two Letters of Reference  
• Up to two additional documents (optional) that demonstrate you/your organization’s expertise in providing arts programming.  

Elev8 Student Learning Centers

Elev8 Student Learning Centers, a JCPS after-school program, is a unique opportunity for students that offers academic instruction, targeted tutoring, college and career support, and a variety of enrichment opportunities to make learning fun and engaging. The mission of Elev8 is to prioritize academic success and create strong ties among families, students, schools, and communities. Elev8 addresses systemic barriers that limit opportunities for students, often based on race and class, ensuring fair access to support that will prepare them for future success.  

HeARTS 

HeARTS is an arts initiative supported by Louisville Metro Government that provides arts programs in community centers across the city and county. HeARTS is an investment in arts as a powerful and transformational tool for healing, building trust, and community cohesion. Post-pandemic, participation in arts reduces isolation and rebuilds community networks; in a violence epidemic and community suffering from racism as a public health crisis, arts are a strategy in a community’s fostering of empathy, conflict resolution, and positive mental health.  

Mind Body Soul

Mind Body Soul is supported by Louisville Metro Government’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, through the Trauma Resilient Communities division. The initiative offers young people ages 10 to 18 a therapeutic program with counseling guidance that uses various art forms to help use self-expression to begin healing. The Mind Body Soul program will rotate through community centers in four neighborhoods.  

My organization has participated in 5×5 and Teacher Arts Grant (TAG) programs in the past. How is the Directory different?  

Fund for the Arts remains committed to 5×5 and TAG grant programs. The Directory will follow a similar model but work with additional community partners beyond the school districts, and support programs with a longer duration. Prior experience with 5×5 and TAG is NOT required for participation in the Directory. If you have already submitted a program for 5×5 and TAG, and that program can be adapted for a longer duration and for out-of-school settings, you may submit the same information for the Directory.  

The Directory will have a rolling application that is open for new applications year-round. As community partners request new programs, all current teaching artists and/or arts organizations on the Directory will be offered. As with 5×5 and TAG, there is no guarantee that a community partner will select your program and community partner timelines will vary.  

Contact the Community Investment & Support Team at grants@fundforthearts.org with any questions.