Arts in Education Partner Organization List Expansion

Fund for the Arts provides curriculum-based arts in education experiences to schools and community centers across Greater Louisville, expanding access to the arts for all students. During the 2020-2021 school year, Fund for the Arts invested in 355 arts in education programs, providing 49,487 student experiences across 131 schools and community centers.

Expanding the Fund for the Arts’ Arts in Education Partner Organization List

In response to feedback from teachers, schools, and out-of-school-time staff as well as Greater Louisville arts organizations, Fund for the Arts created this program to add new Arts in Education Partner Organizations to the list of providers that may offer programs as part of the arts in education menu. Expanding the Arts in Education Partner Organization List also aligns with the Fund for the Arts’ strategic plan, a key priority of which is to expand earned income opportunities for Greater Louisville arts organizations and artists.

With this program, our goals are to:

• Provide teachers, schools, and out-of-school-time locations with a variety of high-quality arts in education offerings to enhance their students’ academic and social-emotional development.
• Provide earned income opportunities for Greater Louisville arts organizations that provide high-quality arts in education offerings.
• Develop a fair and effective process for adding new organizations to the Arts in Education Partner Organization List, including an assessment of their ability to provide high-quality arts in education programs.

Organizations selected for the Arts in Education Partner Organization List will be able to provide offerings in the Fund for the Arts’ arts in education menus for the 2021 – 2022 school year and summer 2022.

Fund for the Arts’ Arts in Education Initiatives

Fund for the Arts’ arts in education initiatives provide engaging and inspiring arts in education programs during the school day and during out-of-school time.

Programming is provided by Fund for the Arts’ Arts in Education Partner Organizations. Each year, these organizations offer a menu of experiences from which teachers, schools, and out-of-school-time staff select offerings that will most benefit their students (click here to see the 2020-2021 K-5 menu for 5×5 and Teacher Arts Grants, as an example). Fund for the Arts provides grants to teachers, schools, and out-of-school time locations to help underwrite the costs associated with these experiences.

Programs provided by Arts in Education Partner Organizations include:

• Field trips: tickets/admission to performances and exhibits, virtual or in-person*
• Performances: arts organizations take a performance to a school or out-of-school-time location, virtual or in-person*
• Workshops: one-session, hands-on program in a school or out-of-school-time location, virtual or in-person*
• Residency: multi-session, hands-on program in a school or out-of-school-time location, virtual, in-person, or a combination of both*

*Fund for the Arts continues to monitor COVID-19 protocols and work with Greater Louisville school districts to determine whether or not programming can be offered in-person. At this time, we encourage Arts in Education partners to consider hybrid programs, or in-person offerings that can easily adjust to virtual if needed.

All Fund for the Arts’ arts in education initiatives strive to:

• Provide equitable access to the arts for as many K-12 students, schools, and out-of-school-time locations as possible.
• Improve student academic achievement.
• Improve student 21^st Century skill development.

Fund for the Arts’ arts in education initiatives primarily serve Greater Louisville, which includes:

• Kentucky Counties: Bullitt, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer
• Indiana Counties: Clark, Floyd

Who can apply to be included on the Arts in Education Partner Organization List?

To be eligible, an applicant must meet all the following criteria:

Governance and Staff:

• Recognized as a 501(c)(3) for at least the last three consecutive years
• Has a primary place of business in Greater Louisville
• Employs at least full-time equivalent (FTE) staff or contract person to ensure consistent delivery of programs
  • Full-time equivalent is defined as: at least staff or contract person that is paid for 40 hours of work per week; for example, an organization could employ two 20-hour per week individuals.
• Maintains liability coverage of no less than $1,000,000
• Has skilled, trained teaching artists with classroom and teaching experience in the applicant’s artistic area of expertise
• Completes background checks at least every five years on all teaching artists who interact with students

Mission and Programs:

• Has at least three years of experience providing arts in education programming in schools and/or out-of-school time locations
• Provides arts in education programming at least nine months of the year and that aligns with at least one of the following artistic areas:
  • Dance, folk and traditional arts, literature, media arts, arts museums, music, opera, theatre and musical theatre, visual arts
• Has arts in education programs that are directly connected to core content standards, and can provide evidence of the connection

Organizations that do not yet meet these criteria and would like mentorship from a current Arts in Education Partner Organization are welcome to request mentorship through the Fund for the Arts.

How do I apply?

All applications must be submitted online through the Fund for the Arts’ website.

 

Please note: As part of your application, you must submit two letters of reference from teachers or staff at two different schools or out-of-school-time locations that your organization has served in the last two years.

What is the application and review timeline? 

March 23	Application opens
April 14	Application information session at 10am EST via Zoom   To Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/93898097477?pwd=KzNSa1I2NFNLWC9PQ1d6UVcwWHhFUT09
April 23	Application due by 11:59pm EST
April 26 – May 7	Application review
May 10-14	Notification of selection
May 19	Orientation session at 10am EST via Zoom   To Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/95739975173?pwd=eWFSWWVCbURHNE40dWRIVWFvVnIxUT09
May 21	Participation agreement due
July 2	Program descriptions for 5×5 and Teacher Arts Grants due in the grant system by 11:59pm EST

 

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

Organizations selected for inclusion on the Arts in Education Partner Organization List must:

• Sign a participation agreement
• Attend the orientation session
• Actively participate in Fund for the Arts’ arts in education initiatives such as 5×5 and Teacher Arts Grants
• Conduct business in a professional manner during Fund for the Arts events and when participating in Fund for the Arts’ arts in education initiative programs
• Acknowledge the Fund for the Arts in published materials and announcements pertaining to arts in education programs funded by Fund for the Arts
• Receive a 4 out of 5 rating on the Fund for the Arts annual teacher evaluation

Questions?

Contact Jordan Turpin at jturpin@fundforthearts.org with any questions.