Teaching Art Together Grant

The Teaching Art Together Grant is administered by the Kentucky Arts Council, a state agency dedicated to supporting arts access, education, and cultural development across Kentucky. The program reflects the council’s broader mission to integrate the arts into everyday life and education while advancing equitable access to creative experiences. This grant specifically focuses on strengthening arts education by facilitating partnerships between classroom teachers and professional teaching artists. Applicants are strongly encouraged to align their proposals with the council’s stated core values and to carefully review all guidelines prior to submission to ensure compliance and competitiveness. The primary purpose of the program is to fund short-term artist residencies within educational settings serving pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students. These residencies are designed to immerse students and teachers in hands-on creative processes while connecting artistic practice to academic standards. Projects may focus on a single discipline such as visual arts, music, or dance, or they may integrate arts into other subject areas such as math, science, or literacy. In addition to direct student engagement, the program aims to equip teachers with strategies and tools that enable them to continue incorporating arts-based instruction after the residency concludes. Funding is structured to cover only the teaching artist’s fees, calculated at a rate of 80 dollars per class session, with a maximum of four sessions per day and a cap of 320 dollars per day. Residencies may last between one and ten days, and each day must include structured engagement with at least one core group of students. The grant does not cover materials, supplies, travel costs, or expenses related to culminating events, which must be funded separately by the applicant organization. Payment to the teaching artist is contingent upon submission of a final report by the applicant within 15 days of residency completion, and funds are disbursed only after all reporting requirements are satisfied. Eligibility is limited to teachers employed by Kentucky public or private schools serving pre-K through 12th grade, as well as representatives of Kentucky-based nonprofit organizations that provide educational services to minors, including institutions such as juvenile detention centers or residential group homes. All applicants must partner with a teaching artist selected from the Kentucky Arts Council’s official Teaching Artists Directory. Additional restrictions apply, including limits on the number of applications per organization per fiscal year and requirements regarding class size, supervision, and scheduling during the residency. The application process is conducted through the GO Smart online grant system and requires several preparatory steps. Applicants must secure administrative approval from school leadership, identify and collaborate with a teaching artist, and develop a detailed residency plan prior to submission. Required documentation includes organizational identification details such as a Federal Employer Identification Number, Unique Entity Identifier, and proof of tax-exempt status. Applications must be completed and submitted electronically by the stated deadline, and applicants must also complete an electronic signature process involving multiple stakeholders. Applications are evaluated through a structured review process that includes panel assessment and final approval by the Arts Council’s governing board. Evaluation criteria emphasize planning and implementation quality, measurable student learning outcomes, and commitment to accessibility and inclusivity. Projects are scored based on their ability to engage students creatively, align with academic standards, and provide equitable access to arts experiences. Successful applicants are notified following board approval and must complete a grant agreement process before beginning project activities. The program operates on a defined annual timeline, with applications due September 1, review occurring shortly thereafter, and funded activities taking place between October 1 and late May of the following year. The grant is recurring on an annual basis, and applicants are expected to comply with reporting, acknowledgment, and communication requirements, including outreach to elected officials and public recognition of funding support. For additional guidance, applicants may contact the Kentucky Arts Council directly, where staff provide technical assistance and program support throughout the application and implementation process.

Align residency clearly with academic standards; demonstrate measurable student outcomes; emphasize student engagement and accessibility; provide detailed planning and implementation strategy