ARTS EDUCATION: Art Works

Introduction | Deadlines (March or August) | Project Reporting and Evaluation | Application Review | Contacts | If you wish to apply | Grant Amounts & Matching Funds

Introduction

The guiding principle of "Art Works" is at the center of everything we do at the NEA. "Art Works" refers to three things: the works of art themselves, the ways art works on audiences, and the fact that art is work for the artists and arts professionals who make up the field.

To make "art work," the NEA has included the advancement of innovation as a core component of its mission as a way to ensure the vitality of the arts. We recognize that arts and design organizations are often in the forefront of innovation in their work and strongly encourage innovative projects which are characterized as those that:

• Are likely to prove transformative with the potential for meaningful change, whether in the development or enhancement of new or existing art forms, new approaches to the creation or presentation of art, or new ways of engaging the public with art;
• Are distinctive, offering fresh insights and new value for their fields and/or the public through unconventional solutions; and
• Have the potential to be shared and/or emulated, or are likely to lead to other advances in the field.

Through the projects that we support in the Art Works category, we want to achieve the following four outcomes:

• Creation: The creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence,
• Engagement: Public engagement with diverse and excellent art,
• Learning: Lifelong learning in the arts, and
• Livability: The strengthening of communities through the arts.

 Please note:      

• Partnerships can be valuable to the success of projects. While not required, applicants are encouraged to consider partnerships among organizations, both in and outside of the arts, as appropriate to their project.

• American arts and design organizations must be inclusive of the full range of demographics of their communities, as well as individuals of all physical and cognitive abilities. Toward that end, we encourage projects for which NEA support is sought to strive for the highest level of inclusiveness in their audiences, programming, artists, governance, and staffing. We also welcome projects that will explicitly address the issue of inclusion.

• We are interested in projects that extend the arts to underserved populations -- those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. This is achieved in part through the use of Challenge America funds.

• The Art Works category does not fund direct grants to individuals. Direct grants to individuals are offered only in the category of Literature Fellowships.

Grants generally will range from $10,000 to $100,000. Grants of $100,000 or more will be made only in rare instances, and only for projects that the Arts Endowment determines demonstrate exceptional national or regional significance and impact. In the past few years, well over half of the agency's grants have been for amounts less than $25,000.

Outcomes [Back to Top]

All Arts Education applicants must choose the Learning Outcome (Americans of All Ages Acquire Knowledge or Skills in the Arts). Applicants have the option to select a secondary outcome if appropriate to the proposed project.

Each applicant must be as specific as possible in describing how their project will achieve and demonstrate the outcome selected. Project goals, activities, and outcomes must be clearly defined and carefully integrated.

Deadlines [Back to Top]

Art Works applications will be accepted under two deadlines: March 7, 2013, and August 8, 2013. Funded activities can be divided into two areas: Community-Based Projects and School-Based Projects. Apply under the deadline with the project example that most closely corresponds to the primary focus of the proposed project. Projects in all artistic disciplines are accepted at both deadlines.

Community-Based Projects
March 7, 2013, Application Deadline
January 1, 2014, Earliest Beginning Date for Arts Endowment Period of Support

Community-based projects include activities and training in the arts that occur outside of the school system. Activities must occur outside of the regular school day, and may take place in a variety of settings. These activities may be offered by arts organizations or by other community-based, non-arts organizations or agencies in partnership with artists and/or arts groups. Projects could take place in locations such as arts organizations, community centers, faith-based organizations, public housing, tribal community centers, juvenile facilities, or school buildings.

While not formally linked to schools or their instructional programs, projects must be based on a curriculum that aligns with either national or state arts education standards and include assessment of participant learning.

Learning project types may include, but are not limited to:

• Community-based projects that include arts instruction for youth, generally between ages 5 and 18, that result in increased knowledge and skills in the arts. Projects should engage youth over an extended period to increase their proficiency in and understanding of an artistic discipline, genre, or form.
• Community-based arts education professional development for teachers, teaching artists, and other education providers in which participants demonstrate increased knowledge and skills needed to engage youth in community-based arts learning.

For both project types, the NEA is particularly interested in:

• Projects that include long-term, in-depth partnerships with other organizations to provide arts instruction to students. While not required, applicants are encouraged to consider partnerships among organizations, both in and outside of the arts, as appropriate to their project.
• Projects that explore ways to integrate arts learning in other content areas.
• Projects that incorporate the use of digital learning in the arts or media literacy in the arts.
• Projects for youth that highlight the role arts learning plays in supporting livable communities.
• Innovative community-based projects that explore new models for engaging youth with the arts, or that keep arts education providers abreast of the latest advances in both art forms and teaching practices.

For professional development projects, the NEA is particularly interested in projects that:

• Build capacity of educators or community leaders to better understand arts education and their role in providing leadership for arts education.
• Build capacity of educators and community leaders to use data to make decisions about arts education programming in the community.
• Include training in how to design, implement and utilize high quality assessment of student learning in the arts in order to improve instruction.

School-Based Projects
August 8, 2013, Application Deadline
June 1, 2014, Earliest Beginning Date for Arts Endowment Period of Support

School-based projects must be directly connected to the school curriculum and instructional program. Activities may take place in or outside of the school building at any time of the day, including after-school and summer enrichment programs formally connected to school curricula.

Projects must be based on a curriculum that aligns with either national or state arts education standards and include assessment of participant learning.

Learning project types may include, but are not limited to:

• School-based arts projects that include instruction for youth, generally between ages 5 and 18, that result in increased knowledge and skills in the arts. Projects should engage youth over an extended period to increase their proficiency in and understanding of an artistic discipline, genre, or form.
• School-based arts education professional development for teachers, teaching artists, and other education providers in which participants demonstrate increased knowledge and skills needed to engage youth in arts learning.
• Projects that explore ways to integrate school-based arts learning in other content areas.

For both project types, the NEA is particularly interested in

• Projects that include long-term, in-depth partnerships with schools and other organizations to provide arts instruction to students. While not required, applicants are encouraged to consider partnerships among organizations, both in and outside of the arts, as appropriate to their project.
• Projects that explore ways to integrate arts learning in other content areas.
• Projects that incorporate the use of digital learning in the arts or media literacy in the arts.
• Projects for youth that highlight the role arts learning plays in supporting livable communities.
• Innovative school-based projects that explore new models for engaging youth with the arts, or that keep arts education providers abreast of the latest advances in both art forms and teaching practices.

For professional development projects, the NEA is particularly interested in projects that:

• Build capacity of school district, school, or community leaders to better understand arts education and their role in providing leadership for arts education.
• Build capacity of school district, school, or community leaders to use data to make decisions about arts education programming in schools or the community.
• Include training in how to design, implement, and utilize high quality assessment of student learning in the arts in order to improve instruction.

We Do Not Fund

In addition to the "We Do Not Fund" section for all Grants for Arts Projects applicants, funding under the Arts Education discipline is not available for:

• Projects that replace arts instruction provided by a classroom teacher or an arts specialist.  The Arts Endowment is interested in supporting projects that expand and extend the arts education provided by schools as part of their core budgets.
• Awards directly to individual elementary or secondary schools -- charter, private, or public. Schools may participate as partners in projects for which another eligible organization applies. Local education agencies (school districts) and state and regional education agencies are eligible. If a single school also is the local education agency, as is the case with some charter schools, the school may apply with documentation that supports its status as the local education agency.
• Research on the value and/or impact of arts education. Applicants may consider the Arts Endowment's research grant opportunity for support of research projects.
• Projects with the primary focus of evaluation, documentation, and dissemination of promising or proven arts learning programs and practices

Organizations with projects that are not eligible under this category may want to review the opportunities that are offered by their state arts agency.

Project Reporting and Evaluation [Back to Top]

We ask all applicants to define what they would like to achieve, how they will assess the degree to which it is achieved, and, upon completion of the project, what they have learned from their experiences. Such feedback need not entail large-scale or expensive evaluation efforts. You should do what is feasible and appropriate for your organization and project. When a grant is completed, you must submit a final report and answer questions on your achievements and how these were determined. Arts Education grantees will be required to describe the assessment methods used to assess learning, and they will be required to submit any tools used to assess learning with their Final Report. (Please note that assessment tools may be shared publicly. If your tools are proprietary and have copyrights or trademarks attached, you will be asked to note that in your application and Final Report.) Before applying, please review the reporting requirements for the outcome that will be selected for the proposed project: Creation, Engagement, Learning, or Livability.

Beyond the reporting requirements for all grantees, selected Art Works grantees will be asked to assist in the collection of additional information that can help the NEA determine the degree to which agency objectives were achieved. You may be contacted to provide evidence of project accomplishments including, but not limited to, work samples, community action plans, cultural asset studies, programs, reviews, relevant news clippings, and playbills. Please remember that you are required to maintain project documentation for three years following submission of your final reports.

Application Review [Back to Top]

This category uses the agency's traditional method of application review. Applications are submitted to the Arts Education staff and are reviewed by a diverse group of experts in the field.

Applications are reviewed on the basis of artistic excellence and artistic merit. For more detailed information on how artistic excellence and artistic merit will be evaluated, see the "Review Criteria." You can find additional information in the "Application Review" section of the "Frequently Asked Questions." See the "Application Calendar" for information on when we expect to announce grant awards and rejections.

Contacts [Back to Top]

Dance, Music, Opera: Denise Brandenburg, brandenburg@arts.gov or 202/682-5044

Literature, Theater & Musical Theater: Nancy Daugherty, daughern@arts.gov or 202/682-5521

Folk & Traditional Arts, Local Arts Agencies, Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works: Terry Liu, liut@arts.gov or 202/682-5690

Design, Media Arts, Museums, Visual Arts: Lakita Edwards, edwardsl@arts.gov or 202/682-5704

If you wish to apply: [Back to Top]

CFDA No. 45.024
OMB No. 3135-0112 Expires 11/30/2013
January 2013

National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal agency
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Washington, DC 20506