The School Arts Experience Grant provides funding to Iowa schools and pre-schools to support the cost of field trips to attend an arts event; to support the cost to bring a professional artist or artist group (e.g. actor, musician, visual artist, writer, etc.) into the classroom or school to lead an in-depth arts learning experience or performance; or to support the cost of arts equipment for the classroom to enhance arts learning in schools across Iowa.
Funding for the School Arts Experience Grant is made possible by an annual appropriation from the Iowa Legislature to the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Applicants must adhere to the funding policies of the Iowa Arts Council.
Timeline
The School Arts Experience grant is not currently accepting application. Please see the Virtual Arts Experience grants for fiscal year 2021.
Funding
Grant Request Amount
Applicants may request funding for expenses incurred within the eligible funding period for field trips to attend an arts event; expenses to bring a professional artist or artist group into the school to lead an in-depth arts learning experience or performance; or to purchase arts equipment for the classroom to enhance arts learning.
- Minimum Grant Request: $200
- Maximum Grant Request: $1,000
Eligible Use of Funds
Funding may be requested for the following expenses. Each grant can only be used to support one of these types of categories. For example, if the applicant is applying to go on a field trip, they cannot also apply to purchase equipment.
Arts Field Trip
Costs associated with a field trip to attend an arts event such as transportation or ticket costs. Eligible arts field trips are those whose primary purpose is the presentation of a work of art. Eligible types of arts events include trips to visual art museums or music, dance or theatre performances. Applicants are able to apply for support for more than one field trip, but may not exceed the $1,000 maximum grant request. If a scheduled event is cancelled, please contact the Iowa Arts Council to discuss other options for use of grant funds.
In-School Art Activity
Costs associated with bringing a professional artist or artist group into the classroom or school such as artist fees or art supplies. Eligible in-school art activities must bring a professional artist or artist group into the school or classroom to lead an in-depth arts learning experience or artistic performance. Artists may not be individuals or teachers already employed by the school district. Contact Arts Learning Manager Jennie Knoebel at 515-242-6194 or jennie.knoebel@iowa.gov for recommendations on artists and arts organizations offering in-school residencies. If the scheduled residency is cancelled, please contact the Iowa Arts Council to discuss other options for use of grant funds.
Arts Equipment
Costs associated with arts equipment or materials to support arts learning. Eligible arts equipment is defined as items that have a lifespan of more than one year and contribute to the practice or learning of a fine art. Applicants should not apply to support a specific project, but rather to purchase materials that will help their classroom for several years. Examples of eligible equipment expenses by arts discipline are listed below and include, but aren’t limited to, the following:
- Examples of Eligible Visual Arts Equipment: Enlarger, easel, drawing table, imaging software, camera, paint, clay, photo chemicals, tools, etc.
- Examples of Eligible Performing Arts Equipment: Instrument, music stand, risers, sheet music, props, stage lighting, sound system, scripts, costumes, etc.
- Examples of Eligible Literary Arts Equipment: Books, journals, writing utensils, etc.
Match Requirement
There is no matching requirement for the budget. However, applicants are required to identify the full cost of the arts activity in the budget section of the application form.
Funding Period
All proposed arts events, arts activities or arts equipment purchases must occur within the eligible funding period of July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021.
Applicant Requirements
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants must be one of the following types of entities. Entities who do not meet these requirements are not eligible to apply.
- Public schools that are located in Iowa, serve preK-12 students and whose primary orientation, mission and purpose is education and the awarding of academic credits
- Private 501(c)3 nonprofit schools that are located in Iowa, serve preK-12 students and whose primary orientation, mission and purpose is education and the awarding of academic credits.
Ineligible Applicants
The following types of entities are not eligible to apply:
- Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs grantees who already received a grant for the project for the current application funding period
- Iowa Arts Council administered grantees who already received a grant from the department for any part of this project
- Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs grantees who have an outstanding final report or who have been placed on a department funding moratorium
Iowa Arts Council Administered Grant Program Eligibility
- There is a limit of one School Arts Experience Grant per fiscal year, per school building
- Applicants may not submit more than one application during a single grant deadline or cycle regardless of grant program
- Applicants may not submit more than two applications for the same project regardless of fiscal year if both applications are unfunded
- Projects may not receive more than one Iowa Arts Council administered grant regardless of applicant, phase of project or fiscal year
Online Application Submission
Applicants must submit applications via the Iowa Arts Council’s SlideRoom, an online application portal. Applications will not be accepted in any other format. Late, incomplete or ineligible applications will not be accepted. Applicants can access the current online application requirements at iowaartscouncil.slideroom.com. Applicants must create a login to view the full application requirements for the program. Applicants can visit help.liaisonedu.com for assistance related to the online submission.
Review Process
Submitted applications are reviewed by staff for completion, eligibility and adherence to published guidelines. Applications are reviewed as submitted. New application information or subsequent application clarification submitted after a program deadline is not considered. Staff will also review an applicant’s record of compliance and good standing with the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, State and Federal government. Applications or applicants determined by staff to be ineligible or incomplete will not move forward in the review and are specifically denied any appeals process. Eligible applications will be reviewed based on the following funding priorities that align with the Iowa Arts Council’s mission and goals:
- First Time Applicant – Preference will be given to applicants that have not received past grant funding from the Iowa Arts Council.
- Incorporating Iowa’s Fine Arts Standards – Preference will be given to applicants that clearly articulate how the artistic experience or equipment purchase will help them implement Iowa’s Fine Arts Standards in their classroom.
- Arts Access – Preference will be given to applicants providing artistic opportunities for students with otherwise limited access to the arts.
- Provide Access to a Geographically Underserved Audience – Preference will be given to applicants located in one of following Iowa counties defined as non-metropolitan or non-micropolitan statistical areas by the United States Office of Management and Budget.
| Adair Adams Allamakee Appanoose Audubon Buchanan Butler Calhoun Carroll Cass Cedar Cherokee Chickasaw Clarke Clayton Crawford Decatur Delaware Emmet Fayette Floyd |
Franklin Fremont Greene Hamilton Hancock Hardin Henry Howard Humboldt Ida Iowa Jackson Keokuk Kossuth Louisa Lucas Lyon Marion Mitchell Monona Monroe |
Montgomery O’Brien Osceola Page Palo Alto Pocahontas Poweshiek Ringgold Sac Shelby Sioux Tama Taylor Union Van Buren Wayne Winnebago Winneshiek Wright |
