grants

ArtsSmarts

ArtsSmarts is funded through the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Education’s Cultural Connections Strategy and the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council (NLAC). In Newfoundland and Labrador ArtsSmarts is administered by the NLAC.

The ArtsSmarts Mission: To afford schools and their communities a chance to enhance artistic activities linked to educational outcomes. The desire is to encourage students to develop their intellectual skills through active participation in the arts. In this context, the program goal is to engage young people in artistic activity to develop supporters and practitioners of the arts by nurturing creative thinkers.

Objectives:

• To build long-term, self sufficient local partnerships that link young people, artists or arts organizations, schools, and the broader community;
• To enable schools to integrate arts activities in a variety of subject areas that align with the provincial curriculum;
• To provide opportunities for young people to actively participate in the arts, thereby encouraging them to develop their intellectual and communication skills; and
• To enhance appreciation of the importance of culture and the arts, thereby encouraging long-term support for artists and arts organizations.

Eligibility:

Only schools and school boards in the provincial K-12 system may apply. Projects must incorporate artistic disciplines served by the NLAC. These are dance (contemporary and traditional styles), film and video, new media arts (computer animation, online art creation), multidiscipline (exploring two or more art forms), music (classical, modern, traditional), theatre (including storytelling and circus), visual arts (including traditional crafts, photography, pottery) and creative writing. If you have any questions regarding eligibility, please contact the program manager before submitting an application.

Annual deadline:

May 31 for projects starting after September 1.

Maximum grant:

ArtsSmarts funds up to 80% of the overall cost of a project, to a maximum grant of $5,500. The remaining 20% of project costs (cash or in kind) must be confirmed at the time of application.

Program Guidelines:

• Applications must be submitted on the official ArtsSmarts application form available from the NLAC office.
• Only one application will be accepted from each applicant (i.e. school, school board or group of schools). All specific projects must be included in the single application.
• The application form must be fully completed and returned on or before the application deadline. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
• You must apply for funding before your project starts. Retroactive applications cannot be considered.
• Projects must incorporate whole classes. Projects using select groups of students (drama clubs, bands, etc.) will not be considered.
• Capital costs (purchase of computers, equipment, instruments, etc.) are not eligible for funding.
• Any artist fees or travel costs must be for people 18 years of age or older.
• ArtsSmarts cannot support teacher salaries, or travel for students or teachers.
• Artist fees are considered to a maximum of $300 per day or $60 per hour of in-class time. Research and preparation time are included in this fee. Artist fees for planning/debriefing meetings with teachers are $50 per hour calculated at a minimum of 2 hours per project or grade level in a project.
• Coordinator fees will be considered for schools in the first year of a whole school project only. Coordinator fees are $20 per hour to a maximum of $500 in ArtsSmarts funding. Coordinators must have an arts background and cannot be current employees of the school.
• Technical fees for a project (clay firing, mounting exhibitions, etc.) will be considered at a rate of $20 per hour.
• Applicants may include a professional development session for teachers within their project proposal. A maximum of $500 may be requested from ArtsSmarts for teacher professional development.
• All projects are artist led, but a teacher is required to be in the classroom at all times. Teachers are encouraged to participate in the project as fully as possible.

Assessment:

Applications are reviewed by an assessment committee comprised of professional artists and experienced art educators.

Applications are assessed based on the following criteria:

1. Cross-curricular learning outcomes from a variety of subject areas are clearly integrated into an art activity.
2. Students actively create art and explore self-expression by making their own artistic choices.
3. School administration, classroom teachers, artists and where possible, students have a clear voice in the project planning and implementation.
4. There is a planned or established partnership with a local community organization to support the project, or the project links directly with the community.
5. The project uses professional artists experienced in working with children and the artistic medium being explored.
6. The project has artistic merit, and has an innovative approach to teaching the curriculum.
7. A plan to evaluate the project with input from teachers, students, and artists is included.
8. The project offers clear benefits to students, teachers, artists, and the broader community.

Requirements of funded projects:

Successful applicants accept responsibility to manage a project within the school, completing all necessary evaluation and project reports, and acting as a liaison with the NLAC for the project.

Final report:

All successful applicants must submit an activity and financial report (including copies of receipts for ArtsSmarts funding), and program evaluations to the NLAC within three months of their project end date.

Successful applicants may also be asked to complete an ArtsSmarts research template while the project is happening, or conduct pre and post student surveys on the project.

Applicants reapplying for funding must submit a final report on all past projects before the cheque for a new project will be released.

Official final report and evaluation forms will be sent to all successful applicants.

Return completed applications to:

Ken Murphy
Program Manager
Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council
1 Springdale Street (The Newman Building)
P.O. Box 98
St. John’s, NL
A1C 5H5

Phone: (709) 726-2212
Toll Free: 1 (866) 726-2212 (NL only)
Fax: (709) 726-0619

kmurphy@nfld.net
www.nlac.nf.ca