Summer Arts Education Project Grants

The Summer Arts Education Project Grants, provided by the South Carolina Arts Commission, aim to enhance arts education for K-12 students during summer breaks in 2022 and 2023. Grants of up to $50,000 are available, encouraging collaborations between various organizations to expand access to arts education. Priority is given to projects that serve rural or high-poverty areas and address learning loss from COVID-19. Eligible applicants include universities, government units, and registered nonprofits.

Purpose
The purpose of the Summer Arts Education Project Grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is to support quality arts education programs for K-12 students between school years, through both traditional providers (arts organizations) and other organizations (e.g., social service, health, community, education) that utilize the arts to meet the educational, developmental, and social needs of K-12 students. This two-year grant supports projects occurring during the summers of 2022 and 2023.
Activities should
Expand student access to arts education opportunities; andComplement, augment, or advance standards-based arts instruction or arts integration activities delivered to students during the course of the school day curriculum; andBe focused on or include significant components delivering quality instruction and/or experiences in the visual arts, performing arts, media arts, design arts, folk and traditional arts, or creative writing; andAddress South Carolina’s 2017 College and Career Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency.
If you are hiring artists:
Starting in Fiscal Year 2022 (July 2021), SCAC Arts in Education grant recipients must use members of the S.C. Arts Directory for grant-funded group lectures, demonstrations, performances, classroom residencies, and short-term arts teaching experiences. Artists labeled as Certified Teaching Artists on the Directory have been additionally vetted by SCAC through the submission of sample lesson plans, recorded teaching samples, and letters of recommendation; we encourage but do not require grant-funded teaching artist residencies to employ Certified Teaching Artists. Additionally, Arts Access SC Teaching Artists have trained with Arts Access SC to provide children, youth, and adults with disabilities quality arts experiences. Note: Schools should check with their district office about policies related to hiring artists, arts organizations, and teaching artists.
Matching Requirements
1:2 (grantee:SCAC)At least 50% of the applicant’s match must be cash.Funds from another SCAC grant may not be used as matching funds.

Eligibility

The applicant must beA college or university; ORA unit of state or local government; ORA nonprofit community-based organization (arts or non-arts) currently registered with the S.C. Secretary of State’s Office reflecting S.C. as the primary address on all current official organizational documents with federal tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service ORapplying through a tax-exempt fiscal agent/receiver organizationIn accordance with federal government policy, all organizations – including (but not limited to) private schools, government entities, public school districts, and nonprofit organizations – must provide a valid DUNS number to receive an SCAC grant award.Examples of eligible activities include, but are not limited to:WorkshopsCampsArtist residenciesPublic art projectsPerformancesExhibitionsAcquisition of critical equipment or suppliesProgram planningProfessional development for instructors, artists, and/or administrators

Ineligibility

Applicants may submit only one application per deadline.College and university departments are eligible, but only one application per department will be accepted.Schools and school districts are not eligible.Individual artists are not eligible.Eligible project disciplines are visual arts, performing arts, media arts, design arts, folk and traditional arts, and creative writing.Any arts material or activity that is already funded by an Arts Education Project Grant may not be duplicated in, or overlap with, a Summer Arts Education Project grant application. Only expenses that are not already covered by an Arts Education Project award are eligible for funding.