ARTShops is a collaborative effort of the Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA) and The CIRI Foundation—with support from the Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation—to catalyze Alaska Native artists’ creative leadership and community development throughout rural Alaska. Every year since the pilot program launched in 2016, a jury-selected cohort of four artists participates in…
One of the ways the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) has realized the vision of its 2015-2020 strategic plan to foster vibrant, thriving and healthy communities is to partner with the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine in support of its Florida Arts & Wellbeing Indicators initiative. DCA funded the three-year effort to develop…
One way state arts agencies can foster the capacity of arts leaders and arts organizations is by harnessing the power of cohort learning. This approach—based on the active and interactive dynamics of group learning—fosters community, creativity and leadership skills as a pedagogical strategy. In this way, cohort learning facilitates ongoing supportive relationships that both reinforce…
ArtsNEXT is a forward-thinking funding program of the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) designed to incentivize innovation and experimentation in Ohio’s arts ecosystem. With grants of $5,000-$20,000, the program funds projects that pilot new solutions to challenging problems, engage the public in new ways or otherwise push boundaries that make Ohio an exciting, cutting-edge place to…
The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) recently announced the inaugural cohort of 36 artists for its creative-entrepreneurship accelerator program. On-Ramp is designed to help early career artists ramp up their entrepreneurial journey, move faster toward their business goals and navigate professional challenges on the way. Through a three-day intensive training course, participating artists learn business skills…
The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) has launched the Curatorial Grant Program to help local curators develop and present compelling visual art exhibitions in service to residents of Washington, D.C. The program awards two curators with previous experience an opportunity to stage an innovative and educational exhibition in the agency’s 200 I…
Since the Arts and Foreign Language Education Grant Program was legislatively established in 2006, the Illinois Arts Council Agency (IACA) and Illinois State Board of Education—which administer the program through a joint commitment to well-rounded education—have helped nearly 100 school districts around the state integrate arts and foreign language education into their core curricula. The…
In January and February, the Maine Arts Commission braves the elements on its 2018 Arts Iditarod, a two-month technical assistance tour that targets the state’s most rural regions. Events in Kennebunk, Houlton, Lewiston and Ellsworth convene the creative community, offer training sessions and spark dialogue among residents and policymakers interested in rural arts development. The…
Mastering the Arts (MTA) is a new four-year initiative to provide arts focused professional development to teachers from seven low-achieving rural elementary schools serving Native American and Latino students. Underwritten by a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the program will help up to 30 K-12 classroom and specialist teachers work toward…
A partnership of the Idaho Commission for the Arts (ICA) and the Idaho State Department of Education, the Arts Powered Schools Summer Institute convenes K-8 teachers, school administrators and members of ICA’s directory of teaching artists for a week-long exploration of connections between arts learning and other core curricula. Engaging a community of colleagues, participants…