COVID Relief Artists in the Classroom grants

In response to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering an Artists in the Classroom grant intake for classroom projects taking place between September and November of the 20-2021 school year. This is the COVID Relief Intake. 

The application deadline for this intake is July 7 2020. 

Additional information:

• Projects must be planned to take place via distance - either through technology or through distance in some way 
• Distance can mean technology/online, with packages sent home, with small groups of students when following proper government guidelines.
• Projects must starts between September-November 2020 and end any time in the 2020-21 school year
• The maximum grant amount is $5,000
• Projects that do not meet these criteria will not be taken to the jury and will be automatically added to the September Intake with the option to change their timeline.

These changes are so that we can run a smaller intake and get decisions back to applicants before the new school year. We heard from artists that they cannot rely on retroactive funding and schools want to start work in September with the new school year. We hope these changes help you and your collaborators plan projects in schools! 

New Application Form: We have updated all of our systems at ArtStarts. We are pleased to share that we have a new application form for AIC for 2020-21! The form is entirely online and can be edited by multiple collaborators. The form also calculates grant amounts for you and streamlines the granting process. You can learn more about how to use the form here. The structure and eligibility of the grant is the same, we are only updating how you apply to improve efficiency. 

Artists in the Classroom grants are disbursed by ArtStarts in Schools through a partnership agreement with BC Arts Council and funded by the Province of British Columbia. 

Goals of this Grant

• Increase opportunities for young people to engage in hands-on arts experiences with professional artists to facilitate deeper learning.
• Increase opportunities for professional artists to further develop their artistic excellence and practice.
• Increase opportunities for educators to integrate arts into their classrooms to inspire creativity and innovation. 

Grant Amount

The COVID Relief AIC grant offers up to $5,000 projects. AIC grants can fund up to 70% of total project costs and can only cover eligible expenses. The remaining 30% of costs, including ineligible expenses, must be covered by other sources secured by the applicant.

Educators: Have an idea for a project but haven't found an artist to work with yet? Search ArtStarts' Artists in the Classroom Directory. All BC-based artists are eligible for funding through the Artists in the Classroom Grant. Artists do not have to be on the Directory. 

Who Can Apply?

All professional artists, teachers, principals, and PAC representatives in British Columbia are eligible to apply for this grant. Any BC based professional artists can apply or work on projects - the Artists in the Classroom Directory is a resource to help teachers find potential artists!

As the AIC grant is disbursed to the school for management, check to see if the school in which the project will take place is eligible for the AIC Grant! Search the BC School Listing from the Ministry of Education or the First Nations School Directory. If your school is on either of those lists, you are eligible for funding! 

How to Apply

The next deadline is July 7th 2020 for COVID Relief Intake projects that start between September-November 2020. If your project starts after November 2020, please consider applying for the regular AIC Intake. Applications for the regular intake are due September 29 2020. 

1. Find out if your project is a good candidate by taking the Eligibility Quiz 
2. Read the Grant Guidelines to get all the essential details about the grant. Still have questions? Consult the Frequently Asked Questions below.
3. Create an application through our COVID Relief online application form.
4. Check out the application form guide for more tips and tricks to use the new form. 
5. Save your application form using an email and password unique to that application. You can share this email and password with your collaborators as you work on the grant application. 
6. Work with your collaborators to complete the application form. Be sure to refer to the grant guidelines for the adjudication rubric and guides for filling out the form. 
7. Submit the form online through the application form by July 7 2020
8. Click the e-verificiation links in your email 
9. Be sure that the school administrator also completes their e-verificiation and confirmation of the application (more details in the grant guidelines)
10. You will receive an email from ArtStarts when your application has been received and when it has been marked eligible. 

Learn More

We have put together practical resources for teachers and artists in the classroom to help you deepen your understanding of arts in education and provide tips and tools that can be used when putting together your application and executing the project.

Get Inspired

• Why Bring Artists into Your Classroom?
• Read guest blog posts from AIC teachers and artists
• Browse our catalogue of projects funded by AIC
• Explore current and past exhibitions at the ArtStarts Gallery

Get Help Completing your Application Form

• Grant-Writing Tips and Tricks
• Get practical application advice From the Jury Box 
• Common Application Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
• Watch a video on what makes a successful AIC application