ARTS EXPERIENCES FUND
Arts Experience Fund Applications for Window 2 is now open.
Application Window 2: January 15 – April 11, 2025
Have Questions About the Fund?
View the slide deck with a run-through of the process and how the Experience Fund works.
Purpose
All Baltimore City Public Schools are eligible to apply for up to $2,500 in funding to support arts experiences including field trips, performances, and teaching artist residencies.
Benefits to Schools
School grantees can apply for up to $2,500 in arts/arts integrated experiences. Applicants should review the Arts Every Day Arts Directory for approved partners and programs. Once accepted, grantees will be given login credentials to access and book programs through the Directory. AED will process payments directly to Arts and Cultural Partners.
Arts Every Day’s Arts Directory includes a variety of programs and experiences from a breadth of Arts and Cultural Partners, including:
-
- Off-site performances, such as theater, dance, and music performances at theaters throughout Maryland
- Off-site programs, such as museum and cultural institution visits.
- Transportation to and from any off-site experience in the Arts Directory.
- School-based programs and performances, including assemblies, residencies, workshops, and more.
Please note that all Arts and Cultural Partners listed in the Arts Every Day Arts Directory have agreed to work in compliance with Baltimore City Public Schools’ fingerprinting and background check processes as well as in alignment with Arts Every Day’s mission and vision. If you would like to book with a Provider who is not listed in the Directory but you think meets the criteria, please contact Sam Green at sam@artseveryday.org to discuss eligibility.
Eligibility
- Arts Integration Schools Partnership is open to all Baltimore City Public Schools.
- Any school-based staff (administrators, educators, community school coordinators) may apply on behalf of their school.
- Schools may apply for up to two grants per school year, though preference is given to schools who have not yet received funding in a given year.
** Update as of Feb 2025: We have been overwhelmed by the positive response to this grant and will only be able to award any given school one Arts Experience Fund Grant during SY24/25. We are actively seeking ways to be able to fund additional requests in future years.
Timeline
Grantee Responsibilities/Commitment
Educators and/or administrators may apply on behalf of their school. As a part of the application process, schools must complete and return the Grant Agreement document as well as provide an explanation of how the planned program will benefit students.
Once accepted, grantees will receive notification via email. This notification will include login credentials to use the Arts Directory to request to book programs using grant funding. Grantees can reference the Booking Guide for help with the booking process. NOTE: application to this program does not guarantee funding. Do not book with a provider prior to award notification.
Arts Every Day staff may visit during programs booked using Arts Experiences Grant funding.
Grantees must submit documentation of arts experiences through a post-experience survey.
Use of Grant Funding
Accepted grantees receive funding of up to $2,500. This funding can be used to book programs from Arts Every Day’s Arts Directory. Please review the following guidelines for use of AED grant funding:
-
- Student programs must occur during the regular school day during the current school year. After school/out of school time programming (ie, an after school club) is not eligible for funding under this grant except for as described in the following bullet point.
- Up to 30% of funding can be used towards programming at family and community engagement events occurring outside of the regular school day (ie, booking a teaching artist to lead a workshop at Family Literacy Night).
- Invoices for all programs must be received by Arts Every Day by May 15th of the current school year though programs may continue to take place through the end of the school year.
- Applicants are responsible for communicating effectively with Arts and Cultural Partners about all bookings. In general, this means responding to email communications about bookings within 72 hours.
- Applicants are generally asked to request programs at least two weeks in advance. This allows adequate time for AED to receive and process documentation for payment to the artist partner.
- Arts Every Day’s Arts Integration Schools Manager may visit my school and obtain visual documentation of AED-funded experiences, with prior notice.
For questions about the Arts Integration School Partnership, please contact our Arts Integration Schools Manager Sam Green at sam@artseveryday.org or call us at 410-685-1172 ext. 203.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Grant Application look like?
Why am I being asked to share student numbers and projected impact in the grant application?
Collecting data on the number of students served and impact of AED-funded programs helps AED to better understand and share the impact of our work. This not only helps us improve our offerings in the future, but also supports our ongoing work to secure more funding for more programming.
Can my school submit more than one application?
Applications are reviewed and approved on a first come, first served basis. We can only approve one grant per school. We strongly encourage staff to communicate with others at their school before submitting an application.
If my bookings do not total the whole $2,500, can I add additional programs to my application after it has been approved?
No. Applications are approved just for the programs listed on the application. Please carefully review estimated costs for programs listed in the Directory before submitting your application.
Why am I required to submit a Grant Agreement?
The Grant Agreement ensures that both the applicant and their school admin are aware of the protocols, requirements, and possible consequences for not following/meeting these requirements.
I have already talked with a provider about a booking; do I still need to use AED’s booking system after my grant application is approved?
Yes! Following the steps outlined in our Booking Guide to input bookings into our Directory system makes sure that we have all of the documentation we need to ensure timely and accurate payment to partners.
Will my school be responsible for paying partners for programs?
No. If your grant application is approved, you will receive log in credentials to make booking requests through our Arts Directory system. This system allows partners to upload invoices and schools to review and approve invoices. Arts Every Day pays invoices directly to partners after they are approved by schools.
Can I use AED funding to book with a partner who is not in the Directory?
Maybe! We are always looking to expand our Directory. If you know of an artist or organization that is not in our Directory but who is doing meaningful work with students, email sam@artseveryday.org. We will follow up with the prospective partner directly to determine eligibility to be in the Directory. All Arts Experience Funding must be spent through the Directory; do not make booking arrangements with providers not in the Directory until they have been approved by Arts Every Day.
Can I use Arts Experience Grant Funding to book transportation?
Yes! Arts Experience Grant Funding can be used to book transportation to and from any experience listed in our Directory. If you would like to fund transportation through your grant, please just be sure to include this in your grant application. You can view our AED-Funded Transportation listing in the Directory to learn more about the process of booking buses with AED funding.
What does the required post-survey look like?
Why do I have to submit photos in my grant post-survey?
All AED grants are funded by donations. Donors love to know where their donations are going. Photos of experiences help us to secure more funding to support future programming. Please be mindful to only submit photos that are in alignment with your school’s student photograph policy.
Can I request a program that costs more than the $2,500 allocation and bill the remaining cost to my school?
No, any programs booked through this grant must be paid in full through the grant. Splitting invoices with schools has often resulted in delays in payment to partners; this guideline is firmly in place to ensure partners receive payment promptly.
Please see the list below of schools who have already received funding from Arts Every Day this school year and are therefore not eligible for additional funding for School Year 24-25.
- Academy for College and Career Exploration
- Arlington Elementary School
- Armistead Gardens Elementary/Middle School
- Arundel Elementary School
- Baltimore International Academy
- Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women
- Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
- Cecil Elementary School
- City Neighbors Hamilton
- Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School
- ConneXions: A Community-Based Arts School
- Creative City Public Charter School
- Cross Country Elementary/Middle School
- Edmondson-Westside High School
- Federal Hill Preparatory Academy
- Fort Worthington Elementary/Middle School
- Francis Scott Key Elementary/Middle School
- Frederick Douglass High School
- Frederick Elementary School
- Graceland Park/O’Donnell Heights Elementary/Middle School
- Harford Heights Elementary School
- Highlandtown Elementary/Middle School #215
- Highlandtown Elementary/Middle School #237
- Holabird Academy
- James McHenry Elementary/Middle School
- John Ruhrah Elementary/Middle School
- Joseph C. Briscoe Academy
- Katherine Johnson Global Academy
- Lakeland Elementary/Middle School
- Liberty Elementary School
- Maree G. Farring Elementary/Middle School
- Mary Ann Winterling Elementary School
- Mary E. Rodman Elementary School
- Medfield Heights Elementary School
- Midtown Academy
- Montebello Elementary/Middle School
- Moravia Park Elementary School
- Mount Royal Elementary/Middle School
- National Academy Foundation
- New Song Academy
- North Bend Elementary/Middle School
- Patterson High School
- Reginald F. Lewis High School
- Robert W. Coleman Elementary School
- Sinclair Lane Elementary School
- Southwest Baltimore Charter School
- Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle School
- The Belair-Edison Elementary School
- The Green School of Baltimore
- Vanguard Collegiate Middle School
- Walter P. Carter Elementary/Middle School
- Wolfe Street Academy
- Yorkwood Elementary School