Arts Residencies in Schools Grants
Arts Residencies in Schools Grants (ARSG) are available to teaching artists that reside in Montgomery County, MD. Grant awards support individual teaching artists based in Montgomery County, MD, trained in curriculum-based art techniques to serve students from communities that have traditionally received insufficient resources and have had limited access to arts education experiences throughout the school year. Teaching artists are required to collaborate with a classroom teacher to develop an arts program for students during the school day. The program must benefit students in a public or non-public elementary, middle, or high school located in Montgomery County, MD. Grants for FY24 will be awarded for activities occurring between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024.
Awards range from $1,000 up to $6,000.
By awarding Arts Residencies in Schools Grants, the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) seeks to:
- Provide funding for arts-based programming that connects to the Montgomery County or Maryland State curriculum;
- Promote diverse arts education offerings and experiences to students in Montgomery County;
- Forge relationships amongst artists, teachers, and students through interactive, participatory programs;
- Allow students to interact and learn from artists; an opportunity that students may not have if these collaborations did not exist;
- Support students from communities that have traditionally received insufficient resources; and
- Encourage artists and scholars to apply for the Maryland State Arts Council’s Artists in Residence Roster.
Important Dates
Questions?
- Dates + Deadlines
- Webinars
- Guidelines + Eligibility
- Application + Templates
- Previous Grants Awarded
- FY22 Grantees
FY24 Important Dates
- Guidelines published – Friday, August 18, 2023
- Application Deadline – Friday, October 6, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.
New applicants are highly encouraged to contact AHCMC grants staff. All applications and relevant materials must be submitted online through AHCMC’s grants portal, SurveyMonkey Apply (SM Apply).
Late applications and relevant materials will not be accepted.
Additional Dates Post-Application
- Panel Review (virtual) – November 2023
- Award Announcement – December 2023
- FY24 Grant Change Request Deadline – November 30, 2024
- FY24 Final Report Due – January 31, 2025
Webinars
- Friday, September 22, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 26, 2023 from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
- Register on Eventbrite!
All AHCMC webinars will be hosted through the Zoom platform. Visit to our Webinars page to see upcoming workshops and webinars for all open grant categories.
Webinars allow grant-seekers to ask AHCMC grants staff specific questions about the grant guidelines, application, and online grants portal.
At each webinar, AHCMC grants staff review eligibility requirements and offer technical assistance for both the application process and the online grants portal.
FY24 ARSG Application Webinar
AHCMC Project Budget Tutorial
- View PDF slides of AHCMC’s Project Budget Tutorial
SurveyMonkey Apply (SM Apply) Tutorial
Guidelines
- View a PDF of the FY24 ARSG Guidelines
Required Application Materials:
All applicants must submit:
- A Completed Narrative
- Fillable form in SM Apply.
- Download a template of the application under the “Application + Templates” tab on AHCMC’s website. Please note that templates are for the applicant’s reference only; all applications and materials must be submitted through SM Apply.
- The form will ask applicants to provide a link to the Artist Profile from the MSAC Teaching Artist Roster. AHCMC’s Teaching Artist Roster is permanently closed. Applicants who were previously approved to be on AHCMC’s Roster do not have to submit an AHCMC Artist Roster profile.
- Letter of Commitment
- NEW! – Download a template of the Letter of Commitment under the “Application + Templates” tab on AHCMC’s website. Please note that all materials must be submitted through SM Apply.
- The letter should state the residency dates, the name(s) of the collaborating teacher(s), the school’s commitment to partnering with the applicant on the residency as described during the allowable grant period, and the school’s agreement to comply with the FY24 ARSG guidelines. The letter should be signed by the primary collaborating classroom teacher and school principal.
- If completing a second residency at a different school, the applicant must upload a Letter of Commitment for each participating school.
- MCPS Schools at a Glance Information Sheet
- MCPS Schools at a Glance website
- If the applicant is collaborating with a non-public school, provide information that is comparable to that found on the MCPS website, including the FARMS rate and programs for ESOL students and students with disabilities.
- If completing a second residency at a different school, the applicant must upload a Schools at a Glance page for each participating school.
- Lesson Plans
- Programming Support Materials
- Work Sample(s)
Applicant Eligibility Requirements
An applicant is eligible to apply for an award if they meet all the following requirements by the published application deadline:
- Is a teaching artist listed on the AHCMC Teaching Artist Roster2 and/or the Maryland State Arts Council’s Teaching Artist Roster;
- Has established a relationship with a public or non-public elementary, middle, or high school based in Montgomery County, MD to provide an arts residency;
- The school must hold a Certificate of Approval from the Maryland State Board of Education or be operated by a bona fide church organization as defined by the regulations of the Maryland State Board of Education;
- The school must be able to commit at least one teacher to collaborate with the artist;
- Has resided in Montgomery County, MD with a verifiable mailing address in Montgomery County, MD for at least 12 months prior to the deadline (P.O. Boxes not accepted as proof of residency);
- Is at least 21 years old;
- Is not a full-time student;
- Is able to provide AHCMC with a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) prior to undertaking the grant activities; and
- Has met all outstanding requirements for any grant(s) received from the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County in prior years.
Residency Eligibility Requirements
Eligible residencies must:
- Take place between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024;
- Take place in Montgomery County, MD;
- Residencies may be in person or virtual. In-person activities must follow current COVID-19 guidelines as required by the Montgomery County Health Department. (Additional COVID-19 resources)
- Be implemented by the applicant, who is listed in one of the approved rosters under Eligibility Requirements;
- Serve students at a school with a school-wide FARMS (Free and Reduced Meals System for MCPS) rate of 35% or more, as listed on the MCPS Schools at a Glance website.
- Alternatively, the residency may take place at a school with a school-wide FARMS rate less than 35% if the residency will specifically serve students within a clearly defined program that provides for ESOL students or students with disabilities, as listed on the school’s MCPS Schools at a Glance page.
- If the residency will take place at a non-public school, the applicant must provide information that is comparable to that found on the MCPS Schools at a Glance page, including the FARMS rate and ESOL and Special Education programs.
- View a PDF of a compiled list of all MCPS Schools with their FARMS rates for the 2022-2023 academic year: 2022-2023 MCPS Schools at a Glance
Access SurveyMonkey Apply (SM Apply): https://artsandhumanities.smapply.io/
Applicants are highly encouraged to use the application templates to prepare the narrative and supplementary materials.
FY24 ARSG Templates:
*Know that these are templates for your reference only – all applications and relevant materials must be submitted online through the grants portal.*
- View a PDF of the FY24 ARSG Application Template
- Download a Word document of the FY24 ARSG Application Template
- View a PDF of the FY24 ARSG School Letter of Commitment
- Download a Word document of the FY24 ARSG School Letter of Commitment
FY23 Arts Residencies in Schools Grants (ARSG)
$47,572 awarded for January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023
Arts Residencies in Schools Grants support individual teaching artists based in Montgomery County, MD trained in curriculum-based art techniques to serve students from communities that have traditionally received insufficient resources and that have limited access to arts education throughout the school year. Grantees are required to collaborate with a classroom teacher to develop an arts program for students during the school day. The program must benefit students in a public or non-public elementary, middle, or high school located in Montgomery County, MD. Eight teaching artists received FY23 awards within this category.
View previous grants awarded for ARSG and other grant categories.
Silver Spring, Maryland ($6,000)
Funds will be used for dance integration residencies at A. Mario Loiederman Middle School (LMS) and Albert Einstein High School (EHS) focused on history and world cultures, highlighting students’ creative voices and social-emotional learning. The residency will be conducted with a core group of 7th –8th grade students at LMS, and with a core group of 9th-12th grade dance students at EHS.
Poolesville, Maryland ($5,972.25)
At both Capt. James E. Daly and Clopper Mill Elementary School, the applicant will work with 4th grade students to support the literacy and social emotional needs of the students. Programming includes back-to-back kick–off performances of Giggling Wiggling Bookworm for the whole school, a multi-session residency titled Discovering the Power of the Written Word, for 4th graders, and a professional development workshop for teachers.
Damascus, Maryland ($6,000)
Sequoyah Elementary School students will work with the South African-born grantee to create a large-scale glass mosaic mural that will be permanently installed in the Media Center. During this collaborative residency, students will learn about the history and culture of South Africa and find inspiration in their personal heritage and traditions to create a mosaic mural that will visually reflect the school community as a celebration of the many cultures and voices it represents.
Chevy Chase, Maryland ($6,000)
Photography and Nature in the Community is an arts-integrated residency that will be led by the applicant in collaboration with Wheaton High School environmental science and horticulture teachers. Students will explore the art and environmental issues impacting their community. With cameras provided by the artist, students will photograph their outdoor school environment. Photographic prints and artist statements will be exhibited in the school gallery.
Potomac, Maryland ($6,000)
Hands-on History of Animation is a residency during which all 4th grade students at Glenallan Elementary School will learn about the history, science, and creative possibilities of two-dimensional animation as they create three optical toys (a thaumatrope, zoetrope strip, and flip book) and an animated GIF using Chrome Canvas and Google Slides. The students’ GIFs will be displayed on the school’s website.
Silver Spring, Maryland ($6,000)
The applicant will lead 4th and 5th grade students at Flower Hill Elementary School in constructing their own city in mixed media and repurposed materials. The residency coincides with students’ social studies classes studying the foundations of civics and community including neighborhoods. Students will decide what buildings they will design and create, such as a recreation center, a civic center, grocery store, school, and residential homes.
Montgomery Village, Maryland ($5,600)
Continuing the success of a previous residency at Seneca Valley High School, the applicant will return to work with theatre teacher Joanna Fellows and her students for two residencies. For the Special Education Theatre Class, students will continue success in puppetry building and performing short puppet shows while working on speaking and memorization skills. For other theatre classes, students will participate in lighting design and learning technical skills including fixture selection and color mixing.
Takoma Park, Maryland ($5,999.75)
The applicant will work with students in the 1st grade at New Hampshire Estates Elementary School to support the literacy and social emotional needs of the students. Programming includes back-to-back kick–off performances of Giggling Wiggling Bookworm for the whole school, and a three-session residency titled Moving Through My Feelings for seven classrooms of 1st graders. The applicant will also work with students in the 4th grade at Wheaton Woods Elementary School to support the literacy and social emotional needs of the students. Programming includes a five-session residency titled Discover the Power of the Puppet for three classrooms of 4th graders.
The FY22 ARSG cycle runs from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.
- View a PDF of the FY22 ARSG Guidelines
Important Dates Post-Application
- Final Report – January 31, 2023
- View a PDF of the FY22 ARSG Final Report Template
- Download a Word document of the FY22 ARSG Final Report Template
For current FY22 grantees, all final reports must be completed online through AHCMC’s grants portal, SurveyMonkey Apply (SM Apply). Access SM Apply: https://artsandhumanities.smapply.io/
Need to make changes to your project? Fill out a grant change request form, available on our resources page: https://www.creativemoco.com/find-opportunities/resources/