Arts Education

Our Arts Education funding focuses on programs for low-income Chicago children and youth that use the arts as a means to improve learning and provide life-enriching experiences.

We are interested in efforts to improve the quality and expand the availability of arts education programs, especially in Chicago public schools. The Foundation considers support for arts education for students and professional development for arts educators.

We give priority to arts education programs that provide a combination of arts instruction, performance or exhibition experience, and interaction with professional artists and arts educators. We look for programs that are artistically rigorous, engage students in the creative process, and assess student learning in the arts.

We look for teacher-training programs that immerse educators in the practice and study of the arts and present teachers with innovative strategies for teaching the arts, engaging students in the creative process, and assessing student progress. We look for programs that provide ongoing support, expertise, and resources to both teachers and students.

The Foundation is also interested in proposals to convene experts to share information, facilitate discussion with arts educators, and help shape and strengthen arts education in Chicago public schools.