The Illinois Arts Council’s Arts-in-Education Residency

The Illinois Arts Council offers one grant to bring out-of-state artists (I live in eastern Iowa) to your school: the Arts-in-Education Residency. This grant funds up to 60% of all expenses for the residency program, which must last a minimum of one month (but can extend up to six months), with the artist teaching twenty hours per week. This time period allows for an all- encompassing experience for the entire school and includes regular contact with core groups, multiple contact with all classes, school performances, community outreach and performances and teacher in-services.

The residency requires a second guest artist. I usually bring master dancer Diadie Bathilly from the Ivory Coast who now resides in St. Louis. Mr. Bathilly is an extraordinary dancer and teacher who easily establishes a great rapport with students. He meets with classes for one or more days and teaches them an African dance. He then performs with a select group of students during the culminating show at the end of the residency.

Schools must submit grant applications to the Illinois Arts Council by March 1st for residencies that start the following school year. I am happy to help with the grant application and/or the Illinois Arts Council offers free grant writing workshops.

Please note: I discount my fees for this program. For example, one school paid only $2,500 for an entire month. I usually fulfill the twenty hours per week of student contact in three or three-and-a-half days, which saves lodging expenses for the school.

This intensive type of residency is well worth any effort involved in getting the grant.

To learn more about this grant, visit the Illinois Arts Council website:
http://www.state.il.us/agency/IAC/
Click on: A Guide to the Illinois Arts Council.
Under the heading Funding Programs, click on Arts-in-Education Residencies. Scroll down and click on the right-hand box, Arts-in Education Residency Program and Roster.