Arts in Education Grant

In order to apply for an AiE Grant, the teaching artist must be on the MSAC Teaching Artist Roster and the school or community site must be one of the following:

• 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (an organization with an IRS-designated 501(c)3 status) in Maryland. (Note: Private schools with 501(c)3 status are eligible.)
• Unit of government based in Maryland. (Note: Public schools are eligible)
• College or university (an established higher education institution in Maryland) 

And have operated for one completed and documented fiscal year at the date of application submission with ongoing arts activities.

Please review the following steps before applying for an Arts in Education grant:

1. Teaching Artist and School/Organization Agree to Collaborate

Before beginning an application, the Teaching Artist and the collaborating school/organization must confirm the following: 

• Teaching Artist availability
• Arts education activities/programs
• Teaching Artist fees and budget

Applications must specify an artist, ensemble, or organization currently on the MSAC Teaching Artist Roster. To find Roster artists, click here to visit the Maryland Arts Directory and click on "View the Teaching Artist Roster." Another listing of the MSAC Teaching Artist Roster can also be found under the Resources section below. 

Ensembles and organizations must indicate a Lead Artist on the application. The Lead Artist is responsible for leading the arts education activities with the collaborating school or organization. The application may identify multiple types of arts learning activities with their selected Lead Artist. If a collaborating school or organization wishes to receive funding for different Lead Artists in one fiscal year (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024), they must submit separate applications. Collaborating schools and organizations may participate in up to two AiE grant applications per fiscal year. 

Note: Teaching Artists not currently approved by MSAC are encouraged to apply to the MSAC Teaching Artist Roster. For more information on the Teaching Artist Roster application and review process, please click here. 

2. Identify a Coordinator at the Collaborating School or Organization

The collaborating school or organization must identify a coordinator in each application. The coordinator must be affiliated with the collaborating school or organizations and are responsible for coordinating logistics and materials with the Lead Artist, if an application is funded. Please review the Arts in Education Grant Guidelines for more information on the role and responsibilities of the School/Organization Coordinator.  

3. Application Submission 

The Independent Artist or Artist’s affiliated organization may start the application (whomever is the grant recipient, if the grant is awarded) and serves as the primary contact on the application. 

Organizations and ensembles must indicate a Lead Artist on the application. The Lead Artist signature is required on the application; therefore, the organization will need to email the AiE Program Director, Lizzie Morales at elizabeth.morales@maryland.gov, to give the Lead Artist access to the application.

If the collaborating school or organization would like to contribute to or complete the grant application on behalf of an artist, the teaching artist will need to email the AiE Program Director, Lizzie Morales at elizabeth.morales@maryland.gov, to give collaborative editing privileges to the coordinator, grant writer, or any other person at the collaborating school or organization.

The Fiscal Year 2025 Arts in Education Grant Budget is $ $750,000.

The Arts in Education Grant amounts are based on the applicant’s request. The maximum amount of the grant is $6,000.

A school or community site may participate in up to two grants per fiscal year (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025).

Lead Artists (defined as the person who is responsible for leading the arts learning activity) may receive grant awards up to 4% of MSAC’s overall annual Arts in Education grant budget. For FY25, the Lead Artist grant award maximum is $30,000.

Teaching artist organizations may receive grant awards totaling up to 15% of MSAC’s overall Arts in Education annual grant budget, while also observing the 4% maximum per Lead Artist outlined above. For FY25, the Teaching Artist Organization grant award maximum is $112,500.

For each Arts in Education Grant a Roster Teaching Artist is approved for, MSAC will disburse one payment directly to the Teaching Artist: 100% of the grant amount at the time of the execution of the Grant Agreement form (GAF). Teaching Artists are the sole recipients of grant monies.

All MSAC grants are paid on the same timeline. To learn more, click here.

The inaugural year for the Arts in Education Grant was FY 2021. Grants awarded during that year are below. Grants awarded in earlier years through previous AiE programs also are listed.

FY 2024 Arts in Education Grant
FY 2023 Arts in Education Grant 
FY 2022 Arts in Education Grant
FY 2021 Arts in Education Grant

FY 2020 Visiting Performer Grant
FY 2019 Visiting Performer Grant
FY 2018 Visiting Performer Grant

FY 2020 Artist in Residence Grant
FY 2019 Artist in Residence Grant
FY 2018 Artist in Residence Grant