WMA to host Alabama arts education grant workshop

The Wiregrass Museum of Art (WMA) will host a grant workshop session with the Alabama Arts Education Initiative on Saturday, August 6th at the museum from 10:00am until 1:00pm. The workshop will explore opportunities for schools to enhance existing arts programs or initiate new arts programs through Alabama Arts Education Initiative Grants. Through a line item in the Education Trust Fund Budget for Arts Education, public schools may apply for up to $25,000 to support arts education and/or arts integration. This session will discuss guidelines, timelines, and specifics of the grant application process with Andy Meadows, education specialist with the Alabama State Department of Education.

Andy Meadows will also introduce the artlook®Alabama system to attendees, a data collection portal for schools which includes a public-facing map and data dashboard which will allow stakeholders to search through the data. artlook® puts information in the hands of teachers, principals, arts organizations, foundations, corporations, and policy makers with the goal of increasing access to quality arts programs in public schools for every child, every chance, every day.

“There are great opportunities available for educators and schools to find funding for their arts education and arts education projects, and we hope this workshop will help connect our area educators directly to those. The arts are a crucial component of students’ comprehensive education experience, and we want to make every effort to ensure that those programs are fully resourced,” said Brook McGinnis, WMA’s education director.

Kaci Norman, arts in education program manager with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, will present opportunities for grants through the organization. Attendees will learn how to set up accounts within the online grants portals, and can ask questions of workshop presenters.

The workshop is free, and attendees or anyone interested can contact Brook McGinnis, education director at the Wiregrass Museum of Art at brook@wiregrassmuseum.org.