The Arts Council is adding a new component to its Artists in Education programming - Artists in Communities residencies. Funded by the National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America Program, these non-school-based after school and summer residencies will be targeted toward at-risk youth who live in rural or underserved areas.
These residencies will provide opportunities for professional artists to use their skills and knowledge to bring the vitality of the arts into community youth programs, and some residencies will become stepping stones for arts education programs that grow to be an on-going part of community life. While the youth are participating in the programs and learning about the arts disciplines, the artists will assist them in enhancing their powers of perception and self-expression, and in acquiring such character -centered skills as concentration, individual discipline and team participation. The most successful of the programs will be identified as models for future Artists in Communities residencies.
The grants will be available to non-profit organizations that have established after-school or summer youth programs. Grant guidelines will be available in February. Grants will be awarded in July, 2001, for residencies to be held between September 1, 2001, through August 31, 2002. Interested organizations may contact Cynthia Haas, AIE program manager, for additional information or to request a copy of the guidelines and the Artist Roster for the AIE program.