An Agency of State Government
The Montana Arts Council is the agency of state government established to develop the creative potential of all Montanans, advance education, spur economic vibrancy, and revitalize communities through involvement in the arts. Fifteen individuals appointed by the Governor oversee the Montana Arts Council.
The Montana Arts Council strives to foster access to robust arts learning on behalf of citizens of all ages and abilities. To that end, the Artists in Schools and Communities (AISC) grant program supports a wide range of arts learning projects through its two subcategories: AISC Experiences and AISC Residencies.
The AISC Residencies grant connects learners of all ages and abilities with professional teaching artists through a diversity of learning formats and settings. Residencies range from a couple of hours to months-long experiences and may engage one or several guest artists working with a single core group of learners or with multiple groups, all sharing the key components of experiential learning, a depth of knowledge gained and a strong emphasis on the process of art creation. Because of this emphasis, activities under the AISC Residencies grant category must include hands-on learning.
Applications are submitted electronically through MAC’s online grant management system.
Applications will be reviewed and scored against the following criteria:
Application Montana Arts Council
Printed On: 12 January 2023 AISC Residencies FY24 2
Applications may be prioritized to equalize arts learning opportunities across geographic area, arts disciplines, and core learning groups.
Requests submitted to the AISC Residencies category will be reviewed by a panel comprised of local and regional professionals from the arts, nonprofit and arts education communities, chaired by a non-voting member of the Council.
The AISC review panel will discuss requests in a public meeting to be held in late April, 2023; applicants are invited to attend as observers. Review panelists will make recommendations to the full body of the Montana Arts Council which will make the final funding determinations. A summary of panel comments is made available to applicants upon request. Applicants are encouraged to contact MAC staff following the review to receive comments, regardless of the outcome, as they provide useful insight for the project and/or future grant requests.
FY24 AISC Residencies grants will support activities taking place between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. Please note that funds cannot be awarded in support of project activities that have already occurred.
Requests in this category must fall within the range of $2500 - $10,000.
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions mid-June, 2023.
All applicants must be one of the following:
Application Montana Arts Council
Printed On: 12 January 2023 AISC Residencies FY24 3
MAC will provide a 2:1 match (2/3 of total project funding.)
Applicants may obtain this number from https://sam.gov/content/home using the “Get a Unique Entity ID” button.
For questions or assistance with the application process or to discuss development of your project, contact Monica Grable, Arts Education Director, at Monica.Grable@mt.gov or (406) 444-6522. MAC staff is available to provide technical assistance—including a review of your application draft—or to provide an alternate format of the guidelines or application as needed. For other ADA accommodation needs, please contact Kristin Han Burgoyne, Accessibility Coordinator, at kburgoyne@mt.gov or 406-444-6449.
A final report will be required, due 30 days following the project’s completion. The final report will include:
Application Montana Arts Council
Printed On: 12 January 2023 AISC Residencies FY24 4
In addition to the AISC Residencies grant category, you may wish to consider applying to these other MAC grant programs:
AISC Experiences grants fund a wide array of arts learning experiences for students of all ages and abilities through: o a school or organization’s purchase of tools, supplies and small equipment to support experimentation with new arts media and methods; o transportation to support first-hand experiences with art or artists; or o fees supporting direct engagement with guest artists for a virtual or in-person learning session that may or may not include hands-on learning 2023 AISC Experiences applications are due at 5 PM on April 5, 2023. Additional 2023 deadlines will be announced by April 15.
Strategic Investment Grants (SIG) provide up to $1000 in funds to enable artists and nonprofit organizations to pursue opportunities that will enhance their artistic careers and/or ability to achieve their mission. It is a reimbursement grant that helps offset expenses related to opportunities for professional development, market expansion, and art events. Grants are reviewed on a monthly basis.
SIG supports a wide variety of arts-related activities and opportunities, including (but not limited to)
Application Montana Arts Council
Printed On: 12 January 2023 AISC Residencies FY24 5
Character Limit: 100
Character Limit: 20
Please provide a brief one-sentence description of your project. This description will be used publicly should a grant be awarded.
Character Limit: 250
Character Limit: 10
Character Limit: 10
Yes
No
Uncertain
Yes
No
residency?*
Yes
No
Uncertain
served:*
Character Limit: 100
Same day with a single group of learners
Same day with multiple groups of learners
Over days, weeks or months with the same group of learners
Application Montana Arts Council
Printed On: 12 January 2023 AISC Residencies FY24 6
Over days, weeks or months with multiple groups of learners
residence?*
Yes
No
Name the artist(s) or arts organization providing the residency activities.
Character Limit: 50
Character Limit: 100
From the drop-down menu, choose the primary artistic discipline of the residency artist(s) or organization.
Arts Integration
Dance
Film
Folk/Traditional
Literary Arts
Media Arts
Multidisciplinary
Music
Performance Art
Theatre
Visual Art
Other
Character Limit: 100
Character Limit: 15
Provide links to the residency artist’s or organization’s website or primary public interface.
Character Limit: 2000
Character Limit: 2000
Application Montana Arts Council
Printed On: 12 January 2023 AISC Residencies FY24 7
Define up to 3 succinct arts learning objectives.
What discipline-related knowledge or skills do you hope the learners will have gained by the conclusion of this residency?
Character Limit: 500
Please describe the project in detail.
What art discipline(s) will the learners explore and how will students be engaged in hands-on learning in that art form? What specific art making skills will be introduced by the artist(s) and what process steps will the students follow? Will a culminating exhibit or event be included in the project activities?
Character Limit: 2500
Provide details on the process undertaken, to date, in planning for the proposed residency activities.
If partnering with a group of community members, educators or administrators, please identify the stakeholders involved and their respective roles as well as the meetings that have taken place or are planned to take place.
Character Limit: 2500
If your project takes place in a public school during the regular school day, please list any Montana Standards for Arts the proposed project will meet. Additionally, if your project involves the study of Native American artwork or culture, briefly discuss how the proposed project meets Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians and with whom you are consulting on your project.
If your proposed project takes place outside the school day, please consider how the Arts Standards or Essential Understandings might enhance your project.
Character Limit: 5000
If the residency takes place in a public school during the school day, will the artistic skills and knowledge shared by the teaching artist(s) be integrated with other subject areas?
If yes, please describe in detail.
Application Montana Arts Council
Printed On: 12 January 2023 AISC Residencies FY24 8
Describe the core group(s) of learners participating in the project.
Who are the learners who will participate and what is the age range of those involved? Why was this particular group chosen?
Character Limit: 1000
Briefly, what specific educational or artistic need is being addressed through this residency?
Character Limit: 1000
Please share the steps undertaken to ensure equal access to the residency activities by the designated arts learners. Also share your plan, if any, to make the learning visible through community involvement.
Character Limit: 2500
How will you assess participant learning and understanding during the project? How will you know students have gained the knowledge and skills in the artistic form listed as your objectives above? This might be as simple as recording student’s audio responses post-activity or using a short survey tool.
Character Limit: 2500 | File Size Limit: 2 MB
Where will the arts learning take place? Please list the physical locations of all sites where the arts learning will take place, including the Montana county where the sites are located. If your proposed project is statewide or regional and/or will serve more than 5 sites, please download complete the spreadsheet provided here, complete and upload.
Character Limit: 500 | File Size Limit: 2 MB
If sponsoring the artist(s) in residence, please provide detail on the artist selection process and why they are the best fit for the planned residency activities. If you are engaging an artist(s) or organization you have worked with previously, briefly address why it is important to invite the same artist(s) to return. If the applicant is directly providing the residency activities, please
share your unique capacity to carry out the proposed activities.
Character Limit: 5000
Provide a resume/CV or one-sheet for each residency artist or organization leading residency activities. Only one upload is allowed, therefore multiple items must be combined into a single PDF. Please contact MAC staff for assistance in combining files if needed.
File Size Limit: 8 MB
Provide work samples (images, lesson plans, other) by residency artist(s) here. Only one upload is allowed, therefore multiple items must be combined into a single pdf. Please contact MAC staff for assistance in combining files if needed.
File Size Limit: 8 MB
Briefly describe the residency structure.
If the project involves multiple sessions, core groups of learners, or more than one teaching artist, please upload a detailed schedule or timetable.
Character Limit: 2500 | File Size Limit: 2 MB
Character Limit: 20
Use the form provided here to submit your project budget; be sure to include the amount you are requesting from MAC. Once completed, use the naming convention below to rename the file and upload. In the space provided, add budget notes as needed. Note: If your budget has been created in Numbers rather than Excel, please save as a PDF before uploading.
Character Limit: 500 | File Size Limit: 2 MB
Upload any additional items that would help inform your request; use the space provided to identify the uploaded item(s).
Character Limit: 500 | File Size Limit: 8 MB
File Size Limit: 8 MB
Click here to read the assurances. Check the box below to certify that you have read and understand the assurances.
I have read and understand the assurances
Application Montana Arts Council
Printed On: 12 January 2023 AISC Residencies FY24 10
Grant funds are initiated upon return of the grant award contract. It is the grantee’s responsibility to pay the total amount due to the teaching artist(s), based on mutually agreed upon terms, no later than the final day of the project.
I understand that the teaching artist(s) must be paid no later than the conclusion of the residency.
Click here to access the application signature page.
The signature page must be signed by someone who is authorized to commit funds for the school/organization. This person is almost always a principal or superintendent for a school, an executive director or the president of the board for an organization. The signature of the teaching artist or representative of artist organization signifies commitment to the residency.
Please print it, have the appropriate authorizing officials complete and sign and upload using the button below.
File Size Limit: 2 MB
Click on the print application link and review a pdf file of the application.
I understand that this is how it will appear to the review committee, that all items required appear in the pdf file, and that the way my application appears is my responsibility. I have reviewed the guidelines and understand that my application will be reviewed based on this criteria.
I have reviewed my application.
I have added administrator@grantinterface.com to my contact list.
Yes
Character Limit: 50
Character Limit: 10
By clicking “I Agree” below and typing my name in the box above, I am authorized to make application on behalf of this individual or organization and the information provided is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Application Montana Arts Council
Printed On: 12 January 2023 AISC Residencies FY24 11
I agree