ARTS LEARNING: ARTIST EXPRESS

The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) recognizes that schools and organizations considering a residency or an arts learning program have differing needs and levels of experience. The Artist Express program was created to provide an opportunity for schools or community organizations to collaborate with an artist for one or two days in order to explore an arts discipline or to see what it might be like to host an artist for the first time. Applicants should exhibit an interest in the work of a particular artist from the Arts Learning (AL) Artist Directory that supports collaborative learning and have a basic level of readiness.

Application Deadline: Applications are due no later than six weeks prior to the date of the proposed artist visit. Funds are limited and will be awarded on a rolling basis as long as funds are available.

• What the Program Supports
• Who May Apply
• How to Apply
• Review Criteria

View list of Application Questions for Arts Learning: Artist Express

This section of Guidelines is available as a PDF for you to download and print out if you prefer to read it offline. You must also read Appendix A: Legal Requirements if you plan to apply for OAC funding. A PDF of the complete version of the Guidelines is available in the Introduction.

WHAT THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS

The Artist Express program supports one- or two-day artist visits for schools, arts organizations and other community organizations. The program is for applicants that have never had an AL artist in residence or for experienced residency sponsors wishing to expand learning opportunities through an art discipline that is new for the site. This experience is designed to broaden access to the arts and stimulate exploration of an art discipline with an experienced professional artist. Sponsors must select an artist from the roster of approved professional artists listed in the Arts Learning Artist Directory located on the OAC Web site.

Allowable Expenses
Artist Express funds are to be used for artist fees. In addition to the general Funding Restrictions stated in the OAC Guidelines, funding will not be awarded for activities that are part of the ongoing program responsibilities of an organization or institution (usually higher education), designed in preparation for or in conjunction with competitions or performances that are not accompanied by hands-on art making activities.

To learn more about conducting a longer artist residency, please refer to the Arts Learning Residency Handbook.

Grant Awards
The current fee for one artist in Artist Express is $300 per day. Grants will be awarded for either $250 (one day) or $500 (two days). The sponsor is responsible for the remaining $50 per day as well as lunch and supplies. The sponsor must contact the Arts Learning staff for the appropriate funding amount for visits with more than one artist.

WHO MAY APPLY

Eligible organizations include, but are not limited to, public, private, charter or parochial schools (pre-kindergarten through secondary schools) and other community organizations or social service organizations doing arts programming. All organizations applying to this program should have nonprofit status or nonprofit intent. Applicants are only eligible for funding once every two years.

Criminal Background Checks
The OAC does not have the statutory authority to require criminal background checks of artists participating in the Arts Learning Artist Directory. However, schools and some organizations are required by the Ohio Revised Code or by internal policies and administrative procedures to conduct them. Directory artists may be required to have a criminal background check in order to work in schools or organizations.

HOW TO APPLY

Schools and organizations applying for an Artist Express grant must contact an AL staff member to initiate the application process.

Applications
The application must be activated in OLGA in order to be accessed by the applicant. Applicants will receive an e-mail with detailed application instructions to help them navigate the application process after contacting an AL staff member. No paper applications are accepted.

Support Materials
To complete an application for this program, all applicants must submit a signature page from OLGA in hard copy to the OAC. A signature page must be received in the OAC offi ce by 5 p.m. seven calendar days following the final application deadline date (regardless of postmarked date). If the signature page does not reach the OAC within this timeframe, the application will not be accepted. Applicant will be notified via e-mail (sent through OLGA to the organization's primary contact) when the signature page is received.

Timeline
Grant application deadline	At least 6 weeks prior to visit
Signature page	7 calendar days following the application deadline
Grant award announcement	4-5 weeks prior to visit
Signed grant agreement	1 week prior to visit
Grant activity	Start and end dates between July 1 and July 30
Payment to artist by sponsor	Final day of visit
Final report deadline	30 days after conclusion of visit
Grant funding sent to sponsor	3-6 weeks after receipt of sponsor's final report

Evaluation
Applications will be reviewed by Arts Learning staff members. These reviews are not open to the public; however, program coordinators will report any comments about the application to organizations. Following the review, each application will be given a score based on how well the organization meets the review criteria. This score, along with a funding recommendation, will be presented to the OAC executive director and deputy director for their review and approval. The review process is competitive; not all applications are funded.

1) Applicant values the creative process and collaborative learning.
2) Applicant is prepared to provide space and time for the artist visit.
3) Staff/teachers and administrators are supportive of the activity.
4) Sufficient supplies are available for the art form.
5) Applicant demonstrates ability to develop and manage resources and other assets appropriately.

This section of Guidelines is available as a PDF for you to download and print out if you prefer to read it offline. You must also read Appendix A: Legal Requirements if you plan to apply for OAC funding. A PDF of the complete version of the Guidelines is available in the Introduction.