The Tennessee Arts Commission has announced availability of grants in the small grant categories. Grant categories include Touring Arts, Professional Development Support, Technical Assistance, Special Opportunities, Arts Education Mini-Grants and Arts Education Teacher Incentive. Applications and guidelines are now available at arts.state.tn.us. The grants will be available for Fiscal Year 2008 which begins July 1, 2007 and ends on June 30, 2008. Deadline for each grant is 30 days prior to the event. Complete guidelines and applications are available online: arts.state.tn.us/grant_categories.htm

Grant categories:

Arts Education Grants

Mini-grants are smaller grants designed to introduce new applicants to the grant making process, assist applicants who are new arts education providers or provide support to applicants with unanticipated short-term (maximum one week) or one-day arts education projects. Projects must utilize a Commission-approved Artist-in-Residence.

Teacher Incentive Grant

The Teacher Incentive Grant category is designed to help full-time educators who work in K-12 schools to benefit their work or career development in arts integration. Individuals may apply for activities occurring between July 1, 2007 – May 31, 2008.

Contact Kim Leavitt at (615) 532-5934 or e-mail kim.leavitt@state.tn.us

The Professional Development Support (PDS)

Professional arts administrators and artists of all disciplines may request support ranging from $500 to $1,000 for specific, documented opportunities that will occur in Fiscal Year 2008.

Contact Rod Reiner at (615) 741-2093 or e-mail rod.reiner@state.tn.us

Special Opportunities Grants

This grant category provides funds for unexpected, but important arts activities. No grant may exceed $750, which must be matched with an equal amount of income/expenditure from the applicant. The applicant organization must be a nonprofit arts organization chartered in Tennessee or an entity of government with an arts focus.

Touring Arts Grants

The Touring Arts Program brings professional Tennessee artists to communities across the state by providing financial assistance to qualified presenters/sponsors. There are two categories in this program. The Arts Access Touring Arts category is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and is designed to stimulate and encourage the presentation of performing, visual and literary arts by professional Tennessee artists of color or artists with disabilities. The Performing Arts Touring category supports professional Tennessee performing artists and groups. Artists and groups presented under this program must also have a history of touring and high quality promotional materials.

For more information about Arts Access Touring Grants, contact Lisa Hester at (615) 532-9797 or e-mail lisa.hester@state.tn.us

Information on Performing Arts Touring Grants is available by contacting J.Noble at (615) 532-9801 or e-mail j.noble@state.tn.us

Technical Assistance Grants

This program provides funds for technical assistance. These funds are primarily used to bring in an outside consultant for intensive work needed to strengthen the applicant arts organization. Grants in this category range from $500 – $3,500.