Get Arts in the Schools Program

The "Get Arts in the Schools Program" (GASP) is an arts education partnership of the Arts Council of Mendocino County and the Mendocino County Office of Education.

What's GASP?

The mission of GASP is to ensure that the arts are an integral part of the education of every child, K-12, in Mendocino County.

The program is funded by the Mendocino County Office of Education with additional funding from private donors. GASP funds artist workshops and live performances in Mendocino County schools during the school year. The goal of the program is to infuse the arts in the core curriculum and to involve and expose school children to quality, educational, curriculum-based artistic experiences. Artists work closely with classroom teachers and after-school coordinators to enrich the curriculum by presenting arts programs that are relevant to other core academic subjects. Teachers benefit from the partnership by exposure to current techniques and developments in the various art forms.

How Much Money is Available?

The total amount available for grants to artists varies from year to year.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

To be eligible for a GASP grant, an ARTIST must meet all four of the following criteria:
1. To be eligible, an artist must be a professional in their art field;
2. To be eligible, an artist must have prior experience teaching in a classroom setting or have successfully completed the ArtKeys Educational Workshop;
3. To be eligible, an artist must reside in Mendocino County;
4. To be eligible, an artist must be a current member of Arts Council of Mendocino County. To join, click here or call (707) 463-2727.

In order to be eligible for a GASP grant, a SCHOOL or AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM must meet both of the following criteria:
1. To be eligible, a school must be serviced by MCOE (private schools are currently ineligible)
2. To be eligible, a school must be able to present a GASP program during the regular school day or in an arts and education after school program.

If I Qualify, How Do I Apply?

Artists who meet all four of the qualifying criteria should submit an application packet to the Arts Council of Mendocino County by the application deadline. The artist application process opens each summer with applications due in September. Grant guidelines and application materials are available on the Arts Council website at www.artsmendocino.org or by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Arts Council of Mendocino County
GASP - Artist Application Request
309 East Perkins Street
Ukiah, California 95482

Schools and after-school programs apply to receive a GASP artist workshop or performance by submitting a letter of interest. The letter should briefly state a desired outcome of having a GASP artist at their school or in their class. The letter should also state the grade level, if there is a request for a specific art discipline (ie: visual art, dance, music, poetry, storytelling, etc.), and if the class has any special needs. Letters of interest can be submitted throughout the year and should be emailed to director@artsmendocino.org with subject "GASP - School Request" or mailed to:

Arts Council of Mendocino County
GASP - School Request
309 East Perkins Street
Ukiah, California 95482

GASP Artist Application Review Process:

Artist applications are evaluated by a review panel appointed by MCOE and ACMC each October and are assessed according to an established criteria that awards for artistic quality, educational merit, experience in schools, evidence of administrative capacity, and artistic and educational uniqueness.

Artist and School Selection Process:

Artist/class matches are made by the Arts Council of Mendocino County according to the school requests and the pool of qualified GASP artists. Artists and schools are notified of their awards each November. The GASP program cycle is November - June.

Related Programs:

Art Keys Educational Workshop for Artists is a program of the Arts Council of Mendocino County. The program is designed to increase the number of artists capable of presenting standards-based visual arts lessons to grades K-12, who understand the Visual Arts Elements and Principles and how to incorporate them in lessons, and who possess basic classroom management skills. Art Keys gives professional artists the tools and techniques to create and present a visual arts lesson plan in an actual classroom setting through an intensive one-day workshop session and continued one-on-one mentoring with an experienced arts educator. A qualifying criterion for GASP is that an artist must have prior experience teaching in a classroom setting. Artists who successfully complete the Art Keys Educational Workshop are then eligible to apply for GASP funding the following year. This is a competitive program as only 10 artists are accepted each year. For more information on the Art Keys Educational Workshop for Artists and how to apply, contact the Arts Council of Mendocino County at (707) 463-2727.

Questions?
For questions and further information, please contact the Arts Council of Mendocino County at (707) 463-2727.

Arts Council of Mendocino County
"Supporting the Arts - Strengthening Our Communities"