Artists Bring Change Grant

The ABC (Arts Bring Change) Regrant Program provides funding of up to $2,500 to local cultural organizations and individual artists collaborating with public schools in Staten Island to deliver enriching arts education experiences to K-12 students. Supported by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Statewide Community Regrant Program, the grant emphasizes the importance of sequential, skills-based arts learning directly connected to school curricula. Projects must be conducted in schools and focus on engaging students with at least three hands-on learning sessions. The emphasis is on exploring the artistic process, and while interdisciplinary collaborations are encouraged, they are not mandatory. Proposals must demonstrate a genuine partnership between the artist or organization and the school, including joint planning, clear learning goals, methodologies, and evaluation strategies. Funding cannot replace the role of certified arts teachers in schools and should only complement existing arts education programs. To be eligible, applicants must provide evidence of partnership through a letter from the participating public school, clarity in the proposal and budget, and past success demonstrated through work samples. The program requires that school partners contribute at least 25% of the total project budget, ensuring that grant funding covers no more than 75% of costs. Activities such as single performances, extracurricular programs, and projects targeting self-selected students are not eligible. Applicants with direct applications to NYSCA, budgets exceeding $300,000 for two of the last three years, or a history of incomplete Staten Island Arts grant obligations are also ineligible. The application period for the 2025 cycle runs from November 13, 2024, to January 31, 2025. First-time applicants must attend an information session before submitting their proposals. These sessions offer critical guidance on crafting a strong application and are a prerequisite for those new to the program. Information about the session schedule is available online. The ABC Regrant program supports projects that inspire creativity, foster collaboration, and enrich students' educational experiences through meaningful engagement with the arts. Interested applicants are encouraged to thoroughly review guidelines and prepare well-rounded proposals to maximize the impact of their projects within Staten Island’s public schools.