Arts council offers new grants to teach educators and artists

Arts educators and artists who teach may seek career training for professional development through new Teaching Artist Opportunity grants administered by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

Teaching is the No. 1 source of income for Western Pennsylvania artists, according to the arts council’s biennial survey. More than 40% of the artists surveyed work in arts education.

“Teaching artists have technical artistic skills but sometimes lack the skills associated with successfully developing lesson plans,” said Mitch

Swain, CEO of the arts council.

The new grants, which range from $250 to $2,000, are meant to help arts educators and teaching artists acquire new skills. The Fine Foundation is funding the program.

Examples of eligible expenses may include professional conferences, courses, training and residencies; training that updates or expands curriculum; teaching opportunities; lesson fees to study with a mentor; travel expenses; learning to teach remotely; or other specialized training.

Artists from all disciplines and

experience levels are eligible. Applicants must be 18 years old and live in one of these counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Mercer, Lawrence, Somerset, Venango, Washington or Westmoreland.

Applicants must be active participants of the arts council’s Teaching Artist Initiative and attend one event in 2021. The deadline for applications is 11:59 p.m. April 12. Apply at www.pittsburghartscouncil.org.

Applicants are invited to join Shaqui Scott, the arts council’s manager of grants and membership, for a virtual grant workshop March 15 from 5-6 p.m. Questions about the grant program can be emailed to sscott@pittsburghartscouncil.org.

The program launches alongside the Teaching Artist Initiative. That initiative, launched last spring, hosts quarterly virtual workshops in collaboration with Maritza Mosquera, independent teaching artist, and Mary Brenholts, director of artists in schools and communities at the Pittsburgh Center for Art & Media.

Alexandra Wimley/Post-Gazette Mary Brenholts receives the Arts Leadership and Service award from Gov. Tom Wolf during the 2019 Governor’s Awards for the Arts program. She leads virtual workshops for the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council's Teaching Artist Initiative. The council is also offering grants to educators and artists.