Description
The Fund for Artists is a consortium of four
Bay Area community foundations dedicated to increasing support to Bay Area individual artists. Teaching artists in the schools reflect important contributions by individual artists to the arts ecosystem in our region. The Fund for Artists Arts Teachers Fellowship program
(FFAATF) is a regional initiative to support the artistic revitalization of outstanding arts teachers in Bay Area middle and high schools.
Arts teachers often lack time and resources to reconnect with other arts professionals and with the artistic processes they teach. Through the FFAATF, fellows will design individualized courses of study that foster their own creative work and have the opportunity to interact with other professional artists in their fields. Modeled upon the Surdna Foundation’s Surdna Arts
Teachers Fellowship program, FFAATF approaches artistic development as a means to enhance arts teachers’ effectiveness and will directly benefit young people.
In addition to an annual monetary award to eight Bay Area fellows, and a complementary grant to each fellow’s respective school, all fellows—accompanied by school leaders will be invited to convene in Fall 2008 to share experiences and discuss relevant concerns in the arts education field. Fellows are expected to work with schools to implement postfellowship plans in the classroom, and submit a report on the impact of the fellowships.
Awards
The FFAATF will award eight fellowships of up to $5,000 each, with a complementary grant of $1,500 to the fellow's school to
support post-fellowship activities. Fellowship awards may be used to defray the costs of tuition or fees, room and board, travel, purchase of materials and/or equipment for personal artmaking, childcare and other relevant expenses.
Fellowship activities must be complete no later than June 2009.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants are:
 Permanently assigned full- and part-time arts faculty working in public middle and high schools located in: o Alameda County o Contra Costa County o Marin County o San Francisco County o San Mateo County o Northern Santa Clara County (Palo
Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los
Altos Hills)
 Teachers of the visual and media arts, theater, music, dance and creative writing
 Continuing as an arts teacher in 2008-09
Those who are not eligible to apply include:
 Past FFAATF or Surdna Arts Teachers
Fellowship recipients
 Current applicants to Surdna Arts
Teachers Fellowship program
 Elementary school teachers
 Teachers who are not direct employees of the school district
 Teachers who are not permanent school faculty
 Teachers of private independent/charter schools or parochial schools. (note: Teachers
at public charter schools are eligible to apply)
 Teachers who work in schools outside above listed counties
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Selection Criteria
Applicants will be expected to design a program that provides opportunities to interact with professional artists and/or enhances their understanding of current techniques, practices, and thinking in their artistic domain(s). Proposals are self-designed to expand artistic range and abilities in the making of
art, and may include: study in arts courses, workshops, or with masters; participation in festivals or institutes; residencies at artists colonies; mentor relationships; independent study; etc.
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
 Quality, goals, and realistic expectations of


 plan.
Quality and relevance of the selected fellowship venue(s)
Quality of the affiliated artists/mentors
 Potential quality of the artistic experience
 Strategy to link this professional development experience with future teaching
Applicant’s leadership amongst school faculty
 Experience teaching arts in public schools.
Priority will be given to applicants who are in at least their fifth year of teaching in public schools.
TIMELINE
1.
DEADLINE: Application and materials to arrive by 5 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2008.
2.
Notification of successful applicants: Mar. 20, 2008.
3.
Submission by fellows of documentation of acceptance/commitment by professional development venue(s): due June 13, 2008.
4.
Distribution of grant awards: June 30, 2008 or sooner, depending on receipt of acceptance from fellowship venue(s).
5.
Fellowships must occur any time from June 2008, completed by or before June 2009.
6.
Fellows will be required to submit final reports to document and assess outcomes.
The Fund for Artists Arts Teachers Fellowship Program (FFAATF) is supported by a Leadership Grant from the Surdna Foundation, and by the East Bay Community Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Marin Community Foundation, and The San Francisco
Foundation.
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(a computer-generated sheet that provides the information requested is acceptable.)
APPLICANT NAME ____________________________________________________________
Home Address________________________________________________________________
Telephone___________________________ Fax________________________________
E-mail*______________________________ Social Security#_____________________
*A working e-mail address is essential. All notifications of application status will be made by e-mail.
SCHOOL_____________________________________________________________________
School Address_______________________________________________________________
School District _____________________________________ County ___________________
School Contact Name _________________________ School Contact Telephone
_______________
School Contact E-mail_____________________ Principal’s Name_______________________
If school does not have its own nonprofit/501(c)3 status, please name school-affiliated nonprofit entity (e.g. PTA, or other fundraising arm)______________________________________________
ARTS DISCIPLINE(S)___________________________________________________________
Years teaching arts in public school(s):_____ Years of teaching in this school: ______
Teaching load: full-time___part-time___ Number of classes per week______
Do you have a contract/commitment from your school to teach in 2008-09: YES___NO____
AMOUNT REQUESTED: $_________
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Check the category or categories into which your proposed fellowship most closely falls:
____Creating new work ____Training or study ____ Other (please describe):
DESCRIPTION OF FELLOWSHIP PLAN
(one sentence including purpose, where, duration, and with whom):
By signing this application, we affirm that all information in the application is true and correct.
Signature of Applicant____________________________________Date_________________
Signature of Principal ____________________________________Date__________________
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Please answer the following questions in narrative form, totalling three pages or less. Do not use a separate sheet for each answer. Narrative copy should be no smaller than 12 point type, with one-inch margins.
NARRATIVE QUESTIONS —Be as specific as possible.
1. What are your plans for your fellowship?
Describe the specific professional development opportunity or venue(s) you are interested in: where, with whom, why, when, and what you plan to be doing. How will the venue(s) provide the opportunity to interact with other professional artists? How will the experience be structured?
2. As an artist, why do you believe this is an important time for your fellowship?
What areas of your own art work need attention and what kinds of engagement would take it to the next level (e.g. development of specific technical skills, exposure to other professionals)?
3. How does your fellowship project relate (or not) to your previous art work or your role as a teaching artist?
Does it propose a new way of working? Is it a further development of a previous project? Does it signal a renewed commitment to a creative life outside of school? If so, how?
4. Include a brief description of your school(s).
Include history and size of student body and faculty, demographics and any distinguishing features you care to mention.
5. What post-fellowship activities do you currently envision conducting in your school?
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Please use this form to provide projected expenses for the fellowship indicate the amount requested from FFAATF (not to exceed $5,000). What follows is a suggested list of expense categories. Leave blank those that do not apply to your project, and indicate and describe any additional categories as needed under Other.
Estimated Project Expenses
Applicant Name:_____________________________________________________
Tuition
Other fees
Room and board
Rent
Transportation (provide details on an attached page)
Meals/food
Materials and supplies
Equipment
Telephone/fax/email
Outside Professional Services (For example: childcare, technical, clerical support, etc.)
Other (please list):
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Total Expenses:
(not to exceed $5,000)
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
$___________________
NOTE: FFAATF will support post-fellowship activities through a complementary, restricted $1,500 grant made to the fellow’s school.
These expenses should not be included on this form.
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Please include the following in this order:
 Brief resume and other written evidence of artistic achievements and teaching accomplishments
(not to exceed three pages).
 Proof of contractual work agreement between school and applicant for 2008 and 2009.
 Proof of school’s non-profit/501(c)3 status, or proof of school-affiliated non-profit entity (e.g.
PTA, public charter or other fundraising arm of school).
 Support letter from school principal and/or department chair(s), including commitment of school principal and/or department chair to support post-fellowship activities in the school, and to attend a convening with the other fellowship recipients for fellows and administrators.
 Copy of application/letter of request to professional development venue/teacher/mentor pertinent to your proposed fellowship. Please also provide an acceptance letter/confirmation if available.
 Descriptive material from professional development venue if available, including bios of lead artists, mentors or teachers, if known (not to exceed two pages).
Please number and write your name at the top right corner of all pages except the cover page.
Total application and attachments should not exceed 20 pages. Do not staple. NOTE: This award may
constitute taxable income to you on your federal income tax return
Applications must arrive no later than 5 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2008. Late, incomplete, or handwritten applications will not be accepted. No fax or e-mail applications. Fellows will be selected no later than
March 20, 2008.
Send completed applications to:
Frank Lalle, director of grantmaking
Fund for Artists Arts Teachers Fellowship Program
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
2440 West El Camino Real, Suite 300
Mountain View, CA 94040
For any further questions, please contact 415.733.8579 or email grants@siliconvalleycf.org.
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