Center for Arts-Inspired Learning was Awarded a Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts!

Center for Arts-Inspired Learning received $20,000 in grant funds to go towards professional development for its Teaching Artists.  

  Center for Arts-Inspired Learning (CAL) celebrates receiving an approved grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) totaling $20,000. This grant will support our Teaching Artist's professional development program. This grant is one of 1,251 Grants for the Arts Projects awards totaling nearly $28.8 million that the NEA announced as part of its first round of the fiscal year 2023 grant. 

  "The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support arts projects in communities nationwide," said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. "Projects such as this one with Center for Arts-Inspired Learning strengthen arts and cultural ecosystems, provide equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, and contribute to the health of our communities and our economy." 

  CAL's President & CEO Sheffia Randall-Nickerson shares, "We are very excited to expand our work with Teaching Artists with help from the NEA.  Through this professional development program, we will share proven techniques and skills to better prepare Teaching Artists for work in the community by meeting students where they are and by collaborating with educators to foster inclusive and creative learning environments.  We are elated to be recipients of this grant and are appreciative of the NEA for supporting our mission." 

  The NEA grant will help us provide advanced, targeted professional development training and mentoring while alleviating financial barriers so more local artists can become credentialed Teaching Artists (TAs) for our community. Through 5 modules TAs will work with CAL staff and content experts in Social Emotional Learning, Diversity Equity and Inclusion as well as Lesson Plan Development. The Teaching Artists Professional Development Program will help prepare local artists through ongoing support & training to establish a cohort of TAs that meet the growing needs of the youth they will instruct. 

  For any questions or inquiries please contact Edward Valentin-Lugo at edward@arts-inspiredlearning.org.