PLANNING A RESIDENCY
The role of the artist is to design programs that inspire and involve participants in the process, technique, and philosophy of a particular art form. The sponsor’s role is to provide a supportive environment where the artist can conduct activities with students and faculty.
AISC Grant Award Letter
Approved sites will receive a grant award letter and payment from SDAC for one-half the amount of the artist’s fee plus artist’s round trip travel to the residency site. At the end of the residency or as determined between the artist and the sponsor, the school will pay the artist the total residency fee which will include the sponsor’s matching funds.
SDAC staff will furnish the sponsor with an AISC contract agreement with residency dates, payment amounts and residency guidelines for signature.
Project Director
Selecting a local Project Director is required. The project director works with SDAC and the artist to coordinate all residency details. Based on school and community interest, a Local AISC Committee may help in planning the residency.
Pre Residency Planning
Prior to the residency, the SDAC staff will send an AISC planning manual, AISC contract, and a photo with a press release about your artist.
The artist will contact the Project Director a month before the residency starts. To insure a successful residency, the project director and artist need to discuss expectations, scheduling, equipment and supply needs, teacher workshops and community involvement.
Scheduling
Artists should be scheduled for no more than an average of four hours (classroom periods) per day (20 hours per week) for work with core groups of students, allowing in-depth exposure to the artist and art form. Long-term residencies allow artists to become members of the community, working half-time with residency participants and half-time as producing artists on their own projects. For a long-term visual arts residency, the sponsor is required to provide studio space and utilities appropriate to the artist’s needs.
The artist is not viewed as a member of the teaching staff, but as a professional resource person, providing enrichment to the existing school curriculum. During a school residency, the regular teacher must be actively present in the classroom. Residencies may not be used to fulfill the Department of Education’s fine arts credit requirement for graduation.
Youth at Risk and Students with Special Needs
Artists In Schools & Communities residencies can be designed to meet the educational requirements of students with special needs – particularly youth at risk enrolled in alternative schools and students receiving special education services in schools or institutional settings. Many AISC roster artists have had experience working with special needs students. Feel free to contact any of them to discussion your program’s particular needs. SDAC staff can also assist you in selecting an appropriate artist.
Community involvement
The Artists In Schools & Communities program is designed to serve not only students, but also parents, teachers and the community. Consider these possibilities:
- Workshops for teachers and community members. Presentations to parent-teacher organizations, local arts council, service clubs, libraries or school boards.
- Special events with the artists such as exhibitions, readings, performances, lectures or demonstrations. Invite the whole community!
- Interviews with newspapers, radio and television stations.
- Apprentice programs where students interested in the particular art form are chosen to work closely with the artist.
- Studio time when faculty, students and community members can observe an artist at work.