Artists in Schools – Development Grant Program (Canada)

Deadline: 01-Nov-2026

The Artists in Schools – Development Program supports small-scale Saskatchewan K-12 schools and professional artists in the early stages of developing collaborative arts projects or residencies. The programme helps schools and artists explore ideas, understand student needs, build partnerships, and design meaningful arts-based activities before moving into a larger project or residency. Applicants can receive up to $2,000 for eligible development expenses, with additional funding available for justified artist travel within Saskatchewan. Northern Communities may request up to an additional $1,500 for travel costs.

About the Artists in Schools – Development Program

The programme was created to encourage creative engagement within Saskatchewan’s K-12 education system by bringing educators and practicing professional artists together. Schools and artists can use development funding to collaboratively explore potential arts projects that respond to student interests and needs. The approach encourages inquiry, experimentation, relationship-building, and cross-curricular learning. Unlike funding designed solely for delivering a completed arts programme, this development grant focuses on the early planning and exploration stage. What Does the Development Program Support? Development grants support the initial stages of creating an arts project or residency. Eligible development activities may include: - Building relationships between schools, educators, and artists. - Exploring the school’s arts interests. - Assessing student and classroom needs. - Identifying opportunities for arts-based learning. - Testing project ideas through small-scale activities. - Exploring the potential of arts activities within classrooms. - Collaborative project planning. - Designing future residencies. - Developing projects that connect with the Saskatchewan Education curriculum. - Exploring cross-curricular learning opportunities. The programme gives schools and artists an opportunity to test and refine ideas before committing to a larger-scale project. Inquiry-Based and Collaborative Approach The Artists in Schools – Development Program places emphasis on an inquiry-based process. Rather than requiring applicants to have a fully developed project from the beginning, the programme allows schools and artists to investigate what could work best for students. This can include identifying student interests, exploring classroom possibilities, testing creative approaches, and developing a project framework collaboratively. The partnership between educators and practicing artists is an important part of this process. Cross-Curricular Learning Projects can be designed to support outcomes beyond arts education. Applicants are encouraged to consider how an arts-based project could connect with the Saskatchewan Education curriculum and contribute to cross-curricular learning. For example, artists and educators can explore ways that creative activities may complement classroom learning while responding to student needs and interests. How Much Funding Is Available?

Applicants can request up to:

$2,000 The funding can be used to support eligible expenses associated with the development of the proposed arts project or residency. Additional funding may be available for justified artist travel within Saskatchewan. For Northern Communities, applicants may request up to an additional: $1,500 for travel costs Applicants should provide a clear justification for additional travel funding and explain how the travel supports the development activity. Who Can Apply?

Eligible applicants include:

- Saskatchewan-based K-12 schools. - School divisions. - Private schools. - Band schools. - Professional artists who meet SK Arts’ definition and residency requirements. Applicants must also be in good standing with SK Arts. Do Applicants Need an Existing Partnership? No. A formal partnership between the school and artist does not need to be established at the time of application. This is particularly relevant because the programme is designed to support the development stage. Applicants can use the opportunity to explore potential collaborations and determine how an artist-school partnership could develop. Professional Artist Eligibility Artists applying to the programme must meet SK Arts’ definition of a professional artist and applicable residency requirements. Artists should ensure that they meet these requirements before submitting an application. School Eligibility Schools and educational applicants must be Saskatchewan-based and fall within the programme’s eligible K-12 education categories. Eligible school applicants include Saskatchewan K-12 schools, school divisions, private schools, and Band schools. Who Is Not Eligible? The following applicants are not eligible: - Volunteers. - Parents or caregivers. - Homeschools. - Adult education institutions. - Post-secondary education institutions. - For-profit companies. - Non-profit community organizations. - Organisations already receiving annual SK Arts funding. - Organisations already receiving multi-year SK Arts funding. - Applicants with outstanding grant reports. Applicants should check their eligibility carefully before preparing a proposal. One Application Per Deadline Applicants may submit no more than one application per deadline. Schools, artists, or other eligible applicants considering multiple ideas should therefore identify the strongest development project before submitting an application. What Expenses Can the Grant Support? The funding is intended for eligible costs associated with the early development of an arts project or residency. The development stage may involve costs related to: - Relationship-building. - Needs assessment. - Small-scale testing activities. - Artist involvement in project planning. - Collaborative development. - Project exploration. - Artist travel where justified. Northern Saskatchewan applicants may also request additional travel su