Assistance for Arts Education

What's New

The U.S. Department of Education released the following letter regarding Arts Education on October 2, 2024:
Letter to Chief State School Officers on Arts Education | U.S. Department of Education

Program Overview

AAE Program Officers & Grant Portfolio

FY 2025 AAE Inviting Applications (NIA)

FY 2025 Assistance for Arts Education Grant Opportunity:

The FY 2025 Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) Notice Inviting Applications was published in the Federal Register on August 11, 2025.

FY 2025 AAE Competition Application Instructions

The AAE Application Package is available for applicants to download and use as a guide only. This document can also be found on Grants.gov.  Unless the applicant qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, all AAE grant applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov.

FY 2025 AAE Application Instructions: PDF

Competition Dates:

• Applications Available: August 11, 2025.
• Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 25, 2025
• Deadline for Intergovernmental Review:  NA

Pre-Application Presentation for Potential Applicants:

To assist potential applicants in preparing applications, the Department has provided a pre-application presentation, which discusses eligibility, selection criteria, instructions and helpful hints for submitting your grant application and other information to assist applicants. You can view the slides here.

Eligibility

Who May Apply: . To be considered for an award under this competition, an applicant must be one of the following:

(1) An local education agency (LEA) in which 20 percent or more of the students served by the local educational agency are from families with an income below the poverty line;

(2) A consortium of such LEAs;

(3) An state education agency (SEA);

(4) An institution of higher education (IHE);

(5) A museum or cultural institution;

(6) The Bureau of Indian Education;

(7) An eligible national nonprofit organization; or

(8) Another private agency, institution, or organization.

Note: If you are a nonprofit organization, under 34 CFR 75.51, you may demonstrate your nonprofit status by providing: (1) Proof that the Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the applicant's certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any item described above if that item applies to a State or national parent organization, together with a statement by the State or parent organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.

Legislation

Title IV, Part F, Subpart 4 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Regulations

Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR)

Included in the chart below is the amount of funding in FY 2021.

2025 AAE Awards

Abstracts

Cleveland Play House (OH) $830,915 proposes to enhance patriotic education through arts integration, promoting a deeper understanding of U.S. history, founding documents, service, and civic responsibility among students, families, and communities. Expected outcomes include increased student engagement, strengthened veteran-school connections, accessible arts-based learning materials, and effective professional development for educators and veterans. 

Collaborative for Teaching and Learning (KY) $696,412 proposes to increase access to arts-integrated learning for K–8 students in Michigan, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with disabilities. The project has three main goals: expand arts-integrated literacy programs focused on U.S. literature, art, and civic themes; improve educator skills through professional development and coaching; and boost family and community involvement through accessible arts activities. 

Artsnow Learning, Inc. (GA) $465,724 proposes to improve literacy outcomes for students from disadvantaged backgrounds through arts-integrated literacy lessons, professional development, lesson modeling, collaborative planning, and digital coaching aligned with state and national standards, with a special emphasis on inquiry-based learning. The project incorporates patriotic education by partnering with regional museums and history centers to develop lessons based on U.S. arts and literature.  

Young Audiences, Inc. (NY) $642,267 proposes a multi-state initiative to provide arts-integrated learning to K-8 students, with a focus on those from disadvantaged backgrounds and students with disabilities. The program will focus on performing and visual works of art from both American history and local cultural centers through four key activities: professional development for teaching artists, professional learning for school staff, customized school-based arts residencies, and partnerships with regional cultural organizations. 

Center for Educational Innovation (NY) $999,999 proposes to develop and implement arts- integrated literacy curricula for students with disabilities in grades 6–8. The program will focus on U.S. history, civics, literature, and art to achieve four main goals: develop differentiated curricula using visual arts and music to teach literacy through patriotic content; provide professional development to teachers; improve outcomes for low-income students and students with disabilities; and disseminate materials nationally. 

2022 AAE Award

Abstract

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (DC) $8,000,000 proposes the Kennedy Center’s National Arts Education Program (KCNAEP) project. KCNAEP will provide large-scale, national-level, high-quality arts education programs and services for children and youth, with an emphasis on serving children from low-income families and children with disabilities. Work in these areas will focus on: Strengthening and Expanding Partnerships; Addressing the Arts Education Needs of Children and Youth; Investing in and Supporting Educator Growth; and National Arts Education Resource Dissemination. With an experienced staff, a strong system of local and national partners, a commitment to continuous improvement, and a robust program evaluation, KCNAEP will impact approximately 1.5 million students and educators annually, advancing outcomes including increased student engagement and social-emotional outcomes, increased educator knowledge and use of arts learning strategies and resources and strengthened and expanded partnerships. The Kennedy Center has forged valuable partnerships with schools, local educational agencies, communities, and centers for the arts both locally and across the country, all of whom work to support the arts education needs of students in pre-k through grade 12. The Arts disciplines included in project are dance, music, theater, and visual/media arts. 

2021 AAE Awards