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Arts in Education (AIE) Division



Quick Guide

About the Arts in Education (AIE) Division 
The AIE Partnership 
What is an artist residency?
Eligibility
Marketing Tips for Teaching Artists - December 2018 Webinar Led by Sean King 


About the AIE Division

Through artist residencies, the PCA's Arts in Education (AIE) Division enables artists to help others explore and develop their creativity and artistic skills in a variety of educational, community and institutional settings.

Learn more about our AIE Division's collaborations with other state agencies:

Art Sparks - this program, in partnership with the PA Turnpike Commission, brings artist residencies to schools across PA to bring student-created artwork to PA Turnpike service plazas.
Creative Communities of Care - this program, in partnership with the PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, brings a distinctive storytelling approach to the commonwealth's six Veterans Homes, with wonderful outcomes.

AIE Partnership

Our AIE Partnership enables the PCA to work with and through regional service organizations to provide a higher level of quality and quantity of arts in education services to the field. It is the Council’s intent to strengthen the efficiency and impact of the PCA’s arts in education program while empowering local leadership and action and leveraging additional resources.

AIE partners recruit, select, train, place, and evaluate professional-quality teaching artists for residencies in school and community settings. Partners provide professional development opportunities in arts in education for artists, community organizations and schools in the counties they serve. The partnership currently serves all 67 counties in Pennsylvania. 

Pictured above: Students at Propel Charter School in Allegheny County working on a mosaic mural

Residencies are substantial periods of time in which an artist (or artists) works intensively with small groups of learners (“core groups”) on one or more long-term projects. During this time, learners exercise creative control over their work. The artist’s role in such work is that of mentor and facilitator, leading students through guided self-discovery, and of technical advisor on important artistic concepts and skills. Residencies are developed collaboratively between the artist and the host organization.  Planning is conducted well before the beginning of the residency, allowing ample time for necessary arrangements to be made by both the artist and residency host.

If you are interested in having a residency at your school or community organization, please contact your regional Arts in Education Partner.


If you have general questions about the PCA's Arts in Education portfolio, contact Jamie Dunlap at jadunlap@pa.gov.


Funding Eligibility

Pennsylvania schools, institutions, arts organizations, government agencies, local arts agencies, institutions of higher education and other not-for-profit, tax-exempt organizations with 501(c)(3) status are eligible for AIE funding. Organizations receiving support through other funding areas of the PCA also are eligible to apply for AIE funding.