Tempe doubles arts grants for local schools
Funds support 54 grant awards for visual and performing arts teachers at 26 Tempe schools.

This fall, the City of Tempe is doubling arts grants for schools as a part of a commitment to growing arts education in the Tempe community.

These funds help enrich visual and performing arts in classrooms and provide experiences for students that wouldn't otherwise be funded. Arts education helps develop imaginative problem-solving skills, grow emotional intelligence and promote arts literacy as a powerful means of self-expression. It also helps young people re-engage in schools post-COVID.

School Arts Grants are administered by the Tempe Community Arts team and provide local teachers with funds to contract professional artists or purchase specialty arts equipment. Examples include bringing guest music clinicians and visual artists into schools, hosting master classes, and purchasing specialized equipment such as guitars for Mariachi and wearable microphones in a range of skin tones for theater productions. 

The City Council supported an increase in grant funding in June 2022. This fall, an investment of $32,578 will be distributed among 26 schools for a total of 54 grants, each up to $750. This commitment is double the number of grants given the prior year.

"Our Council is committed to supporting the creative efforts of local teachers by providing funds to support inclusive, enriching programs," said Councilmember Berdetta Hodge. "As a Councilmember and a member of the Tempe Union High School District Governing Board, I could not be prouder of the investment we are making to support youth involvement in the arts."

To receive grant funds, visual and performing arts teachers submitted applications detailing their proposals. Schools receiving grants this year are in the Tempe Elementary School District, Kyrene School District, Tempe Union High School District, Tempe Preparatory Academy, and New School for Arts and Academics.  

Earlier this year, Tempe awarded 38 grants to nonprofit organizations and artist collectives providing inclusive arts and culture programming in Tempe—another record number for the program. The goal of the grant program is to infuse long-term growth of the arts in Tempe by funding high-quality, community-initiated projects for arts organizations, schools, artist collectives and teachers.

Congratulations to this year's School Arts Grant recipients: 

Theatre/Dance - Guest Artists 
Corona del Sol High School - 2 grants

Theatre/Dance - Equipment/Supplies
Marcos de Niza High School - 2 grants
Kyrene del Norte Elementary 
Kyrene Middle School 
Tempe Preparatory Academy

Music (Band/Orchestra/Mariachi/Choir/Steel Drum)  - Guest Clinicians
Corona del Sol High School - 3 grants
Marcos de Niza High School - 3 grants
McClintock High School - 2 grants
Shamley Middle School
Ward Traditional Academy
Connolly Middle School
Kyrene Middle School

Music (Mariachi, Percussion, General Music) - Equipment/Supplies
Kyrene de la Mariposa Elementary - 3 grants
Kyrene Middle School - 2 grants
Spracale Elementary
Curry Elementary
Ward Traditional Academy
Thew Elementary 
Mosely Middle School
Holdeman Elementary 
Scales Technology Academy
Spracale Elementary
Wood Elementary 
Arredondo Elementary 
Shamley Middle School
Ward Traditional Academy
Rover Elementary
Aguilar Elementary
Kyrene de los Ninos Elementary 

Visual Arts (Painting/Ceramics) - Guest Artists
Kyrene Middle School
Marcos de Niza High School 
McClintock High School 
Tempe Preparatory Academy

Visual Arts (Painting, Glass Fusion, Photography, Ceramics) - Equipment/Supplies
Kyrene de la Mariposa Elementary - 2 grants
Fees College Preparatory - 2 grants
New School for the Arts & Academics - 2 grants
McKemy Academy of International Studies 
C.I. Waggoner Elementary
Kyrene de los Ninos Elementary 
Kyrene Middle School 
Connolly Middle School

For more information about the grants, programs and schools that received funding, visit tempe.gov/ArtsGrants