Equity in Arts Learning for Colorado Youth (EAL) seeks to increase access to arts education for historically marginalized youth. Grants of $10,000-$25,000 are available to support projects that bring professional artists and culture bearers into educational settings to lead programming with youth ages 4-21. Projects supported by EAL will exemplify the value of arts education, encouraging ongoing community support.

This newly launched annual collaborative grantmaking initiative is funded by Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, Colorado Creative Industries, Denver Arts & Venues, Gates Family Foundation and The Denver Foundation, and is administered by Think 360 Arts for Learning. Equity in Arts Learning seeks to increase access to arts education for historically marginalized Colorado youth ages 4-21. The goal of the initiative is to dismantle the systemic barriers that have long prevented marginalized youth from experiencing the life-altering benefits of arts learning. Through this fund, partners hope to strengthen regional efforts to improve sustained access to arts education for historically marginalized and minoritized youth; provide opportunities for youth to work with professional artists and culture bearers; and heighten awareness of the impact of arts education, so that resources both financial and curricular increase state-wide, leading to more equitable access to arts education for youth. If you are a current grantee of the Foundation, you are welcome to apply to Equity in Arts Learning in addition to your Foundation request.

Applicant must be a Colorado-based nonprofit organization, or a PK-12 school.

• School applicants must engage an artist or arts organization as a partner.
• Organizational applicants must:
  • Be engaged with a school partner or have a strong history of working with youth
  • Be registered with Colorado Secretary of State with an address in Colorado
  • Have a Colorado-based staff person who will be actively engaged in the project

Funded projects may take place at schools (during the school day or after school), community centers, libraries, nonprofit arts sites, and other locations that are highly accessible to youth.

For more information and to access the application, please visit Think 360 Arts for Learning https://think360arts.org/grant-opportunities/

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Projects may involve any arts & culture discipline or genre, such as theater, dance, music, visual arts, media arts, literary arts, folk and traditional arts, or interdisciplinary art forms. Arts integration projects (connecting an art form with another subject area) are encouraged. Projects should:

1. Take place over a period of time that allows for depth of learning and relationship building. Ideally, projects take place over the course of six weeks or longer.
2. Center the identities and needs of youth. Youth should be consulted in the project’s design and be able to influence the project’s evolution along the way.
3. Fill a clear gap in the school or community. The rationale for the project should be informed by the stated needs of the students and community.
4. Engage experienced artists and culture bearers. Teaching artists should have a successful record of working with youth, and whose identities reflect the youth participants.
5. Be highly accessible to youth participants. A fee may not be charged for participation, and it must take place in a setting that youth are able to easily get to.  
6. Allow for time and resources to measure and communicate the project’s value and impact. Evaluation results will be collectively shared.