AISC Program and Overview
Artists In Schools & Communities (AISC) is a residency program for K-12 schools and community organizations, with local funding from the Madison Area Arts Council (MAAC) and state funding from the South Dakota Arts Council (SDAC) with support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Artists In Schools & Communities residencies range in length from one week to a full school year. A project can be designed to fit all elementary through secondary school needs regardless of size, locale, or existing arts curriculum. Residencies can also be designed for the community at large.
By working with teachers, parents and the community, an artist will create a residency that can inspire participants to learn more, not just about art, but life itself. These artists share their talents with students of all ages in workshops, demonstrations, seminars and residencies both in and outside the classroom.
Even though a residency may last only a short time, participation in AISC can have lasting results. Artists can help teachers further develop arts curriculum and creative teaching of the arts and assist communities in the development of life-long learning experiences for people of all ages. The entire school system and community benefit by strengthening their joint commitment to the arts as basic to education.
Artists In Schools & Communities are professionals, selected by panels of in-state and out-of-state experts who evaluate the quality of the artists’ work. An Arts-In-Education Panel reviews the background experience that qualifies each artist to work in an education setting. Finally, the artists are approved by the SDAC.
The Future of AISC
For many years, the Madison Area Arts Council has applied on a Madison school’s behalf for the Artists In Schools & Communities (AISC) matching grant from the South Dakota Arts Council(SDAC) with support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), as part of our ongoing programming efforts.
The Madison Area Arts Council has allocated $500 for each artist residency and we’ve covered 100% of the artist’s housing expenses as well as many additional costs, such as community performances featuring the guest artist. The South Dakota Arts Council has paid for the other $500 and the cost of the artist’s transportation to and from the residency and half of any additional costs.
In 2016, we sponsored 3 guest artist residencies, which included T.J. Casey in October, Linda Bruning in February, and Grete Bodogaard in January, within Madison area schools.
We have typically sponsored 3-4 residencies each year for our area schools, for well over two decades.
Although we are keenly aware of the benefits of this program, and have been vocal advocates of its role within our area schools, we are unable to appropriate funds for this program for the upcoming 2017/2018 academic year.
The Madison Area Arts Council is currently looking for community support and sponsorships to continue and sustain this valued programming effort within our communities schools in the future, for the 2018/2019 academic year.