The Early stARTS Project is a joint effort between the Maine Arts Commission and the Maine Department of Health & Human Services, Early Childhood Division, Office of Child & Family Services. It highlights the importance of quality arts education for preschool age children and ensures that there is a focus on arts education within early childhood education programs in Maine. The Early stARTS initiative promotes the use of all the arts disciplines (theater, dance, music, visual and literary arts) by funding artist residencies with students and professional development opportunities for early childhood educators and care providers.

Purpose

The Early stARTS Project invites all Child Care Providers in center-based, school-age, and family child care network settings to apply for a grant to support either a single day or full week artist residency. The goals of these grants are to incorporate artistic concepts and practices into the child care setting and to sustain these concepts and practices by including professional development for staff, parents and educators in the residency.

Funding

Grants of up to $400 are available for one day residencies and up to $1500 for full week residencies. On a year by year basis the available funds may determine that only single day grant applications will be accepted. This decision is made at the discretion of the Maine Arts Commission and Maine Roads to Quality.

Application Information

This program is currently on hiatus.  If you would like more information on the Maine Arts Commission's committment to early childhood education, please contact Meagan Mattingly, Arts in Education Associate, at 207/287-2790, or by email at vog.eniam@ylgnittam.nagaem.