Leonard and Renee Minsky Fund for Arts Education
Leonard and Renee Minsky Fund for Arts Education supports teachers and professional artists creating participatory arts projects for grades 3–5 in Maine public schools to integrate arts into classroom learning.
Funder: Maine Community Foundation
Due Dates: October 15, 2026 (Applications open) | December 15, 2026 (Application deadline) | February 1, 2027 (Notification by)
Funding Amounts: Up to $1,000 per project, to be spent within the current academic year unless extended
Summary: Supports professional artists and teachers developing participatory arts projects for grades 3–5 in public schools in Maine’s Penobscot and Washington counties.
Key Information: Professional artists must work with every student in the participating grade or grades.
Description
Administered by Maine Community Foundation, the Leonard and Renee Minsky Fund for Arts Education supports new or expanding projects that bring professional artists into public-school classrooms. Teachers and artists design programs in which both teachers and students learn by participating in an art form alongside the artist. Supported disciplines include visual arts, film, video and other media, theater, music, dance, and creative writing.
The fund aims to integrate the arts meaningfully into classroom learning and help schools meet Maine Learning Results standards for visual and performing arts. It prioritizes shared arts education units developed collaboratively by teachers across grades three through five, with staff arts teachers involved when available. Bangor residents Leonard and Renee Minsky established the fund to strengthen connections between professional artists and public schools.
