Arts in Education Grants

Supporting Art Education

Applications are now open for projects taking place during the 2025-2026 school year! Download an application here.

At the beginning of each school year, the Hernando County Fine Arts Council offers the Arts in Education Grant to certified visual or performing arts teachers for art projects taking place in Hernando County K-12 classrooms.

Since 2022, Arts in Education grants are distributed in partnership with the Hernando County Education Foundation.

Art in Education Grant Success Stories

  • Gulf Coast Academy: Florida Highwaymen

    In 2023, Gulf Coast Academy used grant funds to provide every eighth grade student with a fun painting workshop! Each student created a 16" x 22" canvas inspired by Florida Highway Men paintings. Christine Weeks was their guest art teacher.

    Some of the student paintings were included in the Florida Native exhibit at Brooksville Gallery 201 in April 2023!

  • Nature Coast Technical High School

    Nature Coast Technical High School: Digital Production Program

    Nature Coast Technical High School has received the Arts in Education grant several times for their Digital Production Program, using grant funds for things such as much-needed tripods in 2023.

    In 2021, they used funds towards travel to compete in the All-American High School Film Festival in New York City! They took second place in the world with their short film, “Waiting for the Punchline.” The Arts Council was one of many community sponsors for this project! View the film at this link.

  • Entirety K-12: Everything Wild

    Entirety K-12 hosts an annual art gallery at the end of every school year. Students painted murals and created an exhibit of student art work throughout the entire school! Artwork that students have been working on all year long is put on display in different classrooms that are also designed to match the school’s theme for the year. The theme in 2021 was “Everything Wild,” with artwork inspired by the wild west, our wild imaginations, and wildlife! There was also a short film created by students.

  • Chocochatti Elementary: Musical Theatre Program

    The Hernando County Arts Council has awarded Chocachatti Elementary School for the Arts with grant funds in 2017 and 2018 for costs of scripts, material for costumes, and props in their Musical Theatre program. Productions that were sponsored by the Arts in Education program included Peter Pan, Jr. and Aladdin

  • Powell Middle School: Pop Art

    In 2023, grant funds were used by Powell Middle School to create a fun, pop art project! Inspired by the paintings of local artist, Romero Britto, students created pop art drawings and 16” x 22” canvases.

  • Explorer K8: Ceramics

    Explorer K8: Ceramics

    Explorer K-8 used an Arts in Education Grant in 2021 to purchase a pottery wheel for the middle school art program. Students each created a piece of pottery and then displayed it in a school-wide Student Art Show at the end of the year.

  • Entirety K-12: Screenprinting

    In 2023, Entirety K-12 used grant funds for a fun pop art inspired screenprinting project! Students learned how to screenprint on both paper and t-shirts, which were displayed in their annual end of year student showcase

  • Nature Coast Technical High School

    Nature Coast Technical High School used their most recent Arts in Education grant in 2023 to purchase tripods, used by students in their Digital Cinema Production program!

Important Dates

  • Submission Deadline: October 9, 2025

  • Board Approval : November 13, 2025

  • Approved Grant Award Submitted to Schools: November 2025

  • Approved Grant Mid-Year Report Due to HCEF: January 6, 2026

  • Approved Grant End of Year Report due to HCEF: May 1, 2026

Guidelines

Who can apply?

Any certified visual or performing arts teachers in Hernando County may apply for this grant. Schools that do not have any arts programs may have an administrator apply on their behalf. Schools are limited to one visual and one performing arts application per year.

Nonprofits are not eligible for this grant, and may instead apply for funding through our Community Arts Grant program.

What types of projects are eligible for funding?

All projects must align with the Arts in Education mission statement: to encourage, promote, support, and showcase the creative process for the benefit of K-12 students in Hernando County. Below, you can find examples of past projects that have been funded, including pop art projects, ceramic workshops, film production, theatre programs, and so much more!

Evaluation Criteria

The rubric considers the following: HCFAC mission consistency, project description, budget, outcomes, impact, innovation, number of people benefitting from the project, cost-benefit, and visibility to Hernando County Arts and HCFAC.

To view grant guidelines, click here.

To download grant application, click here.

Frequently asked questions

  • The applications are reviewed using a scoring rubric by the members of the AIE committee. Check back this upcoming grant cycle for a detailed explanation. HCFAC & HCEF wish to fund all projects as long as our budget allows.

  • There is no required match to receive this grant. Funds are distributed by HCEF upon approval of grant.

  • Each year, one Visual Arts grant and one Performing Arts grant may be awarded per school - for a total of two grants per school.

  • The Arts in Education grant is only offered to arts teachers and schools with no arts program. We encourage all teachers in Hernando County to apply for other grants with the Hernando County Education Foundation, such as their classroom grants or special projects grants! All teachers deserve support to create experiences for little artists in Hernando County.

  • No. Nonrofits are not eligible for this grant, and may instead apply for funding through our Community Arts Grant program.