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How Schools Engage Students: $1.5M Invested in Creative Projects

Amy Chu, Program Officer

Michael Aghohawa stands before his mural. The mural shows blue, purple, yellow, and green hands holding and throwing up graduation caps in front of a bright sky. The graduation caps have text and drawings on them, including “I hold the keys to the future” in a key hole, “I’m history in the making” with three black women holding up awards, and “I will BEE the change” with an image of a bee.
Artist Michael Aghoha standing in front of a mural created in collaboration between KIPP/SPUR/Aghohawa with KIPP Academy Lynn Charter District.

The 2024-2025 school year coincides with a one-time funding opportunity offered by Mass Cultural Council, Creative Projects for Schools. Schools and cultural organizations across Massachusetts submitted proposals for one-year grants of $5,000 to fund school-based projects for students. This year, Mass Cultural Council awarded FY25 grants totaling $1.5 million to 300 schools.

Many applications were submitted directly from schools, so we got a firsthand look at how they plan to engage their students and work with local artists and cultural organizations.

Whether it is the arts, sciences, or humanities explored through residencies, field trips, performances, or art installations; the need for creative and engaging learning opportunities is greater than ever. Conversations with applicants reveal that funding for learning experiences is dwindling, as our application numbers continue to grow.

The FY25 Creative Projects for Schools program received 503 applications. Applications for creative learning projects have increased about 20-25% each year for the past two years. Last year, FY24 STARS Residencies (the predecessor to Creative Projects) received around 420 applications. The year before that, FY23 STARS received 335.

Grant Cycle # of Applications % Increase Year Over Year
FY25 Creative Projects for Schools 503 20%
FY24 STARS Residencies 420 25%
FY23 STARS Residencies 335 –

Breakdown by Funding Prioritization Areas

Because Mass Cultural Council envisions a diverse creative and cultural sector, it has established funding priorities to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Of the Creative Projects for Schools applications:

  • 72% will work with a Massachusetts artist, scientist, or humanist (361)
  • 50% are from schools in priority communities (251)
  • 40% represent BIPOC-majority schools or BIPOC-centered organizations (201)
  • 40% were from schools and organizations that haven’t received a Mass Cultural Council grant in the past 3 fiscal years (264)
  • 13% are first-time applicants to the Agency (40)

Of the grant recipients:

  • 81% will work with a Massachusetts artist, scientist, or humanist (243)
  • 70% are from schools in priority communities (211)
  • 60% represent BIPOC-majority schools or BIPOC-centered organizations (180)
  • 51% were from schools and organizations that haven’t received a Mass Cultural Council grant in the past 3 fiscal years (153)
  • 19% are receiving their first grant from the Agency (58)

Due to the high volume of applications, all funded applications this year met at least two priority criteria. The 300 grants will reach more than 300 schools, with some projects benefiting multiple schools.

Breakdown by Project Type

The three most popular funded project types include:

  • Residencies (46%)
  • Classes/Lessons/Workshops (22%)
  • Public art/Installation/Murals (8%)

Other types of projects were afterschool programs, single events, concerts, performances or readings, and field trips.

Looking Ahead

Applicants looking to fund a school-based project in the 2025-2026 school year, can apply to Creative Experiences which opens in March 2025. There will no longer be an education projects grant deadline in the Fall.

Through our new Creative Experiences program, organizations (including schools) can apply to fund residencies, festivals, projects, and other cultural activities in the arts, humanities, and/or sciences. This program combines Creative Projects for Schools and Festivals & Projects into one program.

Creative Projects for Schools Funding List


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