The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County announced that the Artists in Schools initiative has expanded with assistance from United Way of Cumberland County.

The Arts Council received $10,000 through the Youth Growth Stock Trust to expand access to the AIS program for public and private schools for the 2022-2023 school year. This grant will subsidize 50 to 100 percent of Teaching Artist fees.

The Youth Growth Stock Trust was established in 1992, and each year, United Way of Cumberland County awards dozens of grants to support youth programming and development.

“Arts education remains vital to the development of students because it provides them with the forethought to be entrepreneurial and encourages them to see opportunities in a new way by exploring the world through creative experiences,” says Robert C. Pinson, interim president and CEO of the Arts Council. “Following the legacy of Robert H. Short, the Youth Growth Stock Trust

has established an impressive record of supporting important educational programs in Cumberland County since 1992. This grant allows the Arts Council to engage with more students through the AIS initiative than ever before.”

The AIS program has operated in Cumberland County for two decades, and has benefited more than 20,000 students each year. 

The program connects schools with professionals who design lessons that meet educational goals and standards in core subject areas through art by artist residencies, assembly performances, online and virtual engagements, and workshops. 

To learn more about the Artists in Schools initiative, visit here.