Artists in the Schools

Artists in the Schools is sponsored by Hawaii Community Foundation in partnership with the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. This program awards funding to support qualified teaching artists to conduct arts residencies within public and charter schools based on the Fine Arts Standards from the Department of Education, increasing access to arts education for keiki (children).

Artists in the Schools | State Foundation on Culture and the Arts < Return to Arts Education Quality arts experiences for Hawaiʻi ’ s pre-K – 12 public and charter school students. The Artists in the Schools (AITS) application is completed and submitted in the Hawaii GO Smart online application system: HawaiiGoSmart. org .

Get the arts in your classroom: Artists in the Schools applications open through May 1, 2026 The school application period for Artists in the Schools has been extended to May 1, 2026 to accommodate schools impacted by recent weather events.

About Artists in the Schools News Artists in the Schools Spotlight: Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School (2026) Zoe Liu, SFCA Artistic Teaching Partner: “During this Artist in the School residency at Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School, students developed foundational skills in acrylic Artists in the Schools News 2025-2026 SFCA Artists in the Schools grants awarded to over one hundred schools statewide Connecting to core curriculum through the arts can significantly increase student engagement, comprehension, and retention of information.

Teaching Artists and classroom educators frequently report that students look forward to the sessions. The Artists in the Schools (AITS) Program is under the jurisdiction of the SFCA. AITS arts residency grants provide engaging, creative, and fun learning experiences based on the Fine Arts standards for all grade levels, through residencies with qualified, trained teaching artists from the Artistic Teaching Partners (ATP) Roster .

Many of these teaching artists integrate their art form with other core curriculum areas, such as language arts, math, social studies, and science, meeting both Fine Arts and other core standards. Artists in the Schools Information Sessions Online Information Sessions Artists in the Schools information sessions for School Year 2026-2027: Thursday, January 22 at 3:30 p. m.

Wednesday, February 11 at 4:00 p. m. Tuesday, March 3 at 10:00 a.

m. Wednesday, March 25 at 2:00 p. m.

These information sessions are for Hawaiʻi public and charter schools interested in applying. Hawaiʻi public and charter school classroom teachers, curriculum specialists, vice-principals, and principals can apply in tandem with a teaching artist from the SFCA Artistic Teaching Partner Roster. School Year 2026-2027 application materials.

To submit, please go to the application portal, Hawaii. GoSmart. org .

Applications are due by May 1, 2026.

AITS GoSmart Instructions (Word document) AITS SY26-27 Application Instructions (PDF) AITS SY26-27 Questions Worksheet (writable Word document) AITS Project Budget Worksheet (Excel spreadsheet) AITS SY26-27 Principal Signature Form (editable PDF) SFCA Artistic Teaching Partner Roster (SFCA website page) AITS Application Scoring Form 2026-2027 (PDF) Helpful Information for AITS Teacher Professional Development in AITS (PDF) Press Release (January 2025) (PDF) AITS Promotional Flyer School Year 2026-2027 (PDF) SFCA Student Release Form Contact: Danica (Nikki) Rosengren, SFCA Arts Education Specialist, [email protected] .

The Artists in the Schools Program Values: Partnership – Teaching Artists and schools collaborate closely. Creativity and Individuality – Teaching Artists and schools design specific experiences that are meaningful to all stakeholders involved. Cultural Relevance – Pedagogy is well-informed of and responsive to the unique cultural context of Hawaiʻi.

Student-Centered Education – Lessons and experiences empower students to take an active role on their own education and design their learning. Educational Equality – Residencies, PDs, and infrastructure are designed in such a way that we may live into our kuleana to racial and economic equality and support individuals with diverse physical abilities, learning styles, sexualities, gender expressions, and geographic realities.

All state of Hawai‘i public schools and public charter schools, grades pre-K through 12, are eligible to apply for ONE arts residency grant annually. This year, schools can apply for a one-year long grant. Schools must work in partnership with a teaching artist from the SFCA’s Artistic Teaching Partners (ATP) Roster to develop the residency.

The roster lists qualified trained individual teaching artists and arts organizations. The roster is updated annually before each call for AITS applications. (Download the roster PDF below under “Necessary Materials for Applying” or use the searchable roster: Artistic Teaching Partners (ATP) Roster ).

A residency consists of a minimum of 5 secondary or 8 elementary sessions by the teaching artist with the same core group of students. The learning experiences must support the Fine Arts Standards from the Department of Education Hawai‘i Content and Performance Standards III.

Teaching artists on the Artistic Teaching Partners Roster bring dance, drama/theatre, literary arts, mime, music, puppetry, and visual arts to the classroom in their arts residency. Schools are able to apply one-year long residency. The grant funds and arts residency activities are for only School year 2026-2027.

All State of Hawaiʻi Department of Education (DOE) public and public charter schools are eligible to apply. This grant does not require a school match. The applicant must be a public or public charter school in the State of Hawai‘i.

At the time of application, the school must have been in operation, providing services to its students, for a minimum of one semester. Download the materials and forms below and save them to your computer. Read through the materials and instructions.

The grant application is done in partnership with an Artistic Teaching Partner (ATP). Select a teaching artist from the Artistic Teaching Partners Roster (download the PDF below under “Necessary Materials for Applying” or use the searchable Artistic Teaching Partners Roster ) and contact the teaching artist. The school must register in the GO Smart online application system.

Identify a school AITS contact person who will work with the teaching artist. The AITS application is completed and submitted in the Hawaii GO Smart online application system: HawaiiGoSmart. org .

AITS is funded with state appropriations from the State of Hawai‘i Legislature, federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and private matching funds from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. In the 2023-2024 school year, 125 schools received AITS funds to conduct their arts residencies. These schools received an Artists in the Schools grant for School Year 2025-2026.

School Name Island Artistic Teaching Partner Arts Discipline AITS Project Title Length of Residency Kua O Ka La Public Charter School Hawaii Island Maui Dance Council Music & Dance for trauma-informed SEL One Year Residency Pahoa Elementary School Hawaii Island Sigh, Melissa Creative music-making with ukulele and xylophone One Year Residency The Volcano School of Arts and Sciences Public Charter School Hawaii Island Kim, Bonnie Hawaiian Legends and Shadow Puppetry One Year Residency Connections PCS Hawaii Island Adams, Lisa Louise Visual Arts The Wonder of Watercolor and Place Two Year Residency Ernest Bowen DeSilva Elementary School Hawaii Island Adams, Lisa Louise Visual Arts Strength In Diversity"" Sculpture Inspires Creativity Two Year Residency Haʻaheo Elementary School Hawaii Island Adams, Lisa Louise Visual Arts Interpreting Art Through Drawing and Watercolor Explorations Two Year Residency Hawaii Technology Academy, Kona PCS Hawaii Island Marcil, Beth Visual Arts Modeling Relationships and Finding Our Way with Paper Engineering Two Year Residency Hilo Intermediate School Hawaii Island Marcil, Beth Visual Arts Art of Debate: Bringing Hawaiian History to Life with Bookmaking, Illustration, & Lively Discourse Two Year Residency Hilo Union Elementary School Hawaii Island Honolulu Theatre for Youth:McGee, Debra Dance :Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Reading and understanding “Waianuenue,” Rainbow Water: Connecting people to place through the Arts Two Year Residency Holualoa Elementary School Hawaii Island Donkey Mill Art Center Visual Arts Exploring Cultural K?

puka Through the Arts Two Year Residency Honaunau Elementary School Hawaii Island Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Dramatizing Culture: Creative Experiences with Literature Two Year Residency Innovations Public Charter School Hawaii Island Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Critical Thought, Creative Expression Two Year Residency Kalanianaʻole Elementary and Intermediate School Hawaii Island Sol Hahn, Bonnie Visual Arts The Reef and Us: Drawing, Painting and Sculpting creatures of the reef Two Year Residency Kanu o ka Aina NCPCS Hawaii Island Prince Dance Company Dance Molten Motion....

Dancing Through Our Emotions Two Year Residency Kaʻu High & Pahala Elementary Hawaii Island Diminyatz, Kevin Visual Arts Ka'u Keiki Growing in the Wind!

Two Year Residency Keaau Elementary School Hawaii Island Adams, Lisa Louise Visual Arts Expressing Place through Interpretation and Creation” Two Year Residency Keaau High School Hawaii Island Adams, Lisa Louise Visual Arts Explorations in Color, Clay and Creativity Two Year Residency Keaau Middle School Hawaii Island McGee, Debra Dance Hip Hop's Voyage: A Rhythmically Rich Dance Experience Two Year Residency Kealakehe Elementary School Hawaii Island Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Our Stories, Ourselves: A creative journey Two Year Residency Keonepoko Elementary School Hawaii Island Adams, Lisa Louise Visual Arts Printmaking and Patterns within our Ahupua'a Two Year Residency Kohala Middle School Hawaii Island Prince Dance Company Moving Through Expression: Exploring Dance as Creative Communication Two Year Residency Konawaena Elementary School Hawaii Island Crocker, Ellen Visual Arts Expressing Self Through Art and Culture Two Year Residency Konawaena High School Hawaii Island Crocker, Ellen Visual Arts Modern History of Hawai?

i/Sumi-e, Elements & Principles of Art & Creating Community Through Art Two Year Residency Laupahoehoe Public Charter School Hawaii Island Prince Dance Company Dance Movement that moves you: how the arts communicate emotions, ideas and opinions.

Two Year Residency Mountain View Elementary School Hawaii Island McGee, Debra:Sol Hahn, Bonnie Dance :Visual Arts Moving Mural: Dance Inspired by Murals (ATP1) Drawings taking Flight: Drawing Birds of Hawaii (ATP2) Two Year Residency Paauilo Elem.

and Inter School Hawaii Island McGee, Debra:Prince Dance Company Dance Mo’olelo in Motion: Dances Inspired by Murals Two Year Residency Waiakea Intermediate School Hawaii Island Adams, Lisa Louise Visual Arts Explorations in Watercolor Two Year Residency Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School Hawaii Island Adams, Lisa Louise Visual Arts Creative Hawaiian Plant Mosaics Two Year Residency Waimea Elementary School Hawaii Island Prince Dance Company Dance Dance Through Waimea: Waimea Images Artwork Interpreted Two Year Residency Waimea Middle School Hawaii Island Prince Dance Company Dance Daily Living Danced Two Year Residency Hanalei Elementary School Kauai Lathrop, Kayti Cultural Arts :Visual Arts Mo’olelo Mural Legacy Project!

Two Year Residency Kanuikapono Public Charter School Kauai Cook, Mauli Ola Dance Dancing the Story Two Year Residency Kapaa Middle School Kauai Lathrop, Kayti Cultural Arts :Visual Arts Mo’olelo Mural Magic Two Year Residency Kawaikini Public Charter School Kauai Cook, Mauli Ola Dance Dancing the Story Two Year Residency Kilauea Elementary School Kauai Carter, Ashiya K.

:Lotus Arts Foundation Dance :Music Set Your Own Score: The Synergy of Art, Dance & Music Two Year Residency Lanai High & Elementary School Lanai Maui Dance Council Dance Connecting to Culture and Place Through Dance Two Year Residency Kamalii Elementary School Maui Osborne, Lasensua Musicality in Motion One Year Residency Kihei Charter School Maui Matheis, Julie Celebrating Hawaiian Ocean Species: A Collaborative Mural One Year Residency Kihei Elementary School Maui Osborne, Lasensua Creatvity in Motion-empowering expression through music & dance One Year Residency Princess Nahienaena Elementary School Maui Matheis, Julie Endemic Species Of Kahalawai: Lahaina Mauka to Makai One Year Residency Pukalani Elementary School Maui Maui Dance Council Enhancing SEL with Trauma Informed Music & Dance One Year Residency Haiku Elementary School Maui Maui Dance Council Dance Lõkahi K?

kou: United In Harmony and Aloha Through Dance Two Year Residency Hana Elementary School Maui Maui Dance Council Dance :Music My Body Is My Instrument – Let's Tune the Instrument!

Two Year Residency Hawaii Technology Academy, Kihei PCS Maui Maui Academy of Performing Arts Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Bringing Stories to Life through Drama Two Year Residency Iao Intermediate School Maui Marcil, Beth Visual Arts Journey to Self-Discovery: Exploring the Human Spirit Through Intuitive Collage and Poetry Two Year Residency King Kekaulike High School Maui Maui Academy of Performing Arts Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Bringing Shakespeare's Characters to Life Two Year Residency Kula Elementary School Maui Maui Dance Council Dance :Music Listening With Our Bodies: Developing Musicality in Dance Two Year Residency Makawao Elementary School Maui Maui Dance Council Music Musical Teamwork: Unity through Rhythm & Song Two Year Residency Paia Elementary School Maui Maui Dance Council Dance :Music The World of Dance & Diversity Two Year Residency Puu Kukui Elementary School Maui Maui Dance Council Dance :Music Dancing The Leader in Me Two Year Residency Wailuku Elementary School Maui Maui Academy of Performing Arts Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Page to Stage: Building Reading Skills through Drama Two Year Residency Lihikai Elementary School Maui Maui Dance Council Dance These Are My Superpowers...

Two Year Residency Lokelani Intermediate School Maui Carter, Ashiya K.

Dance Speak On It, Dance On It Two Year Residency Pomaikai Elementary School Maui Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Creative Stewards for a Sustainable Future Two Year Residency Maunaloa Elementary School Molokai Maui Dance Council Empowering Creativity & Expression through music & dance One Year Residency Kaunakakai Elementary School Molokai Maui Dance Council Dance :Music Rhymes and Rhythm Move Me Two Year Residency Kilohana Elementary School Molokai Maui Dance Council Dance Celebrating Ka 'Oihana Lawai'a Through Dance Two Year Residency Haleiwa Elementary School Oahu Kim, Bonnie Masks and Shapes One Year Residency Hokulani Elementary School Oahu McCarthy, James Roots and Wings: Drama as a foundation and a launchpad One Year Residency Ka'ala Elementary School Oahu Kean, Steven Abstract Explorations’ One Year Residency Moanalua Middle School Oahu Drama Crew, The (Michael Cowell) Finding Your Bravery Through the Ensemble One Year Residency Nuuanu Elementary School Oahu Drama Crew, The (Michael Cowell) Dramatic Social Studies for Grades K, 2, and 5 One Year Residency Pearl City Highlands Elementary School Oahu Womack, Kiara Printmaking and Characters One Year Residency Prince Jonah Kuhio Elementary School Oahu Drama Crew, The (Michael Cowell) Dramatic Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies for Grades 1-4 One Year Residency Waiahole Elementary School Oahu Tam, Sheanae Integrating art from Mauka to Makai One Year Residency Waialua Elementary School Oahu Kean, Steven ??

ina Inspired: Koa Trees, ? Alal?

(Hawaiian Crow), and Melia (Plumeria Flower) One Year Residency Waikiki Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Engaging with Text through Creative Collaborations One Year Residency Waipahu High School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth My Voice, My Choice, My Future: A creative journey One Year Residency Ala Wai Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Cultivating Creative Voices Two Year Residency Aliamanu Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Agents of Change: Creative solutions Two Year Residency Enchanted Lake Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Dramatic Events: Exploring Culture Creatively Two Year Residency Haha`ione Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) People express culture through the Arts Two Year Residency Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind Oahu Endo, Chizuko Cultural Arts :Music:Other Taiko Vibrations Two Year Residency Kaaawa Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Creative Exploration of Cultural History and Tradition Two Year Residency Kaelepulu Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Creative Interpretation: Bringing Learning to Life through Drama Two Year Residency Kaimuki Middle School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Creative Exploration of Text Two Year Residency Kalihi Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Story Drama: Building Understanding through Engaging and Effective communication.

Two Year Residency Kamaile Academy Public Charter School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Core Values in Creative Ways Two Year Residency Kamalani Academy Public Charter School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Creative, Collaborative Communication Two Year Residency Kamiloiki Elementary School Oahu Create With Clay Hawaii, Inc. (Rayna Galati) Visual Arts Ka Malamalama o Kamiloiki"" through Clay Two Year Residency Kaohao Public Charter School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Non-traditional Learning: Creative Text Explorations Two Year Residency Ke Kula 'o Samuel M.

Kamakau Laboratory Public Charter School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Our Values, Our Voices Two Year Residency Lanakila Elementary School Oahu Yamaguichi, Fae Visual Arts Forrest landscape diorama Two Year Residency Liholiho Elementary School Oahu Create With Clay Hawaii, Inc. (Rayna Galati) Visual Arts The Coral Reef through Clay Two Year Residency Linapuni Elementary School Oahu Endo, Chizuko Cultural Arts :Music:Other A Natural Fit: Taiko and HA:BREATH Two Year Residency Makakilo Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) In Art and in Nature: How Maui and the Sun and Hina and the Moon reflect Science Two Year Residency Malama Honua Public Charter School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Mo'olelo in Play Two Year Residency Manoa Elementary School Oahu Wisnosky, Mimi E.

Defining Mountains of Glass: Creating Poetry and Dance Two Year Residency Mauka Lani Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Tales and Telling: Dramatizing Classroom Stories Two Year Residency Maunawili Elementary School Oahu Endo, Chizuko Cultural Arts :Music Playscape Soundscape Two Year Residency Mililani Uka Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Creative Engagement with History Two Year Residency Nanakuli Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Creative Expression: Building Capacity to Dramatize Understanding Two Year Residency Palolo Elementary School Oahu Create With Clay Hawaii, Inc. (Rayna Galati) Visual Arts The Coral Reef Two Year Residency President Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Building Expressive Skills through Creative Text Exploration Two Year Residency Princess Likelike Elementary School Oahu Create With Clay Hawaii, Inc. (Rayna Galati) Visual Arts The Coral Reef Two Year Residency Queen Kaahumanu Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Stories in our Lives Two Year Residency Salt Lake Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Tales and Telling: Dramatizing Hawaiian folklore Two Year Residency Stevenson Middle School Oahu Liu, Zoe Visual Arts From the Past to Hawaii: Culture Circle and Visual Poetry Two Year Residency Voyager Public Charter School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) In the Shoes of Others: Role-play in Learning Two Year Residency Waialae Public Charter School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth In Our Community: Understanding Place Through Drama Two Year Residency Waianae Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) With the Aina in mind Two Year Residency Waiau Elementary School Oahu Honolulu Theatre for Youth Drama/Theatre (includes Storytelling, Puppetry, Mime) Role-playing Conflict to Imagine Solutions Two Year Residency Danica Rosengren, Arts Education Specialist Telephone: (808) 586-0768 In 2020, the SFCA began making AITS video lessons to enable remote learning.

Music Class: Lesson 1 "Make Practice Sticks and Drum" (Grades K-4) AITS Music Class with Chizuko Endo, Taiko Drumming, Lesson 1 Music Class: Lesson 1 "Make Practice Sticks and Drum" (Grades 5-12) AITS Music Class with Chizuko Endo, Taiko Drumming, Lesson 2 Music Class: Taiko Drum Playscape Part 1 AITS Music Class with Chizuko Endo, Taiko Drumming Music Class: Taiko Drum, Usagi Daiko AITS Music Class with Chizuko Endo, Taiko Drumming Music Class: Taiko Drum Water Door of Kalihi AITS Music Class with Chizuko Endo, Taiko Drumming Music Class: Renshuu Taiko AITS Music Class with Chizuko Endo, Taiko Drumming Music Class: Taiko Drum Playscape Part 2 AITS Music Class with Chizuko Endo, Taiko Drumming Art Class: Sumi-e Ink Brush AITS Art Class with Ellen Crocker, Japanese ink brush Done in partnership with the State of Hawai‘i Department of Education’s video production branch, these videos take you into classrooms and have Artistic Teaching Partners, classroom teachers, school principals, and students explain how the program works and the benefits of the program.

See the full album or view individual videos below. Artists in the Schools Promotional Video 1 A brief overview of the program. (58 seconds) Artists in the Schools Promotional Video 2 A brief overview of the program.

(1 minute 14 seconds) Artists in the Schools Program A longer overview of the entire Artists in the Schools program. (6 minutes 24 seconds) Waiahole Elementary School, with ATP Chizuko Endo. (4 minutes 13 seconds) Puohala Elementary School, with ATP Kealoha.

(4 minutes 59 seconds) Aliamanu Elementary School, with ATP Lily Brennick from Honolulu Theatre for Youth. (4 minutes 44 seconds) Keoneula Elementary School, with ATP Michael Wall. (4 minutes 33 seconds) Collaging, A Hero’s Journey King Kekaulike High School, with ATP Beth Marcil.

(4 minutes 55 seconds) Visual Art, Science & Culture Kahakai Elementary School with Gerald Lucena from Donkey Mill Art Center. (5 minutes 8 seconds) Kawaikini Public Charter School and Kilauea Elementary School with ATP Kumu Mauli Ola Cook. (6 minutes 8 seconds)