The Arkansas Arts Council advances and empowers the arts by providing services and funding aimed at encouraging and assisting literary, performing, and visual artists in achieving professional excellence. It also offers technical and financial assistance to arts organizations and cultural and educational program providers across the state. This support helps in fostering cultural, educational, and economic opportunities for the benefit of all Arkansans.
The Arkansas Arts Council's Goals for its grant programs are to encourage artistic excellence, diversity, innovation, promote equitable arts access for all Arkansans, develop arts in education for lifelong learning, enhance community cultural and economic development, and sustain its capacity to fulfill its mission. Specifically, the Arts in Education Grants aim to initiate or enhance arts programs in schools and local arts agencies through direct interactions with professional artists in residencies for pre K–12 students, ensuring artists involved are selected from the Arts in Education Artist Roster. The In-School Residency Program places professional artists in specific school sites or with non-profit community or governmental organizations to enrich education. Grant awards can go up to $40,000, with a 1:1 match requirement, 50% of which can be in-kind.