Program Applications Now Being Accepted from Principals

Arts for Learning Maryland is thrilled and honored to have been named a recipient of National Endowment For the Arts (NEA) Grants for Arts Projects funding to support its Principal Fellowship Program.

The Principal Fellowship is a yearlong program creating a tight-knit community of 10-15 like-minded school leaders to build strategic plans and develop skills for using the arts to energize educators, motivate student learning, and create joyful school cultures grounded in equity.

The $40,000 grant will allow this year’s cohort of Principal Fellows to access more resources and meaningful experiences to help implement arts-based learning at their schools. Applications for this coming year’s program, which runs from September through May 2025, are now open for principals from Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Charles County.

“Over the five years of the Principal Fellowship Program, we’ve seen the inspiring, transformative power of bringing together talented and passionate school leaders to explore the arts’ role in their schools and their work,” said Stacie Sanders Evans, Arts for Learning Maryland President & CEO. “The NEA’s generous support is a wonderful testament to this program’s impact and potential. We’re grateful for that support!”

“Projects like the Arts for Learning Maryland Principal Fellowship exemplify the creativity and care with which communities are telling their stories, creating connection, and responding to challenges and opportunities in their communities—all through the arts,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “So many aspects of our communities such as cultural vitality, health and wellbeing, infrastructure, and the economy are advanced and improved through investments in art and design, and the National Endowment for the Arts is committed to ensuring people across the country benefit.”

To learn more about the Principal Fellowship (and for school leaders to apply!), click here.