An apprenticeship project is defined as a discrete set of connected activities with a distinct beginning and end. Apprenticeships are between a mentor folk and/or traditional artist teaching the apprentice specific skills related to the folk-art form they want to learn.

• Example One: A folk and/or traditional mentor artist will lead weekly classes with the apprentice on the art of steel drum making, tuning, and performing. These sessions include the history of the Steel drum, how to create a steel drum, how to tune and how to play the steel drum. 
• Example Two: A Native American folk and/or traditional mentor artist will teach the art of regalia making. Classes will include the information on the types of materials needed and how to prepare the raw materials to create a final piece of regalia. The apprentice will learn the cultural and historical significance of the regalia which will be used at the final presentation.
• Example Three: A folk and/or traditional Colombian Folk dancer will teach the apprentice dances that represent different regions of Colombia. Through a series of weekly classes, the apprentice will learn the historical context of dance steps, rhythms, and the music, culminating in a final dance presentation that is free and open to the public.

For additional examples review recent past grantees on RISCA website. 

You must:

• Be 18 years of age or older. 
• Have lived in Rhode Island for at least one year at the time of application. This means Rhode Island is your primary residence, and is the address you use for legal forms, state income taxes, car registration, driver’s license or state issued identification, and voter registration - regardless of whether you own or rent your home. You must reside in the state for at least 183 days per year. 
• Be a legal resident of the United States with a tax identification number (either Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). This includes refugees, immigrants, and temporary residents. This does not include people in the country on a tourist visa. 
• Submit only one application per grant deadline to the Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program. 
• Not be applying for the Folk Arts Fellowship at this deadline.
• This program occurs in spaces that are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant. See the NEA’s Accessibility: Publications, Checklists, & Resources for more information.   
• The funded portion of the project activity takes place in Rhode Island.
• Be a practicing folk and/or traditional artist.
• Meet with Elena Calderón-Patiño if you are a first-time applicant.
• Have not received this grant consecutively for the last three years.

You are ineligible: 

• A current recipient of the General Operating Support for Artists grant. 
• A staff member or Council member of RISCA, or an immediate family member of a staff or Council member. 
• Currently enrolled in an arts degree seeking program or attending high school full time. 
• Proposing a project that is part of a nonprofit or other formal entity’s work. You can receive in-kind donations from formal entities (like donated rehearsal space or materials). 
• Not the primary artistic force behind the project. 
• Applying for support for this project or aspects of this project through another RISCA grant program. 
• Applying for another RISCA grant at the same deadline.
• Delinquent on any final reports for previous RISCA grants. 

Funding Rules and Restrictions 

• All grant awards are contingent upon the availability of funds from the Rhode Island State General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
• The maximum grant award in this category is $7,000 but partial awards are common. Partial awards will be no less than 50% of the application request.
• Grant applications are considered on a competitive basis. Award amounts may vary cycle to cycle depending on available funds, number of applications, and the panel decision-making. For more information on our Decision-Making Process, visit our Applicant Resources web page.
• You have the option of declining the grant award with no penalties.
• If you receive a grant, you must credit RISCA on all marketing materials. See Acknowledging RISCA.
• All funds will be allocated to the mentor artist’s teaching time.

Grant funding cannot be used for the following

• Capital projects, including the construction or renovation of buildings, or additions to buildings.
• Any fundraising expenses such as creating rewards for a Kickstarter or hosting a fundraising event for any purpose.
• Addressing, eliminating, or reducing existing debt. 
• Entertainment and hospitality, including expenses for activities such as receptions, parties, galas, etc. Specific costs that have a core programmatic purpose and are included in your budget may be allowable.   
• Prizes and awards for an event, person, and/or organization. 
• Regranting.
• Activities that are associated with a graduate or undergraduate degree program or for which academic credit is received.
• Applications for projects that proselytize or promote religious activities, or which take place as part of a religious service.­­
• Programming, performances, and exhibitions unavailable and/or inaccessible to the public.
• Expenses incurred or activity happening outside of the award period.

It is the policy of RISCA that no qualified individual shall, based on disability, be excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of services, programs, or activities of the agency or the agency’s grantees, or be subjected to discrimination.  

For questions on accommodations, contact Seamus Hames, Arts Education Program Director and 504 Accessibility Coordinator, at 401-222-6994 or seamus.hames@arts.ri.gov.

RISCA only accepts applications through the online grant system Foundant.  Please note there are two different grant portals, one for individual artists and one for organizations. If you have questions about whether you or an organization already has a profile in the system or if you have questions about logging in, contact one of the program directors via the staff directory.

To log in or set up an applicant profile: Online Grant Application Portal for Individuals.  

Application

Section 1:  For RISCA staff to determine if the applicant meets the eligibility requirements to move to panel review. Includes an eligibility checklist and required uploads. 
Section 2:  For Panel to learn about the project and to review and score it based on the evaluation criteria. There are three parts. 

• Logistics - Narrative questions, check boxes and uploads about the who, what, where, and when of the project. Includes Apprenticeship Lesson Plan, and Apprentice Statement of Purpose uploads. How will the mentor artist provide a positive impact as measured by the indicated metrics.
• Artistic Vibrancy and Impact – Narrative questions to explain how the folk art is central to the apprenticeship, how the quality and artistic merit of the folk and/or traditional artist is clearly proven through the submission of support materials. Information on when, where, how long, and from whom did the folk artist learn this folk and traditional art form was clearly presented.
• Program Specific - Narrative questions, final presentation information and testimonial letter demonstrate how this project aligns with the specific grant program. 

Panel reviewers will use the following criteria to evaluate and recommend applications for funding.

Logistics    

• The application clearly states what will be done by whom, when and where things will take place, and how this project will happen both logistically and financially.    
• The applicant indicates relevant metrics to measure their progress.   

Artistic Vibrancy and Impact

• Folk and/or Traditional Art is central to this apprenticeship. 
• Quality and artistic merit of the folk and traditional artist is clearly proven in the support materials provided by applicant.
• When, where, how long, and from whom did the folk artist learn this folk and traditional art form was clearly established. 
• The application demonstrates the community impact of the folk and/or traditional artist.

Program Specific

• The apprentice's commitment to continuing the traditional art form and reasons why the apprentice wants to participate in this apprenticeship were clearly established.
• The final presentation (collaboration between the mentor artist and apprentice) clearly states why it will provide a positive and purposeful experience for the community.

Per the NEA enabling legislation, The NEA requires that state arts agencies include artistic merit and artistic excellence in their evaluative criteria. However, the NEA allows state arts agencies to define artistic merit and excellence for themselves and in conversation with their communities. For this grant program, artistic merit and artistic excellence is defined as Artistic Vibrancy and Impact.

For panel Review: Required documents and Support Materials for Evaluation

• Artist Resume (maximum one page).
• Artist Statement (maximum one page).
• Apprenticeship Statement of Purpose (maximum one page).
• Artistic Work Samples: Documentation of 5-10 pieces of folk-artform, images of performances, images of mentor artist teaching a class, or lesson, or of mentor artist creating the folk artform, or of the apprentice practicing the folk art etc. 
• This may include images (jpegs only), video, audio, and/or writing. Pieces of art include but are not limited to a short film; dance; a painting; a piece of jewelry; a song; a sculpture; a performance in a public place; a poem; a class/lesson/workshop you taught or work of your students; or a quilt.   
• You may submit a maximum of 10 images; and 10 minutes of video; and 10 minutes of audio; and up to 20 pages of writing.   

Note: You must upload documentation of art in the “Upload” boxes below OR upload documentation of art to a Google Drive folder, open to everyone with the link or link and password.  

• Work Samples List template. (Required to use the RISCA Template.) 
  Please describe each image including the title, year, medium, any additional technical details, location, when it took place, and who participated also add 1-3 sentences of context about the image and how it is meant to be experienced. Please make sure images match the number of descriptions.
• Link to Artist website, if available. 
• Link to Artist social media, if available. 
• Link to Creative Ground profile, if available.
• Testimonial or Letter of Support. This can be quotes, a short testimonial, or some other statement from someone familiar with the mentor artist’s folk and traditional art form and its impact on the community.  Maximum one page.

Rhode Island residency: Have been domiciled in Rhode Island for at least one year at the time of application. This means Rhode Island is your primary residence, and is the address you use for legal forms, state income taxes, car registration, driver’s license or state issued identification, and voter registration - regardless of whether you own or rent your home. You must reside in the state for at least 183 days per year.