Program Purpose: VSAI Residencies are provided to support and enhance student learning.

Program Description: The VSA arts of Indiana Artist in Residence Program places a VSAI Teaching Artist at a school for 5, 10 or 15 days or visits to work with students with identified disabilities and their non-disabled peers on projects in visual arts, music, dance/movement, and drama. Repeated visits by the Teaching Artist allow for an in-depth learning experience for a segment of the school’s students and teachers. VSAI does not offer school-wide residencies. A VSAI Residency should complement the efforts of the on-site visual art, music, and physical education teachers.

VSAI Teaching Artists are professional artists with expertise in one or more arts disciplines and skills in working with children, youth, and teachers in school settings. In addition, VSAI Teaching Artists are familiar with various disabilities and effective methods for adapting techniques and differentiating instruction to reach all learners. The Teaching Artist and the classroom teacher(s) team teach during the residency.

VSAI staff is available to offer guidance and clarification in preparing your application. Please contact Gayle Holtman at 317-974-4123 or 800-484-8055 (code 1605) or at gholtman@vsai.org.

Eligibility: Any public or private school in Indiana with students with identified disabilities is eligible to submit an application. The request may be initiated by a teacher or an administrator. This person serves as the Residency Coordinator, the primary contact for the VSAI Teaching Artist and staff.

Deadline: Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. As a statewide organization, we work to distribute residencies throughout the state.

Residency Costs: VSAI covers almost all of the costs associated with a residency, which can range from $1,000 to over $5,000. Schools are asked to cover a portion of these costs based on the length of the residency.

The school portion of the residency is generally $250 for a 5-day residency, $500 for a 10-day residency, and $750 for a 15-day residency. Both cash and documented in-kind contributions may be utilized by the school. Please contact Gayle Holtman if you have any questions about this requirement.

Timeframe: Residencies are generally scheduled for 5, 10 or 15 days or visits. A “day” is usually about 4 hours of classroom or teaching time for the Teaching Artist. Residencies may be scheduled for consecutive days, weekly visits, or some other combination, and may take place during any month of the school year.

What to Submit: (one copy of each)
• Application (forms provided)
• Narrative information in response to #3
• Draft chart in response to #6