Dorian De Long Arts and Music Scholarship

The mission of the Dorian De Long Arts and Music Grant is to support individuals engaged in arts programs, strengthening both the individuals and the communities in which they live. Grants of $1,000-$3,000 are available to support projects that bring visual art, music, or theater to students in PK-12 in a meaningful way. Projects supported by DDAM will exemplify the value of arts education, encouraging ongoing community support.

Goals of this Initiative

• Strengthen regional efforts to improve sustained access to arts education to all students.
• Provide opportunities for youth ages 4-18 in grades PK-12 to work with professional artists in an educational setting, especially youth who have limited or no access to high-quality, sustained arts learning.
• Heighten awareness of the impact of arts education, so that resources both financial and curricular increase state-wide, leading to more equitable access to arts education for youth.

Applicant Qualifications

Applicants must teach at a Colorado-based nonprofit PK12 public school.

Applicants must use awarded funds within the classroom for eligible expenses, including:

• Project implementation (arts-integrated or arts-based instruction)
• Materials and supplies directly related to student learning
• Artist fees or stipends
• Instructional resources

Applicants must ensure funds are not used for:

• General operating expenses
• Capital improvements (e.g., facility construction or renovation)
• Administrative salaries not directly tied to the project
• Equipment not directly used in student instruction

Project Design

Projects may involve any arts & culture discipline or genre, such as theater, dance, music, visual arts, literary arts, folk and traditional arts, or interdisciplinary art forms. Arts integration projects (connecting an art form with another subject area) are welcome. Projects should:

• Take place over a period of time that allows for depth of learning and relationship building. Ideally, projects take place over the course of six weeks or longer.
• Center on the identities and needs of youth. Youth should be consulted in the project’s design and be able to influence the project’s evolution along the way.
• Fill a clear gap in the school or community. The rationale for the project should be informed by the stated needs of the student and community.
• Be highly accessible to youth participants. A fee may not be charged for participation, and it must take place in a setting that youth are able to easily get to.
• Allow for time and resources to measure and communicate the project’s value and impact. Evaluation results will be collectively shared.

Examples of projects

• Students create a mural reflecting their school culture.
• A visiting musician works with youth at a local community center to create songs expressing their interests.
• Youth write and produce a one-act play with guidance from a theater teaching artist using vignettes from their daily lives.

The following are not eligible for DDAM funding

• Programs that charge a fee to participants
• PK-12 staff salaries or payments
• General operating costs unrelated to the proposed project
• Capital improvement projects

Application Timeline 2025

• Grant application open September 1, 2025
• Application Due  October 1, 2025
• Award Notifications  January 1, 2026
• Projects Take Place  February 1, 2026  June 30, 2026
• Final Report Due  Thirty days after completion of project, and no later than July 31, 2026