2025–26 Education Grants: Now Accepting Applications
Exciting news for Westerville educators!
The Arts Council of Westerville’s Education Grant applications are now open for this school year. These grants are here to spark creativity in the classroom by helping teachers bring the arts into every subject area. Whether you teach math, science, language arts, or anything in between, we’d love to support your ideas for unique, arts-infused learning experiences. All Westerville area classroom teachers are invited to apply!
Please review the detailed instructions in this PDF before completing the application. This document contains essential information that will help you successfully submit your application.
The deadline for submission:
Friday October 31, 2025
Please email any question you may have regarding the grant application, process, etc. to:
GRANTS COMMITTEE
EMAIL: artscouncilwesterville@gmail.com
Grant in Action: How One Classroom Brought Street Art to Life
With support from an ACW Education Grant, students at Westerville Central High School explored the power of street art in a hands-on way. Westerville Central High School art teacher Jen Kiko welcomed local artist Lance Johnson to lead her students through a spray paint and stencil unit, giving them the chance to learn directly from a practicing artist. The project not only introduced students to internationally recognized street artists but also empowered them to create expressive, lasting works of their own.
Grant in Action: Building Identity Through 3D Letters
With support from an ACW Education Grant, 276 art students at Genoa Middle School had the chance to create a meaningful large-scale project using professional materials they wouldn’t normally have access to. Guided by resident artist Wendy Kendrick, students designed and constructed three-dimensional architectural letters that became powerful expressions of their personal identities. Using cardboard, collage, paint, silk flowers, foil, and more, each student transformed their letter into a unique artwork.
The final pieces were proudly displayed in the Genoa Media Center—a central, high-traffic hub—where the entire school community could enjoy and reflect on the creativity and individuality of the students. This project not only emphasized engineering and design skills but also celebrated self-expression, identity, and visibility through the arts.
ACW Education Grants History
In 2015 the Arts Council of Westerville awarded the first annual Education Grants. The grants were established to support unique learning opportunities in the arts and encourage non-traditional enrichment outside of programs students have available to them. Uniqueness of experience and encouragement of independent and creative thinking are just some of the criteria that were used to determine the grant winners.
Since 2015, Education Grants have helped to fund these projects and more:
Middle School choir and orchestra welcome accompanist to the season’s rehearsal and concerts resulting in increasing musicality, expression, phrasing and dynamics.
7th and 8th grade students created artistic portraits of local senior living residents, using creative thinking skills to honor their stories while engaging in meaningful community service that strengthens relationships.
5th graders attend Columbus Symphony presentation, make sousaphones and perform for 1st graders
7th and 8th graders work with tiles to make mosaic stepping stones for a sculpture garden
Elementary forms relationship with educator/calligrapher in China, purchases calligraphy writing sets and shares artwork with calligrapher
Elementary students tour Columbus Museum of Art and hold art show
Middle school partners with youth theatre, offers theater/writing workshops and produces a ‘zine featuring art and writing
Elementary purchases mandolins and other string instruments for afterschool classes
Middle school acquires an electric potter’s wheel
Elementary teacher initiates after-school community-based art academy to create special artwork for individual seniors