The Marrazzo/Bartol Teaching Artist Micro-Grant is a funding opportunity designed to support Philadelphia-based teaching artists in their community-based arts education projects, professional development, or procurement of essential teaching materials. The grant, fully funded by the Marrazzo Family Foundation, awards $1,000 per recipient and is available twice annually—once in winter for spring projects and once in summer for fall projects. Each funding round supports up to ten grants, with a total annual allocation of $20,000. The initiative is dedicated to integrating arts into the education of Philadelphia youth in innovative, interdisciplinary, and visionary ways.

The grant aims to provide financial support to teaching artists actively engaged in their communities. The funding may be used for completing ongoing community arts projects, enhancing professional development, or acquiring necessary equipment or materials. The engagement of community members as active art-makers, rather than passive audiences, is a fundamental requirement for project-based applications. Teaching artists requesting funds for professional development or materials must demonstrate how the grant will enhance their practice and benefit future audiences.

Eligible applicants must reside in the Philadelphia area and meet several criteria, including having at least one year of experience as a teaching artist, not being a student taking more than six credit hours, and not being employed or contracted as a teaching artist at their project’s host site. Furthermore, applicants cannot have previously received a Bartol Micro-Grant, and if they are working with an organization that was awarded a Bartol grant in July 2024, they are ineligible for funding for the same project. The project itself must take place within the City of Philadelphia, and funds must be used within three months of receiving the grant.

Applications for Spring 2025 projects are currently open and must be submitted by Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST. A Micro-Grant Information Session will be held on Monday, January 20, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, where the Executive Director of the Bartol Foundation, Sam Tower, will provide guidance on crafting a strong application and answer applicant questions. The funding timeline requires that all awarded funds be expended by June 30, 2025.

To apply, candidates must submit a detailed project description, a budget showing how the $1,000 will be allocated (which may include compensation for their time), a biography detailing their work as a teaching artist, and two work samples—one of their personal creative work and another demonstrating their work with community members. Additionally, applicants have the option to include a letter of support from a community partner or host site confirming their commitment to the project.

This micro-grant is not intended for personal creative practice but rather to support the applicant’s role as a teaching artist. The funding ensures that recipients can implement projects that engage communities through the arts, reinforce their professional skills, or secure necessary resources, ultimately fostering an enriched arts education ecosystem in Philadelphia.