SY25-26 Creative Schools Fund Grant FAQs

CPS schools with a principal-nominated Arts Liaison that have completed the Creative Schools Survey for the prior school year can apply, as long as they are not currently supported through a Multi-Semester CSF grant.

Competitive CSF grants support multi-week partnership residencies between schools and arts partners, taking place during the school day.

Up to $10,000

Programs supported by this cycle of CSF grants must take place during the Spring 2026 semester (Q3 and Q4), between March and June 2026.

Grant funds are expected to be disbursed in mid-February 2026.

No, schools that are already receiving support through a Multi-Semester CSF grant this school year cannot apply for additional support this year.

Yes, schools that received a grant last year are eligible to receive a grant again this year – as long as they do not have an active multi-semester grant.

Schools are welcome to apply with the partner of their choosing, even if they have previously partnered together and received a grant in the past – as long as they do not have an active multi-semester grant. Schools that were not granted/declined in previous years are also welcome to apply.

Your school needs to have an Arts Liaison to apply.  If you don’t currently have an Arts Liaison, please reach out to artlook@ingenuity-inc.org about how to nominate one.

This annual survey on artlook^® collects information about your school’s arts programming and offerings from the prior year. Arts Liaisons are designated to complete the survey. The deadline has been extended to October 10, but Creative Schools Fund applications still need to be submitted by September 30.  After completing the survey, your school will receive $1,000 in Arts Essentials and you are eligible to receive grants through the Creative Schools Fund.

Pre-K – 12th grade

No, CSF grants can only support programming taking place during the school day.

Yes, as long as they are connected to a multi-week residency in collaboration with an arts partner.

Yes, as long as it is connected to a multi-week residency and led by an arts partner.

Yes, as long as they are connected to a multi-week residency in collaboration with an arts partner. Art Installation must be executed following the CPS Design Guidelines for a painted mural or a mosaic. Vendors leading mural projects must apply to the CPS Professional Artists Pool for public art installations. The deadline to apply is October 2, 2025.

No, we are not accepting applications for capital improvements this cycle.

An arts partner is an arts organization or independent artist working as a vendor to provide arts education to CPS students.  Arts Partners must have an up to date artlook^® profile.  Additionally, in order to work with a CPS district-managed school, they must have an active vendor ID number.

You can use artlook Map to find a partner based on geography, artistic discipline, and a number of other factors.

artlook^® is a data-sharing platform that allows schools and arts organizations to: 

• Understand the landscape of arts education across CPS
• Share and find up-to-date information about the arts programs and partnerships 
• Search and locate other schools and/or arts organizations for collaborations

 There are three components of artlook^® : 

• public-facing map (chicago.artlookmap.com)
• school portal
• partner portal

Arts partners must have an arlook profile and CPS vendor number to apply. If your partner is a CPS vendor but not listed in artlook^®, contact artlook@ingenuity-inc.org to learn how to create a profile. Arts partners that are in artlook^® but do not have a CPS vendor number may only apply with a non-district managed school.

The process to become a CPS vendor takes about 3 – 6 months, so we would not recommend applying to be a CPS vendor in order to apply for this cycle of the Creative Schools Fund.  Learn more about how to become a CPS vendor here.

There is no limit to the number of applications that arts partners can be part of, but we anticipate making no more than three grants per arts partner this cycle.