Arts Access

Arts Access

The Texas Cultural Trust’s Arts Access program examines the needs and opportunities to increase access to the arts, culture, and arts education for all Texans by providing resources, programming, and financial support. This program is a collective of resources to increase access to the arts and includes the Trust’s Arts and Digital Literacy curriculum.

Art Boxes

Arts Education Classroom Resources

Arts & Digital Literacy Curriculum: The Texas Cultural Trust, in partnership with The University of Texas at Austin College of Fine Arts, created an innovative suite of classes that bridges the gap between traditional fine arts education and technological instruction.

Career Exploration in the Arts Curriculum: Units of study designed for the high school classroom in art, dance, music, and theatre. These units explore the many career options in the fine arts and how arts education prepares students for success in any career.

We Love Austin Music Week

We believe students should recognize the importance and value of the arts in our communities, our cities, our state, and beyond. The “We Love Austin Music Week” pilot designates a week to enhance a student’s interest and awareness of music as an art form, by celebrating Austin’s musical heritage and culture.

Program Goals:

• Encourage students to appreciate the importance of music and celebrate its role in Austin’s past, present, and future;
• Provide experiences for students to understand how music can be used as a tool to support emotional wellbeing;
• Reinforce the value of music and help Austinites understand the economic impact of music to our city;
• Teach students appropriate audience etiquette.

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Arts Access Grants

First Year Teacher Grants: Funding for first year arts teachers to increase arts access within underserved communities and seek employment in low arts access, Title I schools. Grant applications are accepted annually from July to August.

Texas Women for the Arts Grants: Funding to support arts and arts education programs for children. Grant applications are accepted annually from October to December.

Texas Young Masters Scholarships: A joint program of the Texas Cultural Trust and Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA), Texas Young Masters awards scholarship grants to deserving young artists in music, theatre, dance, visual arts, literary arts, and other artistic disciplines. Scholarship applications are accepted every biennium.

The Texas Cultural Trust x Brandon Maxwell x The University of Texas Textiles and Apparel Scholarship: Funded by the Bennett Endowed Scholarship in Human Ecology, this scholarship is a one-year, merit and need-based award for students pursuing higher education in fashion. Established in collaboration with the Brandon Maxwell fashion house, the scholarship seeks to provide for high-quality educational opportunities. The Texas Cultural Trust and Brandon Maxwell are committed to diversifying the fashion industry.

Advocacy Resources

Art Can: Through Art Can, the Trust conducts research and produces and publishes data quantifying the economic and educational impact of the arts in Texas. Art Can analyzes employment and wages within the creative sector, along with tax revenue and tourism spending pertaining to arts and culture.

Arts Education Task Force: The Arts Education Task Force (AETF) aligns the arts education communities across Texas to create a unified voice for arts education policy, advocacy, and best practices. The AETF identifies legislative priorities, coordinates messaging, and implements a strategic plan to support meaningful arts education policy.