Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund FAQs

The Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund is a 5-year partnership between Chicago’s premiere music festival and Ingenuity. Over the next 5 years, Lollapalooza will distribute $2.2 million in arts education grants to CPS schools via Ingenuity’s Creative Schools Fund. Below, we answer your most pressing questions regarding grant uses, distribution, and the overall impact of this 5-year partnership.

Who is Ingenuity?

Ingenuity is a backbone arts education 501(c)(3) with core programs in data, advocacy, grant-making, and professional learning. The organization’s collective-impact strategies drive partnerships, policy, and investments in the arts for 350,000 students in Chicago Public Schools. 

Ingenuity’s mission is to  ensure that every student, in every grade, in every CPS school has equitable access to high quality arts education.  A nationally-recognized arts advocacy leader, Ingenuity has advanced the most progress in CPS arts education in 40 years.  

Ingenuity also operates the Creative Schools Fund,  which will administer the Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund. The Creative Schools Fund (CSF) is a public-private partnership to invest in teacher designed, school-based arts education programs.

How will the Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund grants be distributed?

Grants from the Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund will be allocated through the Creative Schools Fund (housed at Ingenuity).

The Creative Schools Fund will accept applications from eligible schools and run them through a rigorous review to ensure that each school has a clear plan for use of the funds that aligns with Lollapalooza’s vision for arts education partnerships.  

Ingenuity convenes a Review Committee of teachers, teaching artists, education and arts experts, and working artists. This group recommends grantees to the Ingenuity Board of Directors for final approval.

Ingenuity and CPS Department of Education partner to oversee grant implementation, including regular monitoring for program fidelity, financial accountability, and student impact.

What can the donation from Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund be used for?

Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund grants are designed to support: 

• Partnerships, e.g., a full package of supports offered by an arts organization, often including a residency (in-school student programming offered by a teaching artist to help address any school gaps in arts instruction), professional development for teachers, field trips, and/or installations, exhibitions, performances, and community events.
• To complement the partnership:
  • Supplies, e.g., instruments, scripts, paint, media equipment, etc.
  • Teacher non-instructional extended-day pay to partner with arts organizations in program planning and reflective practice.
    

Partners may range from larger cultural institutions and museums to community-based arts organizations and independent teaching artists.

How many students will benefit?

A: Ingenuity’s annual Creative Schools Certification data evaluates the degree to which schools are able to meet arts access and quality benchmarks. Schools are rated as “Developing” or “Emerging” because they have not yet met district arts benchmarks. 

To help these schools increase student access to high quality arts education, all Developing and Emerging schools will be eligible for Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund grants.

There are currently 220 schools that meet this criteria, with enrollment of 105,000 students.