Nursery Road Elementary School - Arts Magnet has been awarded $12,400 from the Distinguished Arts Program (DAP), a funding initiative managed by the South Carolina Department of Education.

The DAP, which is part of the Arts Curricular Innovation Grant (ACIG) program, provides one-year grant funding to help schools commence or enhance their arts-related projects that assist in fostering creativity and academic growth for students.

At Nursey Road Elementary - Arts Magnet, the focus on the arts is on the school’s curriculum. The school contains art-infused classrooms that serve as vibrant studios, letting students explore their creativity and develop additional skills.  

“At Nursery Road, we believe that every child is an artist, with unique talents waiting to be discovered and celebrated,” said Karey Fisher, principal of Nursery Road Elementary, in a recent press release.  “This grant from the South Carolina Department of Education fuels our commitment to empowering young minds through the arts, igniting creativity, confidence, and curiosity in each student.”

At the Nursery Road Elementary School - Arts Magnet, students are encouraged to engage with both media and performing arts. This arts-infused curriculum allows students to create individual goals for growth, providing them with individualized learning experiences.

Each year, schools applying for the DAP grant must present a comprehensive strategic arts plan as part of their application. This strategic plan outlines how the schools will incorporate art into their daily curriculum, which can include music, dance, theatre and visual arts.

“It is quite a tribute to Nursery Road Elementary School - Arts Magnet that they are the recipient of the DAP grant,” Sara Wheeler, director of the school district five magnet, said. “It supports their magnet school mission of quality arts education programs that improve student achievement.

Public schools across South Carolina that serve kindergarten through 12^th grade are eligible to apply for two types of art grants: the Equitable Arts Advancement Program (EEAP) and the DAP grant under the ACIG program.

The DAP grant application period concluded on June 30, with a total funding of $700,00 being available to schools statewide. The maximum DAP award to a school district is $40,000 while the maximum DAP award to a single school is $18,000.

This grant will assist Nursery Road Elementary as well as other schools statewide to expand and enhance their arts initiatives, where students can hone artistic skills.