Liz Cuneo with Madison Arts Council (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Nimble minds and artistic hands will benefit from Arts in Education grants, presented by Madison Arts Council.

MAC’s Arts in Education grants “assist local educators with monetary support for in-classroom projects,” Liz Cuneo said. Cuneo and Brenda Parker are grant coordinators. “Too often, we forget the arts play as vital a role in a student’s development as does math and science.”

“Not all kids will grow up to be engineers or doctors, but they can learn to play an instrument, paint a picture, act or sing in a play or musical” and develop an appreciation … of the arts “for the next generation,” Cuneo said. “If our students are not well rounded, they lose out on all that life can offer.”

MAC will present grants to benefit the maximum possible students and schools, while assisting those schools in a positive way, Cuneo said.

In 2013, MAC awarded a total of $2,000 in grants to band programs at St. John the Baptist Catholic and Bob Jones High schools and Liberty and Discovery middle school choirs.

In 2012, recipients were Liberty art and drama departments; West Madison and Heritage elementary schools’ music departments; and art departments at Columbia and Rainbow elementary schools. In addition, MAC presented musical instruments to two elementary schools and art tools that develop motor skills for students with special needs.

Any teacher at a school in Madison’s city limits can apply. MAC will accept applications through Nov. 14. Grant applications are available at artsmadison.org.

Applicants can submit forms online or mailing to Madison Arts Council (MAC), P.O. Box 1929, Madison, AL 35758.

MAC Arts in Education committee will notify award recipients by email on Dec. 3 and then present checks and Project Completion forms at a Madison City Council meeting in January 2015. MAC also will notify applicants by email who were not selected.

For grant consideration in 2015, recipients must have submitted a 2014 Project Completion form. For more information, email to grants@madisonarts.org.