National Guild and MetLife Foundation Announce Support for Arts Education Partnerships

Application guidelines and program details are available at www.nationalguild.org/programs/partners.htm. Grants are restricted to the 38 cities listed in the guidelines. The application deadline is May 23, 2009.

The National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts is America's service association for organizations that provide access to high quality arts education so that all people may participate in the arts according to their interests and abilities. The Guild's national network encompasses community arts schools; arts centers; and education divisions of museums, universities, local arts agencies and performing arts companies, among others. Collectively, the Guild's 400+ member institutions provide arts instruction to more than one million students each year, often in collaboration with public schools, after-school programs, hospitals, senior centers, and social service agencies to increase communities' access to arts education. www.nationalguild.org

MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife to continue the company's long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. The Foundation supports programs that improve education, promote health, encourage parental involvement and family engagement, help revitalize neighborhoods and stress accessibility and inclusion. The Foundation contributes to arts and cultural organizations across the United States, with an emphasis on increasing opportunities for young people, reaching broad audiences through inclusive programming, and making arts more accessible for all people. For more information about the Foundation, please visit its web site at www.metlife.org.