Enter Today to Double Your Budget for Next School Year!

The disparity in art budgets across the country is astounding. According to our Facebook fans, while 23 percent of art teachers receive over 10 dollars per student, most of you are making do with far less. In fact, nearly 33 percent of you survive on less than two dollars per student, per year.

If you teach 200-300 students, you could be trying to fund an entire program with less than 500 dollars. That’s barely enough to get quality paper, pencils, and paintbrushes, not to mention fun extras! 

In addition, while some teachers get sufficient funds from one year to the next, others see their budgets cut year after year. It seems like no matter how much money your program is allocated, it’s never quite enough to accomplish everything you want.

That’s why this year, we’re introducing the Double Your Art Budget Contest!

That’s right! We’re giving away $1000 dollars to one lucky AOE reader to supplement their budget next school year. For many art teachers, winning would mean doubling or possibly even tripling the available funds.

How the Contest Works

Eligibility

You must currently be teaching in order to be eligible to win. Don’t have something tied down for next year yet? Don’t worry! You can enter up until July 28th, 2017.

How to Enter

Entering the contest easy. Simply click here and enter your information.

Enter Now!

Winning

AOE Founder and President, Jessica Balsley, will choose one lucky winner at random during the Summer 2017 Art Ed Now Online Conference. AOE will work with the winner at the conclusion of the contest to arrange payment. Winners will need to provide photos of the supplies purchased with the contest funds. You can see a copy of the full contest rules here.

How to Spend Your Extra Money

Having extra cash is always fun, but deciding what to spend it on can be stressful. Here are just a few things you could purchase with the winnings! 

The Basics

Of course, if you’re starting out with next to nothing, the best thing to purchase with the winnings is a solid set of basics. You can check out a comprehensive list right here. However, it can also be fun to think about what other things could enhance your practice for years to come. Check out some great ideas below!

Technology

It’s always nice to put a large sum of money toward a tech item that can benefit all of your students. $1,000 could buy you…

• 3 iPads to allow more students to access tech in your room. 
• A 3D printer and filament to get your students thinking like designers.
• A document camera to save your sanity.
• A quality DSLR or 5 less expensive digital cameras to help your students hone their composition skills and take their own reference photos.
• A quality color printer and ink for student work, hallway display signs, and more.

Supply Upgrades

There are the supplies you have to buy and then there are the supplies you want to buy. Your extra $1000 could go toward…

• Prismacolor or other professional grade colored pencils for outstanding finished pieces.
• Metallic, neon, or other specialty colors of tempera or acrylic to add embellishment.
• Real drawing pencils to make your students feel like artists.
• Professional grade watercolor paper to ease student frustration.
• Colored and metallic permanent markers to add finishing touches to a variety of projects.

Specialty Supplies

Extra money is great for building up your stock of specialty art supplies. With an extra $1000 you could get…

Printmaking

• A classroom set of bench hooks and brayers to keep your students safe and engaged.
• A class set of Gelli plates for fantastic monoprints.
• A simple printing press for perfect results every time.
• All of these gyotaku fish printing replicas to widen your students’ horizons.
• A complete screen printing kit to make rad t-shirts to promote your art club.

Ceramics

• A slab roller for even results.
• A clay extruder for coils, handles, and more.
• Every single type of clay texture roller and mat to add visual interest.
• Glaze for an entire school year or more.
• Real drape molds to replace your styrofoam bowls.

Painting

• Water based oil paints to reduce fumes.
• An airbrush and airbrush ink so your students can experiment with a novel medium.
• Batik supplies to help your students learn about art from other parts of the world.
• Bamboo brushes to teach calligraphy and sumi-e painting.
• Real canvasses to inspire your students.

Other

• A friendly loom to encourage collaboration.
• Needle felting supplies to help your students explore texture.
• Glass fusing supplies to help your students try a new 3D medium.
• Beautiful origami papers to help your students increase their focus.
• Prismacolor or Copic markers to introduce your students to illustration.

Things to Make Your Life Easier

There are some things that would make your teaching life so much better, but that you might feel guilty spending your precious budget money on. With a little extra cash in your pocket, you could buy…

• An adhesive transfer gun and refills to make hanging artwork a snap.
• A self-healing cutting mat to protect your tabletop.
• An electronic label maker and refills so you never misplace supplies again.
• A sound amplification system to save your voice.
• Musical instruments and a visual timer to keep your students on track.

Big Ticket Items

While $1000 might not quite cover each of these items, it would go a long way in getting you most of the way there.

• A large drying rack to fit all of your students’ work.
• A kiln so you can finally work with earthenware clay
• An interactive whiteboard system to create dynamic instruction.
• Flexible seating options for your diverse learners.
• A shelving system for your classroom library. (And tons of books to fill it!)

Enter Now!

So what are you waiting for? Enter the AOE Double Your Art Budget Contest today and be on your way to a less stressful school year! Best of luck!

What would you purchase for your classroom if you won the contest?

What is one item you dream about having in your classroom?