Awards, Scholarships, and Grants

The IAEA Awards Program is intended to recognize art educators who are committed and dedicated to their students and the art, design, and media education profession. This program, which recognizes excellence in individuals and programs, helps provide for the development of quality art education throughout the state of Illinois.

• To promote public awareness of the importance of quality art, design, and media education.
• To promote support of and to focus professional attention on quality programs and excellent art, design, and media educators.
• To recognize significant contributions to the profession and organization of IAEA.

• Illinois Art Educator of the Year (Chosen by award committee from nominations in categories below)
• Illinois Elementary Art Educator of the Year
• Illinois Middle School/Junior High Art Educator of the Year
• Illinois Secondary Art Educator of the Year
• Illinois Early Professional Award (3 – 7 years teaching)
• Illinois Higher Education Art Educator of the Year
• Illinois Art Administrator/Supervisor of the Year
• Illinois Museum Art Educator of the Year
• Distinguished Service in IAEA
• Distinguished Service in the Profession of Art Education
• Distinguished Service to Art Education (outside the profession)
• President’s Special Award (chosen by current IAEA president)
• Distinguished Member Award (chosen by past Distinguished Member recipients)
• School of Distinction

1. Significant contribution within an award category.
2. Outstanding record of general professional achievement.
3. Continuing record of contributions to art education in Illinois.
4. Current active membership in IAEA.
5. To be considered for a national award, NAEA membership is required. National nomination is optional.

Award categories 1-7.

• Outstanding record of success as an art educator from colleagues, administrators, students, and community.
• Outstanding ongoing record of general professional achievement, continued education, studio accomplishments/exhibitions, publications, service to individual school program and school district, service to community, and service to the art education profession.
• Recognized as a leader.

Illinois Museum Art Educator of the Year

• Outstanding record of successful collaborative efforts as a museum art educator from colleagues, administrators, teachers and students, and community.
• Outstanding record of general professional achievement, continued education, studio accomplishments, publications, service to individual school programs and school districts, service to community, and service to the art education profession.

Distinguished Service in IAEA

• Exemplary contributions of time and effort to IAEA.

Distinguished Service to the Profession of Art Education

• Outstanding contribution to the field of art education; record of service to school, district, and community, record of previous awards, honors, and record of    publications.

Distinguished Service to Art Education (outside of the profession)

• Exemplary support and advocacy for art education.

President’s Special Award

• Current president’s discretion

Award Rubric

Grant & Scholarship Applications have closed at this time.

The IAEA Conference Grant intends to fulfill this purpose by supporting individuals traditionally underrepresented in education to support their attendance at state or national conferences.

To this end, the IAEA prioritizes this grant for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disabled/ill/neurodivergent art educators.

The amount of the grant awards varies depending on the selection made under “Purpose of Funds” in the application below. The maximum award amount is $500.

IAEA supports improving and advancing art, design, and media education in Illinois’s schools, communities, and museums.

This includes encouraging professional excellence by supporting its members’ education and continuous learning.

Grant & Scholarship Applications have closed at this time.