Updated SY22-23 Arts Essentials Spending Deadlines and Guidelines
District-Managed CPS Schools
Arts Essentials funds were transferred into schools budgets in early December, 2022. Please see the Purchasing Guide below for the budget number sequence.
Purchase Orders (POs) utilizing Arts Essentials funds must be opened by April 7, 2023. Unspent or unencumbered funds will be swept from district-managed schools’ budgets after April 7.
Charter, Contract, and Options Schools
Reimbursement for Arts Essentials funds were made available to schools in early December, 2022. Funds are kept within the Department of Arts Education budget; designated charter school officers may receipt against these funds through Epicenter* until the spending deadline.
Charter, Options, and Contract school officers must submit for reimbursement via Epicenter on or before April 7, 2023.
*Please contact your network operations office to determine the appropriate officer who will submit reimbursements in Epicenter on behalf of your school. Receipts must be submitted all at once. Schools will be reimbursed for a maximum of $1,000. Reimbursements are processed monthly by the Department of Arts Education.
Other Arts Essentials Resources
Arts Essentials Purchasing Process At-A-Glance (NOTE: for CPS district-managed schools only): A quick walkthrough of the Arts Essentials purchasing process for clerks, administrators, and Arts Liaisons.
Full CPS Vendor List: A list of all active vendors that schools may purchase from. PLEASE NOTE: This list is subject to change, as vendors are de-activated on a rolling basis due to inactivity. Please ask your school clerk to find the most up-to-date vendors via Oracle.
Arts Essentials Spending Planner (Word | Excel)
Arts Liaisons, administrators, and other arts teachers can use this tool to collaboratively plan how to spend Arts Essentials grant money each year.