The Indiana Arts Commission recently announced a new partnership with the Indiana Department of Education that aims to expand classroom teaching through arts and creativity.

The Indiana Educator Fellowship for Creative Teaching was created to celebrate and support outstanding educators and expand classroom teaching through creativity.

Research shows creative teaching strategies, also known as arts integration, improve student engagement, student learning retention and student literacy skills, according to a news release from the Indiana Arts Commission.

The new fellowship supports educators with robust training, funding and a community of experts to inspire and implement creativity-centered innovation in the classroom.

“As a result of our previous work in arts integration, including the PACE program and the Arts Integration Learning Labs, we have seen the impact that arts and creativity have on the learning outcomes of young Hoosiers,” said Miah Michaelsen, executive director of the Indiana Arts Commission. “We are incredibly grateful for the partnership with the IDOE to help us support educators by equipping them with new skills for their classrooms.”

If selected for the program, Creative Teaching Fellows receive two days of immersive training in creativity and connections to standards, access to a fully funded in-school creative arts residency, support from community creative partners, experts and professionals, membership in a statewide community of energetic, innovative educators and a $1,000 honoraria.

The deadline to apply to be part of the Creative Teaching Fellow Cohort is April 10.

For information and to apply, visit in.gov/arts/programs-and-services/training/indiana-educator-fellowship-for-creative-teaching.