A Sub Fund of the Education Foundation of Ottawa and An Endowment Fund within the Community Foundation of Ottawa

*Application and donation links found below* 

Marjorie Loughrey was a dedicated trustee and former Chair at the Ottawa Board of Education. She was often called the Guardian Angel for the Arts, both at the local educational level, as well as at the municipal level. She believed that an education in the arts is fundamental to the emotional, intellectual, and social development of each child. As an OBE trustee, she spearheaded the development of the Arts Canterbury Program and was the driving force behind the creation of the Advisory Committee on the Arts in 1987. Before she passed away on October 12, 2005, the ML Endowment fund was created as a tribute to her lifelong commitment to arts education and to honor her by promoting the arts in elementary schools.

From the beginning, it has been personal fundraising and the generosity of friends and family that created the capital needed to fund the grant. After 2009, additional monies came from matching grants from the Education Foundation of Ottawa and the generosity of the OBE (Ottawa Board of Education) REUNION.

Purpose of the Award

The Marjorie Loughrey Artists in the Schools Program Grant is designed to enhance the Ontario Elementary (2009) Arts Curriculum in Dance, Drama, Music, and/or Visual Arts for grades 1-8.

The grant provides students the opportunity for active involvement with artists from the above arts disciplines and projects should focus on the practice of the art(s) chosen. For more information see Grant Selection Considerations.

Each grant allows students to work directly with an artist or artists for up to five days; the schedule may be timetabled for the school’s needs.

Eligibility

The Marjorie Loughrey Artists in the Schools Grant is open to any OCDSB Elementary school with a focus on top R.A.I.S.E (Resource Allocated Index Based on Socio-Economics) schools.

Criteria for Selection of Winner/Judging

The application must provide the following information:

1. A brief description of the school including any special programs or services;
2. A description of the project and how it enriches and reinforces the Ontario Curriculum;
3. A description of how the project will be introduced prior to the arrival of the artist and how it will be followed up after the program;
4. The number of students who will be directly involved in the project and how they will be affected. The depth, as well as the breadth of the project, is important;
5. The number of staff involved;
6. How the project will be timetabled;
7. An evaluation template for students and staff.

Judging

The Adjudication Panel for the annual MLA will consist of the following representatives:

1. A member of the Loughrey family
2. A Principal- retired or current (who has not made an application in that school year)
3. A member of Curriculum Services – Arts Instructional Coach
4. A member of the Marjorie Loughrey Association
5. A member (past or current) of the Advisory Committee on the Arts
6. An interested member-at-large

Award

The Marjorie Loughrey Artists in the Schools Grant is an annual grant of up to $2,000 for an OCDSB Elementary school.

Application period: Monday, January 24th – Friday, May 24th, 2024

To view a sample application, click here.

OCDSB Staff – Apply here on behalf of your school.

Donate here; thank you!