The Artists in Residence Project 2009 puts professional artists in primary and secondary schools in selected Queensland schools to give students better access to creative opportunities in the classroom.

This project will help deliver arts and education projects for students, teachers and artists in Ipswich primary schools and in secondary schools in Charleville and Cunnamulla.

This project, with total funding of $240,000, is a collaboration between the Australia Council for the Arts, Arts Queensland and Education Queensland to provide creative opportunities for children and young people in school.

The project will enable Queensland Theatre Company to further develop and deliver its successful Indigenous Drama and Development Program in three secondary schools in the Charleville and Cunnamulla region.

Ipswich arts organisation Primary Arts Network Ipswich will use project funding to place artists in three primary schools in Ipswich.

Finally, the project will support a Creative Community Hub concept in Ipswich which will develop a long-term plan for the development of and delivery of arts and education projects for students, teachers and artists in the region."

The Queensland government was contributing $50,000 in funding and managing the program as part of the Queensland Government's arts culture + me: Children and Young People in the Arts Action Plan 2008-2011

Direct access to professional artists within schools will make it easy for students and teachers to participate in relevant and engaging arts programs, and will give artists an opportunity to broaden their experience and share their skills.

The program will also evaluate the impact of an Artist in Residence education model on student retention, achievement and learning, and look to develop effective teaching methods and practices for the arts.

The Australia Council provided $190,000 in funding as part of the Australian Government's 2008 commitment of $5.2 million distributed to states over four years – for professional artists to participate as artists in residence in schools to improve young people's access to quality arts education programs.