A joint initiative of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED), Empire State Partnership grants are given to projects which pair cultural organizations with schools across New York State.

Empire State Partnerships (ESP) is dedicated to identifying, supporting and developing promising practices in collaborations between cultural organizations and schools. The focus of the project is on the achievement of the New York State Learning Standards and the improvement of teaching and learning in New York Schools.