Arts E-News

January 11, 2016
Paul Weagraff, Director
The  Delaware Division of the Arts  would like to wish you
a happy, healthy,  and productive 2016!
My Art Story by the Delaware Division of the Arts

My Art Story by the Delaware Division of the Arts
Tell Us Your Art Story - Delaware
Since the beginning of 2015, the National Endowment for the Arts has been gathering stories from the general public and grantees, elected officials and agency directors, artists and art lovers across the country about the importance of art in their lives and their communities.

In collaboration with the Delaware Division of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts celebrates its  50th Anniversary with this series, United States of Arts: Tell Us Your Art Story.
Annual Grant Deadlines - March 1st
The eGrant system is now open for all FY2017 Division grant programs with a March 1, 2016 application deadline. This includes the following grant programs for Delaware-based organizations:
  • General Operating - supports annual operating expenses to ensure that year-round participation in the arts is available to the people of Delaware.
  • Education Resource - supports arts organizations, public schools, or school districts seeking grants to strengthen school-based arts education projects
  • StartUp - support for emerging arts organizations so that they can operate in a sustainable manner
  • Arts Stabilization -supports improvements to facilities owned (or under long-term lease) and operated by the organization

  • Project Support - supports community organizations (non-arts) offering arts activities

For more details on all programs and eligibility, please visit the grants webpage.
Appointment of 17th Poets Laureate - The Twin Poets

Nnamdi Chukwuocha and Albert Mills with Governor Jack A. Markell Photo by: Courtney McGregor
On December 16, in a ceremony at the Delaware Art Museum, Governor Jack A. Markell appointed the Twin Poets, Nnamdi Chukwuocha and Albert Mills, as the 17th Poets Laureate. "I'm thrilled to appoint the Twin Poets to the Delaware poet laureate position," said Governor Markell. "Their artistic excellence, combined with extensive experience in outreach to underserved communities and infectious love of poetry and spoken word will be a benefit for all Delawareans." The event was covered by The News Journal and many other outlets.

For more information about the Twin Poets, please visit our Poet Laureate page.
2016 Individual Artist Fellowship Winners
The prestigious Individual Artist Fellowships from the Delaware Division of the Arts recognize artists in a variety of disciplines for their outstanding quality of work and provide monetary awards.

This year a record number of artists applied for this fellowship. One hundred and eighteen (118) artists applied and sixteen (16) were awarded in the following categories - one, Masters; ten, Established; and five, Emerging. In addition, four artists earned an honorable mention.
Masters Award ($10,000)
  • Ramona DeFelice Long, Newark, Literature: Fiction
Established Professional Award ($6,000)
  • Siobhan Carroll, Greenville, Literature: Fiction 
  • Lisa Dill, Wilmington, Literature: Creative Nonfiction
  • Diane Lorio, Dover, Visual Arts: Painting
  • Ron Meick, Wilmington, Visual Arts: Works on Paper
  • Joshua Meier, Middletown, Visual Arts: Photography
  • Abby Millager, Newark, Literature: Playwriting
  • Kiandra Parks, Wilmington, Media Arts: Video/Film
  • Maggie Rowe, Newark, Literature: Poetry
  • Phillip Scarpone, Wilmington, Visual Arts: Sculpture
  • Bruce Tychinski, Newark, Music: Solo Recital
Emerging Professional Award ($3,000)
  • J. Barbagallo, Claymont, Literature: Fiction 
  • Linda Celestian, Wilmington, Visual Arts: Painting
  • Sherry Gage Chappelle, Rehoboth Beach, Literature: Poetry
  • Victor Letonoff, Lewes, Literature: Creative Nonfiction
  • Zaneta Zubkova, Wilmington, Visual Arts: Works on Paper 
Honorable Mention
  • M ahasveta Barua, Newark, Literature: Creative Fiction
  • Jen Epler, Wilmington, Literature: Fiction
  • Glenn Holmstrom,  Claymont, Visual Arts: Painting
  • Mia Muratori, Wilmington, Visual Arts: Painting
On the Mezzanine

Aaron Keith Hoffer, Sentient Ooze, Acrylic, Ink, Latex, 4" x 4", 2015
February
The Delaware Division of the Arts Mezzanine Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of paintings by Aaron Keith Hoffer.  Psychic Future will be on view from 
February 5 - 26, with an opening reception on Friday, February 5 from 5 - 7 p.m. 

Hoffer's abstract paintings are created through the use of materials that repel, interact and converge on the surface. He explains that his aim is "to achieve a sense of wholeness in an abstract context through sheer sensory overload."


Robert M. Bickey, Children of the Infinite,birch plywood, dental lead, wood balls and paint,
7' x 7' x 7', 2015
January
Bent by 2015 Artist Fellow, Robert M. Bickey, is now on display in the Mezzanine Gallery through
January 22. Watch the Meet the Artist video  with Bickey.

The Mezzanine Gallery is open weekdays from
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and located in the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

The schedule of upcoming artists through August 2016 is now available here.
Sign up here to receive Mezzanine Gallery email invitations for upcoming exhibits.
Featured Council Member

Five new members were appointed to the Delaware State Arts Council this past fall. This month we feature Donna Blakey.

Donna began her professional career as a certified drug and alcohol counselor, supervisor, and educator working with adults and adolescents and their families in outpatient, intensive outpatient, and day treatment settings. After 15 years she moved into the child welfare arena. Currently she works as the Senior Program Specialist at the Children's Research Center within the National Council on Crime and Delinquency.

Donna is a native of Delaware. She has her doctoral degree in educational leadership and supervision, a master's in human resources with a concentration in adult learning and professional development, and a bachelor's degree in psychology.

She is also a performing and visual artist.  Donna is an active member of the Mispillion Art League in Milford, DE.
Launch of Arts & Economic Prosperity 5
The Delaware Division of the Arts is joining with Americans for the Arts' in its next national economic impact study, Arts & Economic Prosperity 5! The Division's participation in this important research project will allow us to quantify the economic impact of the arts and culture industry in Delaware, and update information that we gathered in the previous study, Arts & Economic Prosperity 4. The study requires:
  1. The collection of detailed financial and programming information from all of the arts and culture organizations located in Delaware
  2. A minimum of 1,200 audience-intercept surveys from people who are attending arts and culture events. Working in partnership with the Delaware Arts Alliance, we will be asking you to help us with at least one of these two tasks-and maybe both-during the course of calendar year 2016.
Poetry Out Loud - State Competition

Poetry Out Loud (POL), the statewide high school poetry recitation competition, will take place at the Smyrna Opera House on Tuesday, February 23 at 7 p.m. Twenty (20) Delaware high schools plan to send one student each to the competition. The event is FREE and open to the public.
 
The winner of the state competition will receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC, to compete in the National Finals on May 2-4, 2016.
 
Poetry Out Loud encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country. More than 100,000 students are expected to take part in POL nationwide this year.
Joint Finance Committee
The Governor's proposed  FY2017 budget will be released and available for public review on
Thursday, January 28. Following the release of the budget, the General Assembly's Joint Finance Committee (JFC) will conduct public hearings to review each department's proposed budget.

The Department of State's budget hearing before JFC is slated for review on  Wednesday, February 3 at 1:30 p.m. in Legislative Hall. The Division of the Arts, an agency in the Department of State, will be included in this review. These hearings are open to the public. Please check the   legislative calendar   for updates to the schedule.

The Delaware Arts Alliance plans to coordinate a presentation to address the value of the arts in economic development, education, and quality of life. For details, contact the  Delaware Arts Alliance .
Get Ready for More Jazz Music in Wilmington!

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation has accepted the  Light up the Queen Foundation into the   Jazz Touring Network (JTN). The network provides professional development and peer mentoring, and facilitates jazz music touring through collective action and performance fee subsidies. The JTN is made possible through the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts' Regional Touring Program.

Opportunities (selected)
For more opportunities including grants, residencies, auditions, calls for artists, and jobs in the arts, visit the Division's  website .
International/National/Regional Grant Deadlines:
Ongoing Division Grant Deadlines:
Calls for Artists:
Professional Development & Networking Opportunities:
Find cultural events and attractions all in one place, 
now soon, and near you. And don't forget to sign up for Scene Stealers - our bi-weekly digest of arts and cultural events delivered straight to your inbox
The What's On app uses your location to show you arts and cultural events all
at your fingertips. Visit apps.delaware.gov to download the app on Android or iOS.
The Delaware Division of the Arts  is an agency of the State of Delaware. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. Funding for Division programs is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit  artsdel.org  or call 302-577-8278 .