Arts E-News

May 5, 2016
Paul Weagraff, Director
Poetry Out Loud 2016 - Congratulations Hannah Sturgis!



Hannah Sturgis, Delaware's 2016 Statewide Poetry Out Loud Champion, competed in the National Poetry Out Loud Competition on Tuesday, May 4, in Washington DC. With solid performances on her round one and round two poems, Hannah was selected to compete in the third round of the regional semi-finals. As the first Delawarean to attain this level in the national competition, Hannah represented Delaware with poise and grace while reciting her third poem. Congratulations Hannah! And congratulations to the 2016 National Poetry Out Loud Champion, Ahkei Togun from Virginia! 

Pictured above center: Eleanor Billington,  National Endowment for the Arts; Hannah Sturgis, Delaware State Poetry Out Loud Champion; and Stephen Young, Poetry Foundation, at the national Poetry Out Loud Semi-Finals. Photos by James Kegley.
Meet the 2016 Artist Fellows
Each month, we present two fellows and provide their upcoming public events and programs, where you can experience their work. 

Bruce Tychinski
Established Professional, Music: Solo Recital

Dr. Bruce Tychinski is Associate Professor of Trombone at the University of Delaware where he teaches, directs the trombone choir and UD Slides jazz trombone ensemble, and hosts an annual Trombone Day. Dr. Tychinski has performed with orchestras, chamber groups, and jazz ensembles throughout the United States and abroad. He will perform with the Cape Henlopen High School Concert Band on May 18  at 7:30 p.m.  Read More

Linda Celestian
Emerging Professional, Visual Arts: Painting

Linda Celestian received a BFA from Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia and completed a year of Graduate Studies called the 5th Year Program. She's experimenting with new mediums and has been accepted for a two-week course at the Corning Museum of Glass Studio this summer. Celestian will display her work in the Mezzanine Gallery in November.
 Read More
Mark your calendars! In addition to their individual appearances, the Fellows will be part of a collective group exhibition at the Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover from August 6 - October 22, 2016.
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards - Delaware Winners

Congratulations students! The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the country's oldest and most prestigious recognition program for creative students in grades 7-12, recognizes talent in 29 artistic categories. Top winners are eligible for over $3.9 million in scholarships. In 2016, nearly 320,000 works were submitted nationwide at the regional level. Of those, 18,932 moved on to the national level. Fewer than 1% of those works were awarded a national medal.

Image: Aries, by John Vaile
American Vision and Voices
  • Emilie Ginn, Tatnall School, 12th Grade, Critical Essay
  • Katherine Guggenberger, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, 12th Grade, Film & Animation
  • John Vaile, Archmere Academy, 12th Grade, Sculpture
Gold Medal
  • Meredith Capuli, Archmere Academy, 11th Grade, Painting
  • Chloe DiCamillo, Sanford School, 9th Grade, Ceramics & Glass
  • Emily Lugg, Archmere Academy, 9th Grade, Memoir/Essay
  • Alexis Peabody, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, 12th Grade, Printmaking
Silver Medal
  • Emilie Barniak, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, 7th Grade, Mixed Media
  • Alina Caulfield, Sanford School, 12th Grade, Memoir/Essay
  • Isabel Edstrom, The Tatnall School, 11th Grade, Drawing
  • Adiah Holmes, Calvary Christian Academy, 8th Grade, Fashion
  • Ainsley Knox, The Tatnall School, 11th Grade, Drawing

  • Sarah Panek, Concord High School, 9th Grade, Memoir/Essay

  • Kyna Smith, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, 12th Grade, Poetry

  • Zihan Wu, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, 11th Grade, Digital Art
On the Mezzanine

Cold Storage Beach, Truro, 2013, oil on linen, 16" x 20"
June
Recent Paintings by Denise Dumont will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from June 3-24, 2016, with an opening reception on Friday, June 3 from 5-7 p.m.
 
A landscape painter, Dumont paints both urban and coastal scenes in an impressionist style. She works mostly on location in the plein air tradition. Dumont explains, "I return often to the places I feel most connected to and aim to convey more than simply how a place looks, but some aspect of its character and how it feels to me."
Photo from "My Human and I"
May
Photographs by Yaprak Soysal will be on display in the Mezzanine Gallery during the month of May. My Human and I is an exhibition of photographs featuring dogs. The artist reception will be held tomorrow, Friday, May 6 from 5-7 p.m.  The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. Learn more about Ms. Soysal by viewing our Meet the Artist video series.
 
The Mezzanine Gallery is open weekdays from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and is located in the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

The schedule of upcoming artists through August 2016 is available here.
Sign up here to receive Mezzanine Gallery email invitations for upcoming exhibits.
2016 Delaware Seashore Poetry & Prose Writers' Retreat

Spend four days writing at the beach in the company of fellow writers at the Indian River Marina! Writers of all levels of experience are invited to apply. Must be a Delaware resident at the time of application. The deadline to apply is  Monday, June 20, 2016 by 4:30 p.m. Learn more  
Opportunities (selected)
For more opportunities including grants, residencies, auditions, calls for artists, and jobs in the arts, visit the Division's  website .
America's Craft Rising Stars 
American Craft Week will name 30 exceptional young craftspeople under the age of 30 this coming August. Nominations will be accepted until May 15, 2016. Learn more
Delaware Playwriting Group meets at 3 p.m. on the third Saturday of the month at the Brandywine Hundred Library, 1300 Foulk Road, Wilmington, DE. Interested playwrights should contact Jamie Brunson for more details.
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 .