That's a Wrap! Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition Winners | | Congratulations to our 2026 Delaware State Employee award winners! This year's Celebration Weekend was well attended and allowed participants to mingle and share their work. Snacks, activities, special giveaways, and certificates were provided during the weekend. | | 2026 Writers Retreat Applications Open May 1 | | |
The Delaware Division of the Arts is hosting the 2026 Writers Retreat from November 5-8, 2026 at the Biden Environmental Center in Cape Henlopen State Park. This is a special opportunity to get away from everyday life and focus on creative writing in a relaxed coastal setting. Participants will have time to write, connect with peers, work alongside established authors, give and receive feedback in workshops, and get inspired!
Applications will be accepted from creative writers in the following areas: fiction; creative nonfiction; and poetry. The application process is competitive, and participants will be chosen based on the merit of their work. If selected, there will be a fee for the Retreat, which includes a private room and most meals.
| | 25th Annual Award Winners Ceremony - June 4 | | |
The Delaware Division of the Arts is thrilled to announce the exhibition, Award Winners XXVI, marking the 26th consecutive year of hosting this exhibition in partnership with the the Biggs Museum of American Art. Showcasing the exceptional work of Delaware's Individual Artist Fellowship recipients, the exhibition will be on view from May 28 to August 16, 2026
An opening reception, awards ceremony, and public performances will be held on June 4 from 5:30-8:00pm. The Opening is free to attend and promises to be an exciting celebration of artistic excellence.
| | April is National Poetry Month! | | |
National Poetry Month was inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world with schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets celebrating poetry’s vital place in our culture.
Each week, we’ll reveal our poet and poem of the week. National Poetry Month content will be available on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, so follow along on your favorite platform.
We start 2026's National Poetry Month with a poem from 2026 Emerging Fellow Hadrian Cerulean.
| | Spring Sessions of CreatiVeterans Now Open! | | CreatiVeterans is an eight-week art course for Delaware's veteran population, hosted at convenient locations throughout Delaware. Led by a trained teaching artist, this course introduces a range of artistic techniques and mediums to explore. No prior experience is required, as the teaching artist will guide you through each step of the process. You’ll have the chance to express yourself, connect with fellow veterans, and experience the power of creativity. At the end of the course, you will have the opportunity to showcase your work in an exhibition, providing an opportunity to share your artistic achievements with family, friends, and the community. | |
Sussex County - 5 spots remain!
The Power of Visual Creativity
Taught by Barbara Calkins
April 9 - June 4 I Thursdays from 12-2pm
Drawing inspiration from iconic artists and our own lives, this class explores a wide range of materials—from paint and paper to graphic images, natural objects, and upcycled items. Participants will tap into their creative power, strengthen skills, and learn more about their personal creative process while building community with fellow Veterans. Open to all levels, classes include material introductions, demonstrations, one-on-one and group guidance, journal prompts, and guided meditations to help you discover your own creative voice.
The workshop series will culminate with a celebratory event featuring the participants’ artwork. No previous experience is necessary.
Venue: American Legion Post 17, 113 American Legion Rd, Lewes, DE 19958
| | | Opera America Conference Comes to Wilmington! | | |
Join OPERA America and OperaDelaware May 12-15 in Wilmington, DE, for the world's largest gathering of opera administrators, artists, trustees, and advocates at Opera Conference 2026. Featuring four days of networking, discussions, panels, and performances.
When you attend the Opera Conference, you join colleagues, peers, and associates from across North America with a shared dedication to advancing the art form and industry.
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Gain insights from inside and outside the field at inspiring plenary sessions.
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Learn practical tips in breakout sessions to expand your on-the-job skill sets.
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Reconnect with colleagues and expand your professional network to advance your career.
- Enjoy performances of new and traditional works produced by the conference’s host company.
Did we mention their keynote speaker is Stephen Schwartz?! Stephen Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for the current Broadway hit Wicked, and has also contributed music and lyrics to Godspell, Pippin, The Magic Show, The Baker’s Wife, Working, Children of Eden, and The Queen of Versailles, among other shows.
| | Join us for a Free Event with Donna Walker-Kuhne | | |
On behalf of Bridge Art Gallery and the Delaware Division of the Arts, we are delighted to invite you and your organization to join us for a very special gathering: a Fireside Chat with Donna Walker-Kuhne.
This open and inviting conversation will center on how artistic communities can meaningfully connect, grow inclusive audiences, and create a more vibrant cultural ecosystem.
Thursday, April 16 | 5:00 – 7:00 PM
Capacity is limited — reservations are first-come, first-served.
| | Additional DDOA Grant Opportunities | | The Delaware Division of the Arts offers a variety of grant programs for individual artists; nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations chartered and based in Delaware; and schools and government entities that support arts activities. | | |
Arts Access
Supports small budget projects that include the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media, or folk arts in communities throughout the state. Organizations that receive General Operating Support are generally not eligible to apply.
Rolling deadline – submit at least 6 weeks prior to the project start date.
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Artist Residency
Grants for residencies with visual, literary, performing or media artists working with students in the classroom or in professional development workshops with teachers.
Rolling deadline – submit at least 6 weeks prior to start of the scheduled residency.
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Artist Opportunity
Grants provide up to $1,000 to support individual artists with unique professional and artistic development or presentation opportunities. Please note: there are new application components required for this application to verify identity and residency requirements.
Next deadline: July 15
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TranspARTation
Grants that support transportation costs (up to $500) for schools to bring students to Delaware arts and cultural institutions and venues in order to attend arts performances, events, and exhibits.
Rolling deadline – submit at least 6 weeks prior to the field trip date.
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Applications for Mid Atlantic Arts' Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects Now Open
Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects grants fund projects that support the vitality of traditional arts and cultures in Mid Atlantic Arts' region. Non-profit organizations in DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, PR, USVI, VA, or WV may apply for $1,000 to $5,000 grants. A 1:1 match is required.
Eligible project activities may include performances, public art collaborations, workshops/training, exhibitions, fieldwork, documentation, and the creation of new traditional work. Mid Atlantic Arts encourages projects that cross state/territory borders, as well as projects that support or engage underserved or underrepresented artists, practitioners, traditions, or constituents.
Deadline: April 30
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Applications for Mid Atlantic Arts' Mid Atlantic Presenter Initiative Now Open
The program supports performing arts engagements including public performance and community engagement at small and mid-size arts and community organizations, with budgets under $3 million.
Presenters can receive up to 50% subsidy for the presentation of an artist/company (including artistic compensation, housing, per diem, and travel.)
Mid Atlantic Arts is committed to supporting diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible programming in our region. We encourage projects that demonstrate clear mission impact, strong artistry, well-rounded community and artist engagements, and thoughtful and inclusive efforts to engage audiences systemically underserved by the arts.
Deadline: April 30
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Next Lt. Governor Creative Economy Virtual Convening
Join the Delaware Arts Alliance for Lt. Governor Kyle Evans Gay’s Creative Economy Convening, taking place via Zoom on Thurs. April 16 from 10:00-11:00AM.
This convening will build upon Recommendation #19 from the CREATE Plan: “Improve professionalization related to copyright and IP with the support of legal professionals” and will include a discussion with Delaware Attorney, Aaron Harburg and a Q&A on Legal Needs & Services for Artists.
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Next Arts and Culture Caucus Meeting - May 14, 2026
The bipartisan, bicameral Delaware Arts and Culture Caucus meets at least twice per session, providing a platform for experts, nonprofits, educators, artists, and stakeholders to discuss relevant policy initiatives supporting the arts and cultural sector. The caucus aims to cultivate legislative dedication to understanding the importance of arts and cultural offerings in Delaware, supporting diverse art disciplines and cultural programs for their intrinsic value in building resilient communities and fostering economic development. The caucus operates in collaboration with the Delaware General Assembly and Delaware Arts Alliance.
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On the Mezzanine -
Mike McSorley
The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery is pleased to present “Out of the Ordinary”, a solo exhibition of new work by Mike McSorley, on view April 10-24, 2026. An opening reception will be held Friday, April 10, 5:00–7:00 p.m., in the Mezzanine Gallery, located in the Carvel State Office Building at 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.
McSorley’s work is rooted in a long-standing admiration for everyday objects and a sensitivity for the mundane. From filling school notebook margins with three-dimensional drawings to photographing wheels and sewage pumps at age eight, his early fascination with overlooked subjects shaped a practice defined by close observation. Over time, the act of attributing personality and life to people, places, and objects matured into a genuine empathy that pervades his work. For McSorley, every subject has a spirit that comes from its conception.
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Biggs Museum of American Art
May 28-August 16
Reception: Thursday,
June 4 I 5:30-8pm
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Historic Houses of Odessa
September 1-October 25
Reception: Thursday,
September 17 I 6-8pm
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CAMP Rehoboth
Community Center
November 4-January 8
Reception: Saturday,
November 7 I 2-4pm
| | | | 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 arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278. | | | | |
