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Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs launches At Home Concert Series

Historical and Cultural Affairs | Kent County | News | Date Posted: Wednesday, May 27, 2020

(DOVER, Del.—May 27, 2020)—As part of a growing effort to bring Delaware’s historic places, stories and artifacts to life online, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA) has introduced a new digital feature highlighting local music and historic sites across the First State: The At Home Concert Series, now live on HCA’s YouTube channel.

The first concert in the series, a solo, half-hour performance by singer/guitarist Mike Miller, was recorded live in the historic courtroom of The Old State House in Dover. The series will continue with additional concerts featuring artists from around the region performing in historic venues across the state.

Photo of Mike Miller — YouTube of Mike Miller performing at The Old State House as part of the At Home Concert Series

“History and the arts go hand-in-hand and we have a great tradition of playing host to local musicians and performers at Delaware’s historical sites,” said HCA Director Tim Slavin. “The At Home Concert Series makes that relationship even stronger and allows for more Delawareans to connect with our shared history digitally.”

The series is a partnership between HCA and the Delaware Friends of Folk, a Dover-based nonprofit that supports folk music and folk musicians on the Delmarva peninsula and throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. As part of the partnership, the Friends of Folk identifies musicians and groups to perform in the series, and the division provides the performance space and audio/visual expertise for recording the concerts.

In his introduction to the series’ inaugural concert, John Kidd, president of the Friends of Folk’s board of directors noted, “We are in the midst of a very strange situation and artists are suffering along with everyone else. What we are going to try to do with this series is to bring some artists into your computer and let you see what people are doing locally.”

The At Home Concert Series is the latest collaboration between the two organizations. Annually since 2014, HCA has worked with the First State Heritage Park and the Friends of Folk to present The Old State House Concert Series, a set of free live performances held in The Old State House on the second Friday of each month between October and March.

In response to the coronavirus state of emergency, the division has been developing new ways in which Delawareans can engage online with First State history. This included the launch of the Delaware Digital History Museum, available on the HCA website, which provides a wide variety of electronic opportunities to experience Delaware history remotely.

Stay tuned to the division’s YouTube channel for additional performances in the At Home Concert Series. Information on The Old State House Concert Series, tentatively scheduled to resume in the fall, will be posted on the Friends of Folk website.

The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is an agency of the State of Delaware. The division enhances Delaware’s quality of life by preserving the state’s unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history. The division’s diverse array of services includes operation of five museums which are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, administration of the State Historic Preservation Office, conservation of the state’s archaeological and historic-objects collections, operation of a conference center and management of historic properties across the state. Primary funding for division programs and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, a federal agency. However, the contents and opinions expressed in the division’s programs and services do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Department of the Interior.