Following its Dover premiere, the exhibition tours to the Historic Odessa Foundation and the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center.

Statewide, Del. (June 4, 2026) – The Delaware Division of the Arts and the Biggs Museum of American Art will open Award Winners XXVI on Thursday, June 4, celebrating 26 years of honoring Delaware’s Individual Artist Fellowship recipients. This year’s exhibition spotlights 27 artists, the largest class in the program’s history, working across sculpture, painting, poetry, fiction, music composition, folk arts, photography, video, and more.

In total, the Division is investing $184,000 in this year’s fellows, with awards of $12,000 for the Master Fellow, $8,000 for each of 14 Established Professional Fellows, and $5,000 for each of 12 Emerging Professional Fellows. The Division also named 5 runners-up, each of whom received an honorarium. Since 2020, the Delaware Division of the Arts has granted more than $950,000 to Delaware artists through the Individual Artist Fellowship program.

Wilmington-based sculptor Dennis Beach is the 2026 Master Fellow in Visual Arts: Sculpture. Beach has built a 25-year regional practice from his Newport, Delaware studio, with 19 solo and 35 group exhibitions to his credit. His work is held in collections as diverse as Comcast, Dansko, the University of Delaware (where he taught), and the Delaware Art Museum, which recently exhibited several of the major pieces included in his Fellowship application portfolio. Beach holds an MFA in sculpture from the University of Delaware and a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and describes a practice that “transforms materials like plywood, acrylic, and paint into objects that capture the beauty and order I find in nature.”

The full roster of 27 fellows and 5 runners-up, with hometowns and disciplines, is available at arts.delaware.gov/programs-events/iafrecipients/.

This year’s fellows live and work in 14 communities across all three Delaware counties, including Georgetown, Middletown, Bear, Townsend, Newark, Magnolia, Bethany Beach, New Castle, Rehoboth Beach, Farmington, Lewes, Milford, Smyrna, and Wilmington. The Division received 246 applications for the 2026 cycle, an unprecedented level of interest that prompted DDOA to expand the fellowship funding pool by 20 percent.

“At the Division, we believe backing individual artists is one of the most direct ways a state can strengthen its creative sector,” said Jessica Ball, Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “The $184,000 we are investing in this year’s fellows is a significant commitment to the people whose work defines Delaware’s cultural life, and we are proud to stand behind every fellow as they put this funding to work in their studios, rehearsals, and writing rooms. Award Winners XXVI gives Delawareans the chance to see firsthand what that investment makes possible.”

“Hosting Award Winners each year is one of the most anticipated moments on our calendar,” said Laura Fravel, Curator at the Biggs Museum of American Art. “The caliber and range of this year’s class is remarkable, with twenty-seven artists working in sculpture, painting, poetry, music composition, folk arts, photography, and more. Visitors will see Delaware’s creative depth on full display, and we cannot wait to welcome the public into the galleries on June 4.”

Following its premiere at the Biggs Museum, Award Winners XXVI will travel to the Historic Odessa Foundation and the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center, expanding statewide access to the work of Delaware’s 2026 fellowship artists.

Opening Reception Details:

 Thursday, June 4, 2026

Awards Ceremony and Performances from 5:30–6:30 p.m.

The Schwartz Center for the Arts

226 S. State Street, Dover, DE 19901

Featuring live performances by several 2026 fellows.

Reception from 6:30–8:00 p.m.

The Biggs Museum of American Art

406 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901

Featuring networking with the 2026 fellows and the exhibition.

Award Winners XXVI Exhibition Tour:

The Biggs Museum of American Art

406 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901

Exhibition: May 28 – August 16, 2026

Opening Reception: Thursday, June 4, 5:30–8:00 p.m. (see Opening Night details above)

Open Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Admission is free.

Historic Odessa Foundation

201 Main Street, Odessa, DE 19730

Exhibition: September 1 – October 25, 2026

Reception: Thursday, September 17, 6–8 p.m.

CAMP Rehoboth Community Center

37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Exhibition: November 4, 2026 – January 8, 2027

Reception: Saturday, November 7, 2–4 p.m.

For the full list of 2026 fellows and runners-up, biographical information, and details on the Individual Artist Fellowship program, visit arts.delaware.gov/programs-events/iafrecipients/.

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About the Biggs Museum of American Art

The Biggs Museum of American Art, located in Dover, Delaware, celebrates the rich artistic heritage of the United States through its outstanding collection of American fine and decorative arts. With rotating exhibitions, educational programs, and community collaborations, the Museum aims to inspire a deeper appreciation and understanding of American art. For more information, visit www.theBiggsMuseum.org.

Contact: Kerri Lacey, Director of Marketing & Public Relations, Biggs Museum of American Art, 302.760.5305, kerri.lacey@thebiggsmuseum.org

About the Delaware Division of the Arts

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.

Contact: Andrew Truscott, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications, Delaware Division of the Arts, 302-577-8280, Andrew.truscott@delaware.gov  

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