Twenty-one Delaware Artists Receive Funding In Recognition of Artist Excellence

 

Statewide, Del. (January 28, 2025) – The Delaware Division of the Arts is proud to recognize 21 exceptional Delaware artists as the 2025 Individual Artist Fellows, awarding a total of $158,000 to support their creative pursuits. This year’s application cycle saw an unprecedented 191 applications from musicians, writers, and folk, media, and visual artists across the state. A panel of out-of-state arts professionals rigorously reviewed work samples, evaluating creativity and artistic excellence. The 2025 Fellows represent a diverse range of artistic disciplines and communities, hailing from Bear, Clayton, Dagsboro, Lewes, Milton, Newark, New Castle, Rehoboth Beach, Smyrna, and Wilmington. Fellowships were awarded in three categories: Master (1), Established (11), and Emerging (9), with an additional 13 runners-up recognized for their talent.

Awards are given in three categories: $12,000 for the Masters Award, $8,000 for the Established Professional Award, and $5,000 for the Emerging Professional Award. Fellows are required to offer at least one exhibit or performance during the upcoming year, providing an opportunity for the public to experience their work.

“Individual Artist Fellowship grants recognize Delaware artists for their outstanding work and commitment to artistic excellence. Our commitment to Delaware’s individual artists is at the heart of our work, and this year we’re thrilled to expand our support by increasing the funding pool for the Individual Artist Fellowships by 15%,” says Jessica Ball, Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “In response to the unprecedented number of applications, we are introducing a cohort of runners-up who will each receive an honorarium to recognize even more talented artists for their exceptional work and dedication to their craft.”

“Providing unrestricted funding to artists through the Individual Artist Fellowships allows them the flexibility to invest in their craft, explore new ideas, and focus on their work without financial constraints. These grants not only support individual growth but also enrich communities and contribute to the local economy by fostering a thriving cultural ecosystem,” says Program Officer Roxanne Stanulis.

The Masters Fellowship is open to rotating artistic disciplines each year. For 2025, Masters Fellowship applications were accepted in Literary Arts and Media Arts from artists who had previously received an Established Professional Fellowship. In addition to exemplifying high artistic quality, Masters Fellowship applicants must demonstrate their involvement and commitment to the arts in Delaware and beyond.

Viet Dinh is the DDOA 2025 Master Fellow in the field of Literature: Fiction. Dinh was born in Vietnam and grew up in Colorado. He attended Johns Hopkins University and the University of Houston and currently teaches at the University of Delaware. He has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Delaware Division of the Arts, as well as an O. Henry Prize. His stories have appeared in Zoetrope: All-Story, Witness, Fence, Five Points, Chicago Review, the Threepenny Review, and the Greensboro Review, and his debut novel, “After Disasters,” was released in 2016.

Listed below are the Delaware Division of the Arts 2025 Individual Artist Fellows:

Masters Fellow

Viet Dinh, Literature: Fiction, Newark

 

Established Fellows

Judy Catterton, Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Rehoboth Beach

Geraldo Gonzalez, Visual Arts: Works on Paper, Wilmington

Ananya Goswami, Dance: Choreography, Bear

Makeda Hampton, Music: Solo Recital, New Castle

Linda Susan Jackson, Literature: Poetry, Smyrna

Dennis Lawson, Literature: Fiction, Newark

Nadjah Nicole, Music: Contemporary Performance, Wilmington

Damon Pla, Visual Arts: Painting, Dagsboro

Rob Sample, Visual Arts: Painting, Clayton

Adam Vidiksis, Music: Composition, Wilmington

Shannon Woodloe, Visual Arts: Photography, Wilmington

 

Emerging Fellows

Paula Brown, Visual Arts Painting, Wilmington

Renita Coursey, Folk Art: Visual Arts, Wilmington

Irene Fick, Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Lewes

Don James, Visual Arts: Photography, Milton

Tim Lynch, Literature: Poetry, Wilmington

Maximillian Remmler, Media Arts: Video/Film, Newark

August Ryan, Literature: Fiction, Wilmington

Shana Starks aka “Blue Tulip”, Music: Contemporary Performance, Wilmington

Benjamin Wagner, Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Wilmington

 

Runners Up

Mary Jane Arden, Visual Arts: Works on Paper, Wilmington

Jamie Brown, Literature: Poetry, Milton

Kimberly Burnett, Literature: Fiction, Rehoboth Beach

Gale Cornelia Flynn, Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Hockessin

Alexander Hill, Literature: Poetry, Middletown

L. Jackola, Literature: Fiction. Middletown

Blazo Kovacevic, Visual Arts: Interdisciplinary, Newark

Jennifer Lang, Music: Solo Recital, Wilmington

Judith Loeber, Visual Arts: Painting, Millsboro

Chris Morrow, Folk Art: Music, Lewes

Kiandra Parks, Media Arts: Video/Film, Wilmington

Christina Peters, Visual Arts: Photography, Newark

Aki Torii, Visual Arts: Sculpture, Wilmington

 

To contact an individual artist, please email or call: Roxanne Stanulis, Program Officer, Artist Programs and Services, Roxanne.Stanulis@delaware.gov or 302-577-8283.

The next deadline for 2026 Individual Artist Fellowship applications will be Thursday, August 1, 2025 by 11:59 p.m.

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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.

About Mid Atlantic Arts
Mid Atlantic Arts supports artists, presenters, and organizations through unique programming, grant support, partnerships, and information sharing. Created in 1979, Mid Atlantic Arts is aligned with the region’s state arts councils and the National Endowment for the Arts. We combine state and federal funding with private support from corporations, foundations, and individuals to nurture diverse artistic expression while connecting people to meaningful arts experiences within our region and beyond. To learn more about Mid Atlantic Arts visit https://www.midatlanticarts.org/.

Contact: Andrew Truscott, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications

302-577-8280, andrew.truscott@delaware.gov

Wilmington, Del. (July 8, 2024) – The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery presents Vik Hart’s exhibition, “Odd Little Creatures” on view from July 5 through August 30, 2024. Guests are invited to attend a Meet-the-Artist Reception on Friday, July 12 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Due to the July 4^th holiday, Art Loop is moved to the second Friday in July.

Hart, who resides in Wilmington, Delaware, is a self-taught artist.  His first residency was held at Redux Studios in Charleston, South Carolina.  “Odd Little Creatures” will be his first solo exhibition since moving to the state of Delaware in 2021.

This exhibition focuses on a series of works portraying small creatures in an imagined world, exploring their environments and how they adapt to unique features of the places they live. Hart uses quick gestural lines to give his creatures a sense of spontaneity. His color palette adds to the otherworldliness.  

Hart’s work is heavily invested in world building and lore. As a child, Hart was more likely to spend time in class drawing monsters and creatures in his sketchbook than pay attention to the lesson, and that interest never really left him. Hart enjoys making worlds that feel real and lived in and wants to create illustrations that allow the viewer to imagine the lives happening beyond the border of the paper.

“The idea for this series came from the realization that many works of fiction set in alternate worlds focus on grandiose creatures of myth, things like dragons and genies,” says Hart. “I wanted to focus on the smaller things that live in the world, the tiny creatures that hide behind trees and live under rocks. With these pieces I want to highlight a sense of the familiar and the fantastical in a world I have been cultivating with my artwork since 2017.”

The Mezzanine Gallery, open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is located on the second floor of the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

Images in the banner: “Duvvel” (2023), watercolor and ink, 5” x 7”, “Greep” (2023), watercolor and ink, 5” x 7”, “Blue Tail” (2023), watercolor and ink, 5” x 7”

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Contact: Andrew Truscott, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications

302-577-8280, andrew.truscott@delaware.gov

The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is dedicated to cultivating and supporting the arts to enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans. 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. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.

More than 200 state employees and their family members have registered to show artwork at Delaware State University Art Center/Gallery

 

Dover, Del. (February 22, 2023) – The Delaware Division of the Arts is hosting the 12th annual Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition. The free exhibition will be open to the public from February 21 to March 12, 2023 at the Art Center/Gallery at Delaware State University, Dover. This year, more than 200 State of Delaware employees and their family members submitted artwork and will be competing for awards and cash prizes.

“From photographs to paintings and woodwork to sculpture, It’s impressive to see so much creativity and talent come together in one amazing exhibition”, says Deputy Director Kristin Pleasanton.

Visitors are invited to join Division and Art Center/Gallery staff for a special, weekend-long celebration of all this year’s participants and to see the winning artwork during the exhibition’s final weekend, Saturday, March 11 and Sunday, March 12 from 12-4 p.m. There will be activities, snacks, and giveaways for Gallery visitors.

Full visitor information can be found here. The exhibition at the Arts Center/Gallery can be viewed during these hours:

• Monday: Closed to the public
• Tuesday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Wednesday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Saturdays, March 4 and March 11: 12-4 p.m.
• Sunday, March 12: 12-4 p.m.

Prizes to be awarded include:

• Adult, Amateur, Intermediate and Professional: First Place Awards of $350; Second Place Awards of $250; and Third Place Awards of $150
• Youth / Teen: First Place Awards of $150; Second Place Awards of $100; and Third Place Awards of $50
• A Best of Show Award of $400
• An Art Education Award of $200 for reimbursement for arts instruction and materials
• People’s Choice Award, Facebook and in-person ballot
• Additional awards including Honorable Mentions will be awarded at the discretion of the judges
• Awards are limited to one cash award per artist per classification

Sponsored by the National Arts Program in support and cooperation with the State of Delaware and the Delaware Division of the Arts, the exhibit is judged by professional artists and visual art professionals. The Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition is designed to give artists at all skill levels a unique opportunity to exhibit their creative work and to compete for cash prizes.

Participants must be a current employee or immediate family member of a current employee of the State of Delaware. All entries must be the original work of the applicant and completed within the last three years. 

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Contact: Andrew Truscott, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications

302-577-8280, andrew.truscott@delaware.gov

The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is dedicated to cultivating and supporting the arts to enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans. 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. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.

For arts programming and projects taking place during
fiscal year 2024 (September 2023 – August 2024)

 

Wilmington, Del. (December 2, 2022) – The Delaware Division of the Arts has opened its annual online application process for grants for arts programming and projects taking place during fiscal year 2024 (September 2023 – August 2024). Applications will be submitted through the smARTDE online system and are due by 4:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday, March 1, 2023.

The guidelines for all grant programs are available online at arts.delaware.gov/grant-overview. Past and new applicants should read the guidelines carefully as updates may have been made and contact Division staff with any questions. A list of the Division staff members who manage the grants process, including their responsibilities and contact information, is available at the end of this release.

In FY23, the Division of the Arts awarded 115 grants for a total of $2.9 million to eligible Delaware based organizations.  You can read more here.

New to smARTDE? View the login instructions for smARTDE and watch the 30-minute demonstration video.

New Requirement This Cycle: Organization grant applications require a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Obtaining your UEI could take a minimum of 30 days. Read more about obtaining a UEI to begin the process today. CLICK HERE

Below are the Division’s grants programs and their respective deadlines. Please visit arts.delaware.gov/grant-overview/ to access the full guidelines for each program and a description of the grant review process. Some organizational grants are available throughout the year on a rolling deadline basis. 

 

Grants for Delaware Arts Organizations:

General Operating Support (GOS) – support of annual operating expenses to ensure that year-round participation in the arts is available to the people of Delaware. This grant category utilizes a three-year application cycle. Full applications are due every three years, with Interim Applications due in the “off” years. March 1 deadline.

Arts Stabilization Fund (ASF) – support for improvements to facilities owned (or under long-term lease) and operated by the organization. ASF grants are funded through the Division’s participation in the Arts Consortium of Delaware, Inc. (ArtCo) endowment. March 1 deadline.

Education Resource (EDR) – grants to strengthen standards-based arts education projects, programs, and activities that utilize the arts education resources of the Delaware arts community or strengthen arts organizations’ capacity to serve as professional development resources for teaching artists and educators. March 1 deadline.

StartUp – financial support, training, and consultation to develop and strengthen the management capacity of emerging arts organizations, or those new to the Division, so that they can operate in a sustainable manner. Completion of the StartUp program is a prerequisite for emerging organizations seeking General Operating Support. Letter of intent due January 15. If LOI accepted, March 1 deadline.

Arts Access – provides up to $1,000 to support the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media, or folk arts in communities throughout the state. Rolling deadline.                        

 

Grants for Delaware Community-Based Organizations (CBOs):

Project Support – support of arts programs provided by CBOs that assist in the growth of a vibrant cultural environment by encouraging the continued development of arts activities in communities throughout the state. March 1 deadline.

Arts Access – provide up to $1,000 to support the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media, or folk arts in communities throughout the state. Rolling deadline.

 

Grants for Delaware Schools and School Districts:

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.

Education Resource (EDR) – grants to strengthen standards-based arts education projects, programs, and activities that utilize the arts education resources of the Delaware arts community or strengthen arts organizations’ capacity to serve as professional development resources for teaching artists and educators. March 1 deadline.

TranspARTation – grants that support transportation costs up to $500 per field trip for schools to travel to Delaware arts and cultural institutions and venues for students to attend arts performances, events, and exhibits. Rolling deadline.

 

Grants for Delaware Individual Artists:

Artist Fellowship – support of individual artists in their work as visual, performing, media, folk, and/or literary artists. Download the smARTDE Instructions to learn how to log in and navigate the system. Application opens Spring 2023 with an August 1 deadline.

Artist Opportunity Grant – grants up to $1,000 in support of individual artists with unique professional and artistic development or presentation opportunities. Quarterly deadlines.

 

For questions regarding any of these programs, please contact the appropriate Division contact below:

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Staff	Role	Grant Types	Phone Number
Kathleen Dinsmore kathleen.dinsmore@delaware.gov	Organization Support	General Operating Support, Arts Access and StartUp Grants	302-577-8287
Leeann Wallett leeann.wallett@delaware.gov	Community Engagement	Project Support Grants	302-577-8282
Sheila Dean Ross sheila.ross@delaware.gov	Arts Education & Accessibility	Education Resource, Artist Residency, and TranspARTation Grants	302-577-8286
Roxanne Stanulis roxanne.stanulis@delaware.gov	Artist Programs & Services	Artist Fellowship and Artist Opportunity Grants	302-577-8283
Jessica Ball jessica.ball@delaware.gov	Director	Arts Stabilization Fund	302-577-8278

 

About the Delaware Division of the Arts
The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is committed to supporting the arts and cultivating creativity to enhance the quality of life in 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
302-577-8280, Andrew.Truscott@delaware.gov

Twenty-five Delaware artists to receive recognition

Wilmington, Del. (January 13, 2022) – Twenty-five Delaware artists are being recognized by the Division for the high quality of their artwork. Work samples from 132 Delaware choreographers; composers; musicians; writers; and folk, media and visual artists were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals, considering demonstrated creativity and skill in their art form. The 25 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware including Dover, Georgetown, Hockessin, Lewes, Magnolia, Middletown, Newark, Smyrna, Townsend and Wilmington.

Awards are given in three categories: $10,000 for the Masters Award, $6,000 for the Established Professional Award, and $3,000 for the Emerging Professional Award. Fellows are required to offer at least one exhibit or performance during the upcoming year, providing an opportunity for the public to experience their work. Additionally, the work of the Fellows will be featured in a group exhibition, Award Winners XXII, at the Biggs Museum of American Art tentatively set for June 3 through July 23, 2022.

“Individual Artist Fellowship grants recognize Delaware artists for their outstanding work and commitment to artistic excellence,” said Jessica Ball, director of Delaware Division of the Arts. “The financial award allows them to pursue advanced training, purchase equipment and materials, or fulfill other needs to advance their careers. The Division of the Arts understands that artists have been hard hit by the economic fallout of the pandemic and was pleased to be able to allocate some additional funds to recognize more artists this year.”

The Masters Fellowship is open to different artistic disciplines each year. In Fiscal Year 2022, Masters Fellowship applications were accepted in Literary Arts and Media Arts from artists who had previously received an Established Professional Fellowship. In addition to exemplifying high artistic quality, Masters Fellowship applicants must demonstrate their involvement and commitment to the arts in Delaware and beyond. Listed below are the Delaware Division of the Arts 2022 Individual Artist Fellows.

Linda Blaskey has been awarded this year’s Masters Fellowship in Literature: Poetry. Blaskey’s work has been chosen for inclusion in Best New Poets, 2014, and in North Carolina’s Poetry on the Bus project for National Poetry Month. She is poetry/interview editor emerita for Broadkill Review, is coordinator for the Dogfish Head Poetry Prize, and current editor for the new online journal, Quartet. She organized a presentation of Icelandic poetry for the Rehoboth Beach Film Festival, and her work was included in Southern Delaware Choral Society’s presentation of Haydn: “Mass in the Time of War.” She sat on the panel, “Collaborative Publishing,” for Western Maryland Indie Lit Festival at Frostburg State University. Blaskey’s work has been published in numerous journals and anthologies, and she is the author of four poetry collections, two of which are collaborations, one forthcoming in 2022. She lives with her husband on a small horse/goat farm in Sussex County, Delaware.

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2022 Individual Artist Fellows

Masters Award ($10,000)

Established Professional Award ($6,000)

Emerging Artist Award ($3,000)

To contact an individual artist, please email or call: Roxanne Stanulis, Program Officer, Artist Programs and Services, Roxanne.Stanulis@delaware.gov or 302-577-8283.

The next deadline for Individual Artist Fellowship applications will be Monday, August 1, 2022 by 11:59 p.m.

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.

Image: 2021 Award Winners exhibition at the Biggs Museum of American Art. Artwork by Jack Knight, 2021 Established Professional, Visual Arts: Sculpture.

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Contact: Kaitlin Ammon, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications
302-577-8280, kaitlin.ammon@delaware.gov