Three Emerging Delaware Artists Chosen for New Artist Career Development Program

Artists will receive professional development, trainings, and $20,000 over two years

Statewide, DEL. (August 10, 2023) – Three Delaware artists have been selected for the Artist Career Development (ACD) pilot program which provides two-years of sustained career support for emerging or mid-career Delaware artists, one in each county. The three ACD artists for the program are Stephanie Boateng (New Castle), Guy Miller (Kent), and Hannah Whiddon (Sussex).

“This initiative represents a tremendous opportunity for emerging artists to receive increased funding and jump-start the next phase of their careers as creative entrepreneurs,” said Jessica Ball, Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “By supporting their artistic and business practices, we aim to empower these talented individuals to realize their full potential and make a significant impact on the cultural scene in our state. We believe that through this strategic investment, we are fostering a thriving community of artists who will drive innovation, creativity, and collaboration across Delaware.”

The three artists selected will receive $10,000 for two years to advance their artistic and business practices, and to build community connections. In year two, the three ACD artists will continue growing their businesses while planning and executing an arts activity for a community in the artist’s county of residence, in partnership with an arts or community-based organization.

“It didn’t hit me until now how deeply the Division is investing in me and my career,” said Hannah Whiddon, a painter from Lewes, DE, who draws inspiration from the beauty inherent in everyday life and the human form. “The headshots and the various career-focused workshops all support my growth as an emerging artist.”

The application process was competitive, and the Division received letters of intent (LOIs) from 47 Delaware musicians, writers, and visual artists for the three spots in the program. An experienced panel reviewed the 47 letters of intent and selected seven artists to submit a full application.

Four semifinalists have received $1,500 to support professional development expenses including, but not limited to equipment, materials and supplies, professional development, space rental, marketing, and publicity of events/activities, etc.

About the Program

The ACD program includes a hybrid cohort model with some professional development and meetings in-person and others asynchronous focused on the artists’ current and future needs to sustain their work. Courses include:

Targeted career development workshops presented by Springboard Arts: Career Planning; Engaging Your Customers; and Artist Working in Community
Financial literacy with Elaine Grogan Luttrull of Minerva Financial Arts: Tax Basics for Creative Entrepreneurs; and individual financial coaching
Resources from the Delaware Division of the Arts: Delaware Artist Roster, Delaware Arts Summit, Marketing and Communications workshop by program officer, Andy Truscott, and professional headshots by Moonloop Photography, Joe del Tufo

Program Goals

The ACD program was created to expand geographic reach of funded programming and address specific outcomes as outlined in the Delaware Division of the Art’s Strategic Plan:

Enhance artists’ career-building skills by facilitating artist connections and providing training opportunities
Engage artists by connecting them to one another to enhance their work
Encourage greater collaboration among arts organizations and artists statewide

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

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.

Delaware Division of the Arts Announces Award Winners Group Exhibit to Open July 13

Wilmington, Del. (June 13, 2023) – The Delaware Division of the Arts is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated exhibition, Award Winners XXIII, showcasing the exceptional talents of 17 artists who have been named the 2023 Individual Artist Fellows. This extraordinary exhibition is curated and hosted by the Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover, Delaware. This is the twenty-third year that the Biggs Museum has held an exhibition featuring the artwork of the Division’s Fellows. Award Winners XXIII will provide a unique opportunity for the public to engage with and appreciate the remarkable work of these accomplished artists.

The Division’s Individual Artist Fellowship program recognizes outstanding artists in various artistic disciplines, including choreography, folk art, jazz, literature, media arts, music, and visual arts. A rigorous selection process was undertaken, where the artists’ work samples were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals who considered both the demonstrated creativity and skill in their respective art forms.

In 2023, the Division received an impressive number of work samples from 118 Delaware choreographers, composers, musicians, writers, and folk, media, and visual artists. Following an anonymous review process, 17 exceptional artists were awarded fellowships, representing the categories of two Masters, seven Established, and eight Emerging artists. These talented fellows reside throughout Delaware, from the communities of Bridgeville, Claymont, Felton, Harrington, Lewes, New Castle, Newark, Smyrna, Wilmington and Wyoming.

Award Winners XXIII will be presented across three remarkable venues, each offering a distinctive atmosphere for visitors to immerse themselves in the captivating artwork:

Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover, DE

Exhibition Dates: July 13 – September 24, 2023

Reception & Award Ceremony: July 14, 6-9 p.m.

CAMP Rehoboth Community Center in Rehoboth Beach, DE

Exhibition Dates: August 10 – September 8, 2023

Reception: August 10, 6-8 p.m.

Cab Calloway School for the Arts in Wilmington, DE

Exhibition Dates: October 2 – November 3, 2023

Reception: October 6, 6-8 p.m.

Artist profiles for the 2023 Individual Artist Fellowship cohort can be found here.

“Supporting individual artists is vital for a thriving arts ecosystem,” says Jessica Ball, Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “These artists are the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and cultural expression. By investing in their work, we not only contribute to the growth and vitality of the arts community but also nurture the unique perspectives and voices that enrich our society.”

“Individual artists play a crucial role in inspiring new ideas,” says Deputy Director Kristin Pleasanton. “Through their work, they invite us to explore different perspectives, engage in meaningful dialogue, and reflect on the world around us. By attending these three exhibitions, the public can show their support for these remarkable artists and acknowledge the importance of their contributions to the artistic landscape of Delaware.”

“Some of these artists are well-known. For others, this is their first museum show,” says Laura Fravel, Sewell C. Biggs Curator of American Art. “It is exciting to see the range of voices and perspectives in the Award Winners XXIII exhibition. The Biggs is dedicated to celebrating and advancing the arts in Delaware and, in honor of our 30th anniversary year, we are offering free admission during the run of this show to encourage greater public engagement with contemporary artists working in our state.”

For additional information about the Individual Artist Fellowship program, please visit the Delaware Division of the Arts website at arts.delaware.gov/iafrecipients. For more information about the Award Winners XXIII exhibition, please visit the Biggs Museum of American Art website at https://www.biggsmuseum.org.

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Contact: Andrew Truscott, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications

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

The Mezzanine Gallery to Exhibit “Inner Reflections” by Kiara Florez

On view from September 2-23, 2022

Wilmington, Del. (August 24, 2022) – The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery presents 2022 DDOA Individual Artist Fellow Kiara Florez’s exhibition, Inner Reflections, running September 2-23, 2022. Guests are invited to attend a Meet-the-Artist Reception on Friday, September 9, from 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Painter Kiara Florez was always involved in “artistic endeavors.” As a child she wanted to be a writer, “creating characters and worlds that didn’t exist” and writing stories while drawing her ideas. It was in high school – at age 16 – that Florez turned seriously to visual art. As she learned the fundamentals and explored a variety of media, she came to painting and discovered her style and artistic process. Her works, primarily paint on canvases, use acrylics to mix the primary colors together. She uses only one paintbrush as she lets the painting come to life through an intuitive process. “I often meditate to music or be surrounded by nature to find a visual for the messages and/or emotions I am trying to convey,” says Florez. “My progression of each work is loosely based on jumbles of my thoughts and feelings at the time, so there are moments where the painting can take an unexpected turn. In the end, there is always a personal and spiritual message within each work in this series.”

Based on intuition, her works begin with a faint idea of “how I want the painting to come to life.” But that process is often challenging. Since a work in progress can “change form and go in any direction it pleases,” it can require her to overpaint or even begin again. But while each work springs from a personal message, she leaves any “interpretation and analysis” up to her viewers and is especially gratified when her paintings “speak not just to the mind, but to the soul as well.”

A recent graduate of Delaware State University with a B.A. in studio art, Florez has already been seen in several exhibitions, was the Delaware winner of the 2017 Doodle4Google competition, and has had her work on view at the U.S. Capitol. Her imaginative paintings magically merge the figurative and the abstract, always informed by “nature, music, all forms of art, and dreams.”

The collection that garnered her the Division’s Fellowship is a series of acrylic paintings on canvas, colorful narratives that “explore spiritual thinking and imaginative worlds, using bold colors and wavy lines.” Both figural and abstract, her works are populated with exaggerated shapes in a vibrant color palette, a “loose interpretation of the human figure and nature” that carry Florez’ personal, spiritual messages.

Florez describes her inspiration as an artist: “This collection of paintings explores spiritual thinking and imaginative worlds, using bold colors and wavy lines to express those concepts. I let the colors connect with each other and let them dance across the canvas. The forms and shapes are highly exaggerated and appear in abstract form. Many of my works often human-like beings interacting with landscapes or other beings. The figures may not always have facial or a full body. They may be placed above a natural landscape, floating above mountains or standing tall in the sky. I create openly interpretive paintings for viewers even if there is a personal meaning behind it.”

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.

Image: “Stuck in a Daze” (2021) Acrylic painting, 30x40in

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Contact: Andrew Truscott, Program Officer, Marketing and Communications

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