Samuel McGarvey to Represent Delaware in 2018 Poetry Out Loud National Finals
From a competitive field of 12 Delaware high school students, Samuel McGarvey, a sophomore from Tall Oaks Classical School, earned the title of 2018 Poetry Out Loud Delaware State Champion at the state finals held in Dover, Del. on Feb. 27.

The first runner-up was Dounya Ramadan from Newark Charter Jr./Sr. High School and the second runner-up was Richard Matthews from Dover High School. 

For his winning presentation, McGarvey will receive $200 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington with a chaperone to compete at the national championship on April 23-25. Tall Oaks Classical School will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials.
Back Row: Andrew Dingwall, Melina Hudson, Dounya Ramadan, Avery Chambers, Matthew Byer, Tyler Keeler
Front Row: Chelsea Anokye-Agyei, Julian Clark, Giovani Malcolm, First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney, Richard Matthews, Whitney Grinnage-Cassidy, Samuel McGarvey. Photo: Joe del Tufo
From the Director
Governor John Carney has declared March as “ March for the Arts Month.” The arts are an essential element of a complete and well-rounded life, and Governor Carney has called upon all Delawareans to observe the month by participating in or attending arts-related activities. His proclamation recognizes the important collaboration between the Delaware Division of the Arts and State Arts Council, Department of Education, and the Delaware Arts Alliance in supporting and promoting the arts.

Our work with the arts community and our partners reveals incredible stories about how the arts improve our lives through economic growth, educational enrichment, and community development. The arts enhance quality of life, attract businesses, engage communities, challenge the status quo, and transform lives. Explore the range of programs and activities we support through our YouTube Channel.

If you haven’t already, take the time now to keep abreast of the opportunities available to you through our state arts calendar, DelawareScene.com. Join us on Facebook and Twitter! Participate in the arts! Acquaint yourself with one of Delaware’s many artists, get carried away by the magic of a theater performance, frequent one of Delaware’s world-renowned museums, experience one of Delaware’s many unique festivals. You’ll be glad you did!
Delaware State Employee Art Exhibit Open
Please join us for the 7th Annual Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition sponsored by The National Arts Program® and the Delaware Division of the Arts. This program is designed to give Delaware state employees and their families, at any skill level, a unique opportunity to exhibit their artwork and to compete for cash prizes. The exhibit and the reception and awards ceremony are free and open to the public!

Don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award ! You can "like" your favorite(s) on Facebook or vote onsite at the Gallery starting now. A third option is to send your choice(s) by email to Dana Wise . The People's Choice winner will be announced at the closing reception and awards ceremony on March 18. Voting closes on March 15 . To vote, visit our Facebook page .
In Memoriam: Robert Fitzgerald
The Division of the Arts was saddened to learn of the passing of Robert Fitzgerald, a member of the Delaware State Arts Council. Rob was an extremely engaged member of the Council, spirited participant in the arts, and wonderful person to be around. 

Rob’s involvement in the arts over the years went far beyond his work on the Council. As noted in the Cape Gazette obituary , Rob was “a lover of classical music and theater, he was a board member of the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra and Clear Space Theatre Company.”

We will miss him tremendously.
Meet the 2018 Artist Fellows
Maribeth Fischer
Established Professional, Literature: Creative Nonfiction
Maribeth Fischer is the founder and Executive Director of the Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild and often teaches writing workshops for the organization. Her current work explores the subject of happiness. Fischer will have her public reading this fall.
Kevin Bielicki
Emerging Professional, Visual Arts: Sculpture
Kevin Bielicki’s work investigates intersections and boundaries between painting and sculpture. His work often exists on the wall, but maintains a visual and physical connection to the space occupied by the viewer. Bielicki will exhibit his work in the Mezzanine Gallery this November.
On the Mezzanine
Edge of Destiny
“Intuition,” 2017, 60″ x 72″, acrylic and spray paint
Edge of Destiny , an exhibition of paintings by Terrance Vann, will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery through March 29, 2018. The Gallery is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

Wilmington artist Terrance Vann received a 2017 Delaware Division of the Arts Emerging Fellowship in Painting . This exhibition features all new work and some of Vann’s most ambitious paintings to date. His themes often deal with the human experiences of development and awareness in hopes to inspire critical thoughts from the audience. He describes his style as “living at the intersection of street art and fine art.” Several of the works feature complex fragmented characters painted on a large scale with colorful graffiti-esque backgrounds. Utilizing symbols and words, Vann’s works promote mindfulness and tell stories.

Learn more about Vann with our YouTube Meet the Artist video series.
The Mezzanine Gallery, open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is located in the
Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington. 
Featured Opportunities
Save the Date: "Fundamental Not Ornamental 4" Teacher Summer Institute
Sponsored jointly by the Delaware Department of Education and the Division of the Arts, this statewide summer professional development opportunity convenes arts educators from schools, organizations, as well as, teaching artists for two days of engagement in how to implement the new national arts standards. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Registration will open next month.
Kent/Sussex Counties
Milford Central Academy
1021 N. Walnut Street, Milford, DE 19963
July 11 & 12
8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. both days
New Castle County
Wilbur Elementary School
4050 Wrangle Hill Road, Bear, DE 19701
July 18 & 19
8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. both days
Mezzanine Gallery: Call for Applications!
Visual artists who are interested in being considered for a solo exhibition in the Mezzanine Gallery in 2019, must submit an application by March 15, 2018. For more information and to access the online application form, visit the Mezzanine Gallery Application page .

Please note: Artists who completed an Individual Artist Fellowship application in 2017 and selected "yes" to the Mezzanine Gallery question will automatically be considered by the Gallery Panel and do not need to complete the application.
The Division has embarked on a year-long digital advertising campaign to to increase reach and engagement on DelawareScene.com. We remind and recommend that organizations, business and individual artists, submit their 2018 events as soon as they are scheduled, and no later than the recommended deadlines below. Submit now
Event Date
March & April
May & June
July & August
September & October
November & December
January & February, 2019
Submission Deadline
As soon as possible
March 15
May 15
July 15
September 15
November 15
Artist Opportunity Grant Deadline: April 1, 2018
This small, competitive grant is intended to offset an artist's expenses for a specific unique presentation opportunity that is scheduled, or a discrete professional development opportunity. Examples include: materials to complete work for a specific show or program; the cost to rent a facility for a performance; study with a master for a specified period of time. In the application, the artist will need to explain how the opportunity is unique and how it will benefit his/her career as an artist.

Deadlines are quarterly, and the January deadline is for activities occurring between May15, 2018 and August15, 2018. Interested artists should review the information and guidelines. Artists should contact Roxanne Stanulis with questions or to discuss whether a specific project is eligible for consideration.
Ongoing Division Grant Deadlines
Artist Opportunity: deadline 4/1/18, for activities happening between 5/15/18-8/15/18

Artist Residency: rolling deadline, submitted at least 6 weeks prior to start of scheduled residency

Artist Roster : rolling deadline.
Arts Access Grants: rolling deadline, submitted at least 6 weeks prior to project start date

TranspARTation Grant: rolling deadline, submitted at least 6 weeks prior to field trip date
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.