Delaware Division of the Arts

Arts E-News

December 2, 2015 
 
Paul Weagraff, Director 
Holiday arts and culture events abound in Delaware, including Nutcrackers, holiday art markets, holiday themed shows, concerts, films, and more.  Visit the "Holiday Happenings" section of DelawareScene.com  or download the  What's On mobile application to get the latest updates.
Grants Now Available!

The eGrant system is now open for all Division grant programs with a March 1, 2016 application deadline.  This includes the following grant programs for Delaware-based organizations:
Use the links above for more details on all programs and eligibility.  Questions should be directed to the appropriate Division staff member .
Welcome to the Division! 

Please join us in welcoming Leeann Wallett as the Division's newest Program Officer! Leeann will take over the marketing and communications responsibilities for the Division as part of a re-alignment of Division duties.
Most recently Leeann served as the Marketing Coordinator for the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Prior to that, she worked in Washington, DC at Combined Properties, Inc. as Marketing Coordinator, and at the National Geographic Museum as a Marketing Intern and Visitor Services Representative. Leeann earned her master's degree in International Arts Management from HEC Montréal & Southern Methodist University, and her bachelor's degree in Foreign Language (Spanish) & Communications Media, and a minor in Marketing from American University.
                                                                                                                               
With the Division re-alignment, grant and panel oversight will be consolidated into a single Program Officer position, with Katie West assuming those responsibilities in early 2016.
Delaware's 16th Poet Laureate Retires

After more than seven years of outstanding service to the citizens of Delaware, Poet Laureate JoAnn Balingit stepped down from her position in a ceremony on December 1 at the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts. Governor Jack A. Markell and Division Director Paul Weagraff thanked her for her service and presented her with a "Treasure Box" hand-crafted by Delaware artist and State Arts Council member Michael Quattrociocchi. The event was covered by www.WDEL.com. More details on JoAnn's tenure and accomplishments can be found on the Division website.

Image:JoAnn Balingit and Governor Jack A. Markell. Photo by Courtney McGregor.
2015 American Craft Week Winners

Out of 28 awards recognizing outstanding efforts across the U.S. to promote American Craft, Delaware received four awards!
  • Best Use of Theme "Craft Creates..."- Penn's Place, New Castle
  • Outstanding Social Media Support - Art Strolls, Anne Jenkins, Milford
  • Most Energizing Advocate - Esther Lovlie, New Castle
  • Best Event by a Library - Appoquinimink Library, Middletown
Twenty-six Delaware organizations submitted events and activities to be listed on the American Craft Week website with the Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors' Bureau providing support for many of those listings! We hope to see even more Delaware participants next year!  
On the Mezzanine - December and January

Sculpture by 2015 Delaware Artist Fellow Robert M. Bickey will be on display in the Mezzanine Gallery from December 4, 2015 through January 22, 2016 with a meet-the-artist reception on December 4 from 5-7 p.m. Watch the   Meet the Artist video with Bickey.
 
Bickey incorporates light, sound, and a sense of whimsy in the work.
The show takes advantage of the high ceiling in the Mezzanine Gallery with art that hovers over visitors' heads. Bickey's 2015 Artist Fellowship grant award helped pay for the creation of work for this exhibition.
 
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.
 
Sign up here to receive Mezzanine Gallery email invitations for upcoming exhibits. The Gallery schedule of upcoming artist exhibitions through August 2016 is now available on our website .
 
Image: Robert M. Bickey, Children of the Infinite, birch plywood, dental lead, wood balls and paint, 7' x 7' x 7', 2015
Featured Council Member  

Five new members were appointed to the Delaware State Arts Council this fall. We introduce them to you one per month in Arts E-News.
 
Madeleine Bayard  leads the Rodel Foundation's policy, programmatic, government affairs, and communications initiatives. Her portfolio focuses on K-12 and early childhood education initiatives, including student career pathways, support for teachers and leaders, and early childhood quality improvement. She has conducted strategic planning efforts for state initiatives and supported fundraising efforts for over $200 million in federal, state, and private investments. Bayard is a member of the Wilmington Mayor's Scholarship Committee and the State Chamber of Commerce's Superstars in Education Committee. She has served on committees of the Vision Coalition, Delaware Community Foundation, and United Way. Previously, Madeleine worked at the National Governors Association and The Alford Group. Madeleine earned a BA in History from Wake Forest University and a Master's in Public Policy from Georgetown University.
5th Annual DE State Employee Art Exhibition

Registration opens December 9 for the Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition sponsored by The National Arts Program® and the Division of the Arts. The exhibition is open to entries from current Delaware state employees and their immediate family members, and is judged by professional artists and visual art professionals in several categories. This is a free program designed to give artists at all skill levels a unique opportunity to exhibit their creative work and to compete for cash prizes. The show will be on view for the general public from February 22 - March 14, 2016, with a reception and awards ceremony on Saturday, March 12 at the Arts Center/Gallery at Delaware State University in Dover. For more information and to register, visit our website . 
 
Image: Best In Show, 2015,  Migration, by Stephanie Berry, Capital School District, Art Teacher, Dover
Delaware Day - Artistic Merit Awards

The Fourth Grade Delaware Day Competition , sponsored by the Department of State, is a fun and interactive way to challenge students to create displays that help illustrate and explain the U.S. Constitution and the role played by Delawareans in the writing and ratification of the nation's founding document. This year, over 1,200 students participated in schools across the state. Schools will receive awards for the content and accuracy of their submissions, and for artistic merit, on Saturday, December 5 at the First State Heritage Park Welcome Center and Galleries in Dover at 10 a.m. The Division of the Arts provides resources to classrooms so that they can enhance the visual impact of their presentations. The Division partners with the Newark Arts Alliance to provide professional artists as jurors for the artistic merit review.
Opportunities (selected)

For more opportunities including grants, residencies, auditions, calls for artists, and jobs in the arts, visit the Division's website.
 

International/National/Regional Grant Deadlines:

Ongoing Division Grant Deadlines:

Calls for Artists:

Professional Development & Networking Opportunities:

DelawareScene.com

Your source for arts and culture in Delaware.  Browse by date, region, art form, free, family-friendly or special events. Event pages provide a description of the activity, dates/times, directions and links.

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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.