Arts E-News

June 8, 2017
Paul Weagraff, Director
Introducing our new website arts.delaware.gov!
Our new website has been completely redesigned with you in mind. The site is packed with dynamic content, entirely mobile friendly, and most of all, easier to navigate. In addition, we have a new web address: http://arts.delaware.gov.

During this time, we need your help updating your website links to our new address. We'll have a re-direct from the current to new URL in place, so you can make the change at this time. While we anticipate keeping the re-direct active for a few months after the transition, we encourage you to make the changes now, before the re-direct expires.

P lease feel free to contact Leeann Wallett , website administrator, with your questions or concerns.
Delaware Arts Alliance Rallies for the Arts
Delaware's Joint Finance Committee and General Assembly have the unenviable task of constructing a state budget for Fiscal Year 2018 that balances revenue and expenses, while maximizing services that impact communities, education, and the economy. In response to proposed cuts to state-funded arts programs, the Delaware Arts Alliance has been active in speaking up on behalf of the arts and the role they play in enriching lives through education, downtown development, employment, and producing a positive return on investment. Learn how you can join in their efforts by contacting the Delaware Arts Alliance at http://www.delawareartsalliance.org . 
ArCH - Arts, Culture, & Heritage Preservation Field Days
 
On May 1, 8, and 15, downtown Dover's Green was host to over 1,400 fourth graders from six Delaware school districts. The Division of the Arts participated with the First State Heritage Park, Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Delaware State Parks, Delaware Public Archives, Delaware Forest Service, National Park Service, Lenape Tribe of Delaware, Biggs Museum of American Art, Delaware Agricultural Museum, Lewes Historical Society, Delaware Geographic Alliance, and First State Club to present 18 stations with activities aligned to State Education Standards in history, art, and science.
Meet the 2017 Artist Fellows
The prestigious Individual Artist Fellowships from the Delaware Division of the Arts recognize artists in a variety of disciplines for their outstanding quality of work and provide monetary awards. Join us each month as we present Fellows from this year's cohort. Learn more

Mahasveta (Gitu) Barua
Established Professional, Literature: Fiction

Gitu Barua, an assistant professor in the English department at the University of Delaware, is currently at work on a novel based on her childhood in India and "growing up memories filled with fantastic creatures." 


Ray Magnani
Emerging Professional, Visual Arts: Photography

Ray Magnani, a retired teacher, received the Fellowship for a photo essay called Rust. The photos document the destructive property of oxygen while exploring the beauty in that process. 

2017 Americans for the Arts Annual Leadership Awards
Each year, Americans for the Arts recognizes the achievements of individuals and organizations committed to enriching their communities through the arts. The Michael Newton Award recognizes an individual for his or her innovation in developing arts and business partnerships for the arts and/or long-term achievement in effective and creative techniques to engage the private sector. This year's award winner is Dr. Guillermina Gonzalez, multicultural professional with experience in the United States, Mexico, and Europe as an executive in both the corporate and the nonprofit sectors. See Dr. Gonzalez's recent op-ed with the News Journal  about the profound need for national arts funding for both the business and arts sectors, as well as the communities in which they live.
On the Mezzanine
ELECT_RICITY,  18" x 12.5", Artist's book, Digital prints, 2016
June
Alternatively True Facts will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from now through June 30, 2017.

In this exhibition, Gaiter explores the concept of "facts" after the 2016 election season. She arranges public texts and statements from traditionally reliable sources (books, major news sources, etc.) in relationship to images that may enhance or challenge their meaning. At a time when images, words, and meanings can be manipulated, Gaiter invites viewers to question assumptions.   To learn more, watch the Meet the Artist   video with Gaiter.

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.
Featured Opportunities
Individual Artist Fellowship Application Open

The Fiscal Year 2018 Individual Artist Fellowship Application is now available. This year's Masters category is Dance, Jazz, or Music. The guidelines with links to the eGrant application and work sample preparation guide are available here.

Please be sure to read the guidelines completely and note the requirements for file uploads. Audio and video file sizes have increased this year! Applicants should not include their names in work samples, artist statements, or file names to maintain anonymity.

A webinar for new applicants will be held on Wednesday, June 28 at 5:30 p.m. Information on eligibility and how to navigate the eGrant system will be covered in the presentation. To register, please email Dana Wise .

Contact Roxanne Stanulis with any questions at [email protected] or 302-736-7435. The deadline for applications is August 1, 2017 by 4:30 p.m.
Love the Arts? Serve as an On-Site Evaluator

If you love the arts and actively participate in programs or attend events, you may be a candidate to serve as an on-site evaluator for the Division. We are currently seeking to expand our list of potential evaluators who are dependable, articulate observers with knowledge in one or more art form (you do not need to be professionally trained in the arts). Evaluators generally attend and produce a written review of two or more programs each year, including performances, exhibits, workshops or classes, and more. Experience new art forms and see more of Delaware's treasures while serving a vital role in the review of grant-funded programs. If interested, please complete the On-Site Evaluator Self-Nomination Form   and return it to [email protected].
Two Writers Conferences in Delaware this summer!
Writers of all skill levels will want to check out these day-long writers conferences in Delaware. These are excellent opportunities for writers to improve their craft and connect with other area writers.

Wilmington Writers Conference
Saturday, June 24, 2017 from 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Delaware Art Museum

The Wilmington Writers Conference will include a keynote presentation and craft talk by novelist and Wilmington-native, Christopher Castellani; eight other sessions taught by area writers will be offered including Delaware's Poets Laureate; a lunchtime discussion on Delaware's literary history and tour of the exhibition The Original Mad Man: Illustrations by Mac Conner; and a panel discussion about being a writer. Cost: $15-$25
For more information and to register visit Delaware Art Museum.

10th Annual Lewes Creative Writers' Conference
Saturday, August 19, 2017 from 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Lewes Public Library

Nationally and internationally known writers, including nature writer Lisa Couturier and poet Gerry LaFemina, will lead open sessions and small workshops in poetry, novel, short stories, flash fiction, memoir, and personal essay. Lunchtime Chats will include readings by 2017 Delaware Division of the Arts Fellows in Literature. The evening before the Conference on Friday, August 18 at 5 p.m., the library will host readings by workshop leaders. For more information and to register for free, please contact  Lewes Library.
Job and Arts  Opportunities
Check out our new Arts Opportunities page featuring:

Job opportunities - full time, part time, volunteer, and internships.
Arts opportunities - call for entries, auditions, grants, professional development, residencies; and so much more.

Division Grant Deadlines
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 .