Arts Spotlight written on a dark blue background with unfocused orbs of light

 

Each month we feature arts and community-based organizations and their programs and projects funded by the Delaware Division of the Arts in our Arts Spotlight which will be included on our monthly e-newsletter, Arts E-News and online.

Funding for Division of the Arts grants is provided by the Delaware General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts. To view past grants awarded (1999 to present), please visit our Grants Awarded page.

Grant Types: GOS – General Operating Support; PS – Project Support

February 2026

 

A historic red-brick opera house building on a street corner, featuring a tall tower with a spire and decorative trim, photographed on a clear day with a leafy tree framing the top left.

The Smyrna Opera House
Spring 2026 Season
Smyrna
General Operating Support

The Smyrna Opera House serves all of Kent County Delaware and beyond. The theatre hosts over 50 shows and or productions every year from Broadway shows to national touring musical groups to Grammy award winning artist to over 20,000 patrons. They also have visual art shows, and also have space to rent to the public for different family events.

The Smyrna Opera House ignites the community’s passion for the arts by celebrating and fostering local talent here in central Delaware. As a vibrant cultural arts center, they are dedicated to showcasing and developing local creative, visual, and performing artists while offering affordable access to the arts and varied cultural experiences to people of all ages and backgrounds.

The Month of February Kicks off their new Spring season off shows to our community and beyond. They will start on February 12th having our annual Preview Show. This is a member only event where our members come out to a nice evening of food and drinks, and get to preview all the new shows for the upcoming season. They also sell tickets to all the shows that night giving our membership the first chance to buy tickets for many of these great shows.

For more information, to buy tickets, or to learn more about the multiple ways you can support the Smyrna Opera House, visit www.smyrnaoperahouse.org.

Circular logo for the Delaware Photographic Society with the words “DELAWARE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY” around the top and “FOUNDED 1931” around the bottom; inside is the outline of Delaware with a camera on a tripod, laurel branches on both sides, and small red stars.

Delaware Photographic Society
Ami Vitale presents The Stories that Connect Us
Wilmington
General Operating Support

The Delaware Photographic Society (DPS) provides the opportunity to learn about photography with monthly educational events and presentations. They also provide members the opportunity to compete in projected image competitions and print competitions. The organization enjoys being with others who share their passion of photography.

Coming in February: Ami Vitale presents The Stories that Connect Us. This speaker program is on February 23rd from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Ami Vitale is an acclaimed National Geographic photographer, writer, and filmmaker. Join them for an unforgettable exploration of our profound connections to the natural world. Through powerful stories and breath taking imagery, Ami reveals how protecting nature is inseparable from protecting ourselves. In this talk, Ami will share the stories behind her images, the lessons she’s learned from the wild, and how each of us can be a force for hope and change in a rapidly shifting world. A sought-after speaker, she continues to share her experiences and insights with audiences worldwide. This presentation is on Zoom and free and open to the public. To watch this even, click here.

To learn more about DPS, one of the oldest Camera Clubs in the US established in 1931, visit: www.delawarephotographicsociety.org.

The White Chip on a black background

New Light Theatre
The White Chip
Wilmington
General Operating Support

New Light Theatre is professional theatre company based out of Delaware, committed to bringing light to the darkness by creating theatre that raises awareness and support for causes that improve the human condition while placing special emphasis on providing opportunities for emerging young theatre artists to work in a professional setting.

Sean Daniels’ honest, frenetic, and wildly theatrical play The White Chip candidly chronicles a journey toward sobriety. Aiming to de-stigmatize substance use disorder, this funny, honest, and, ultimately, hopeful story illustrates the importance of recognizing our own true worth, prioritizing our connection to others, and learning to live with addiction while coming alive in recovery.

New Light Theatre is committed to bringing light to the darkness of the world, to raising awareness and support for organizations that illuminate, and to deepening our empathy and connection with one another through meaningful artistic work. In accordance with this mission, The White Chip will partner with atTAcK addiction, whose mission is to raise awareness about the disease of substance use disorder. Through educating communities, assisting families in their quest for information, and supporting those in recovery, atTAcK addiction seeks to remove the stigma associated with this disease by effecting positive change in Delaware. To learn more, visit https://www.attackaddiction.org/

To learn more, or purchase tickets, visit www.newlighttheatre.com

The projects above are supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes these and other Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com.

The Division offers a variety of grant programs for individual artists; nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations chartered and based in Delaware; and schools and government entities that support arts activities. View a full list of Division grants on the Grants Overview page.