Individual Artist Fellowships

To be eligible for Individual Artist Fellowship, applicants must:

• Must be a resident of Delaware for at least one year at the time of application. A legal resident possesses a valid Delaware driver’s license or DMV-issued identification card and files state income taxes in Delaware as a full-year resident. All awards are subject to verification of Delaware residency.
• Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.
• Must remain a Delaware resident during the grant period (January 1 – December 31, 2026).

Ineligible applicants:

• Students currently enrolled in a degree or certificate-granting educational program at the time of application.
• Any recipient of a Masters Fellowship.
• Fellowship recipients who have received an award within the past three years (FY2023, FY2024, and FY2025) are ineligible to apply in the Emerging or Established Professional categories.
• Applicants who submit incomplete applications or applications that do not follow the required format.
• A member or relative of a member of the Delaware State Arts Council or Division staff.
• Applicants with outstanding final reports from any past Division of the Arts grants.

Waiting Periods and Restrictions:

• Artists applying in a discipline that they teach at the undergraduate level are ineligible to apply in the Emerging category. They must apply in the Established category.
• Only one Fellowship application may be submitted per year.
• Previous Individual Artist Fellowship recipients are not eligible to apply for a second Fellowship in the same artistic discipline and category.
• Emerging Artist Fellowship recipients may apply in the Established Professional category in the same discipline after a three-year hiatus that begins after the Fellowship year. A 2021 Emerging Artist (awarded January 2021) would be eligible to apply this year for an FY2025 Established Professional Fellowship in the same discipline.
• Artists may apply in the Masters category if they received an Established Professional Fellowship in that discipline more than seven years ago (prior to 2018) regardless of subsequent awards in different disciplines.

The Fellowship program provides competitive grants in three categories with monetary awards of $5,000, $8,000, and $12,000 to Delaware artists. Fellowships are awarded for demonstrated creativity and skill in an art form with artistic quality as the primary determinant.

• Emerging Professional Fellowships in the amount of $5,000 are available to artists who have not yet established reputations in their fields. Artists applying in a discipline that they teach at the undergraduate level are ineligible to apply in the Emerging category. They must apply in the Established category.
• Established Professional Fellowships in the amount of $8,000 are available to artists who have significant achievements in their fields.
• A Masters Fellowship in the amount of $12,000 is available to artists that have received an Established Fellowship in the same discipline more than 7 years ago.

Categories:

Applicants may select between the Emerging ($5,000 award) and Established ($8,000 award) Professional categories.

• Emerging Professional is in the early stages of their career.
• Established Professional is more experienced and has achieved some recognition for their artwork (example: prizes, awards, publication)

In Fiscal Year 2025, Masters ($12,000 award) Fellowship applications will be accepted in the disciplines of Literary and Media Arts from artists who received an Established Professional Fellowship in the same artistic discipline more than seven years ago (prior to January 2018). Masters Fellowships will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Excellence of work
• Significant accomplishments in their field
• Sustained history of artistic activity within Delaware

The Masters is offered in select disciplines that rotate on a three-year basis:

• Fiscal Year 2025: Literary and Media Arts
• Fiscal Year 2026: Visual Arts and Folk Arts
• Fiscal Year 2027: Dance, Jazz, or Music

In addition to the general Fellowship application materials, Masters applicants must submit a full CV or resume and a one-page narrative describing the breadth of their work to include the impact it has had in Delaware and beyond. Masters applicants should leave their name on their CV and in the narrative.

Guidelines:

Please note, the Guidelines have been updated for the 2025 fiscal year. Please, download and read the 2025 Individual Artist Fellowship Guidelines here.

The Delaware Division of the Arts strives to keep our Independent Artist Fellowship applications concise, while gathering the essential information needed for a thorough and fair evaluation. We aim to balance simplicity with the comprehensive details necessary to ensure we can effectively assess each project’s potential impact and success.

To maintain your anonymity, do not provide any information which might reveal your identity to the jurors. Do not include your name in your artist statement, your work samples, embedded metadata, or in the work sample file names. Visual artists are encouraged to obscure their signatures.

Submission consent: When submitting a Division of the Arts Fellowship application, applicants must agree that they have read the Guidelines, meet the eligibility requirements, and are submitting their own original work and that work is not produced by or with AI or in collaboration with another artist.

The Individual Artist Fellowship application requires:

Twenty disciplines are offered in Fiscal Year 2026:

• Dance: Choreography
• Folk Art: Music*
• Folk Art: Oral Literature*
• Folk Art: Visual Arts*
• Jazz: Composition
• Jazz: Performance
• Literature: Creative Nonfiction
• Literature: Fiction
• Literature: Playwriting
• Literature: Poetry
• Media Arts: Video/Film
• Music: Composition
• Music: Contemporary Performance (hip-hop, popular, R&B)
• Music: Solo Recital (classical)
• Visual Arts: Crafts
• Visual Arts: Painting
• Visual Arts: Photography
• Visual Arts: Sculpture
• Visual Arts: Works on Paper
• Visual Arts: Interdisciplinary (combines two or more visual arts disciplines or media arts)

An application may be moved to a different artistic discipline due to juror recommendations or at the discretion of Division staff.

*Folk Arts: Artists whose work expresses the traditions of their ethnic, occupational, religious, family, or geographic group and whose skills have generally developed without formal instruction or institutional direction are eligible to apply. Being self-taught does not automatically qualify one as a folk artist. Folk Arts applications may be switched to another discipline based on the recommendations of a Folk Arts specialist prior to the adjudication process. If you are unsure whether you qualify as a folk artist, contact Roxanne Stanulis, Program Officer at Roxanne.Stanulis@delaware.gov or 302-577-8283.

Anonymity

The jurors will only review your artistic statement and work samples in an anonymous review process. To maintain your anonymity, do not include your name or identifying information in your artist statement, your work samples, embedded metadata, or in the work sample file names. Visual artists are encouraged to obscure their signatures. Masters applicants should leave their names on their CV and narrative.

Standardized Naming Conventions

The smARTDE system uploads work sample files by how they are named, not in the order they were uploaded. To have work samples appear in a specific order, rename your samples with a two-digit number, an underscore, and a file name before uploading them. For example: 01_filename; 02_filename; 03_filename, etc. Reminder, please do not include your name (in any form) in the title of your files.

Dance: Choreography

• Upload video of two to three live, choreographed performances completed in the last three years.
• Provide information in the “Properties” window (click the pencil icon under the work sample) about each work sample including title, the length of each full performance and work sample, dates premiered, role in creation, and (optional) sound credits.
• Each video upload must be in mp4, mov, wmv, or m4v format, and no longer than five minutes in length.
• Remove identifying information in metadata and file names.

Folk Arts: Music

• Upload two to three audio work samples from the last three years.
• The submitted recordings must represent contiguous portions of each performance (do not submit medleys or compilations of highlights or excerpts).
• Provide information in the “Properties” window (click the pencil icon under the work sample) about each work sample including title, the length of each full work and work sample, date of completion, and the instrument(s) the applicant is playing or the voice part of the applicant.
• Each audio upload must be in mp3 or wav format, and no longer than five minutes in length.
• Remove identifying information in metadata and file names.

Folk Arts: Oral Literature

• Upload two to three audio OR video work samples from the last three years.
• Provide information in the “Properties” window (click the pencil icon under the work sample) about each work sample including title, the length of each full work and work sample, and date of completion.
• Each audio upload must be in mp3 or wav format, and no longer than five minutes in length.
• Each video upload must be in mp4, mov, wmv or m4v format, and no longer than five minutes in length.
• Remove identifying information in metadata and file names.

Folk Arts: Visual Arts

• See requirements under visual artists.

 Literature (creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, playwriting)

• Upload a 15–20 page section/selection of prose, poetry, or drama written or significantly revised during the last three years in PDF format.
• Works may have been published, but must be submitted in manuscript form.
• Unfinished work is acceptable.
• Pages should be typed, double-spaced, and formatted for 8.5×11-inch paper, on a white background, and numbered.
• Font size for all samples should be 10 or 12 point font only.
• Include the title and year of each work sample at the beginning.
• Do not include your name in the work sample.
• For prose samples that include more than one selection, place title and year at the beginning of each.
• Poets may single-space poems and place title and year at the beginning of each.
• Playwrights may submit single-spaced work.
• Remove identifying information from file names.

 Media Arts (film, video)

• Upload two to three work samples from the last three years.
• Provide information in the “Properties” window (click the pencil icon under the work sample) about each work sample including title, date of completion (or if in progress, when begun), the artist’s role in production, and the length of each full work and work sample.
• Each video upload must be in mp4, mov, wmv or m4v format, and no longer than five minutes in length.
• Remove identifying information in metadata and file names.

Music: Composition and Jazz: Composition

• Upload two to three audio work samples from the last three years.
• The submitted recordings must represent contiguous portions of each performance (do not submit medleys or compilations of highlights or excerpts).
• Provide information in the “Properties” window (click the pencil icon under the work sample) about each work sample including title, the length of each full work and work sample, date of completion, and the instrument(s) the artist is playing.
• Each audio upload must be in mp3 or wav format; no longer than five minutes in length.
• Remove identifying information in metadata and file names.
• Submit a score, lead sheet, or in the case of electronic music where a score may not appropriately represent the piece, a narrative about the musical elements, composition process, and production techniques in PDF format. Keep your name and identifying information out of the score/lead sheet/narrative to maintain an anonymous review process.

 Music: Contemporary Performance, Music: Solo Recital, and Jazz: Performance

• Upload two to three audio work samples from the last three years.
• If the applicant appears with another performer(s) on the submitted samples, the applicant must be easily identifiable as the main performer in the performances.
• The submitted recordings must represent contiguous portions of each performance (do not submit medleys or compilations of highlights or excerpts).
• Provide information in the “Properties” window (click the pencil icon under the work sample) about each work sample including title, the length of each full work and work sample, date of completion, and the instrument(s) the applicant is playing or the voice part of the applicant.
• Each audio upload must be in mp3 or wav format; no longer than 5 minutes in length.
• Remove identifying information in metadata and file names.

Visual Arts (crafts, painting, photography, sculpture, works on paper, interdisciplinary, and folk art)

• Upload 10 digital images of work completed in the last three years.
• Images of details or other views are acceptable, but a minimum of seven works must be represented.
• Composite images (multiple images combined into a single image file, generally to show multiple perspectives or details of a single work) are not allowed.
• Installation artists’ images must represent at least two works.
• Digital images must be in jpeg, jpg, gif, or png format. (Applicants in Visual Arts: Interdisciplinary who use video in their work may submit files video files in mp4, mov, wmv, or m4v format.)
• Provide information in the “Properties” window (click the pencil icon under the work sample) about each work sample including title, the medium, date of completion, and dimensions.
• Remove identifying information in file names, and we recommend you obscure your signature or marks before uploading to preserve your anonymity.
• Visual artists will be asked if they wish to be considered for an exhibition in the Mezzanine Gallery (for calendar year 2026). If the applicant checks “yes,” the first five images from the submitted Individual Artist Fellowship application will be reviewed by a separate Gallery Panel of arts professionals in 2025. Additional information about the Mezzanine Gallery exhibitions is available on the Division’s website.

The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) contracts with Mid Atlantic Arts (MAA) for the purpose of administering the adjudication process of this program. Out-of-state artists and arts professionals with significant achievements and recognition in their respective fields are identified as juror candidates. One juror is selected for each artistic discipline, and new jurors are selected each year.

After DDOA staff approves the final juror candidates, the jurors review the applicant’s artistic statement and work samples in an anonymous review process. Each application is reviewed and ranked within subgroups based on the artistic discipline and category (Emerging, Established, Masters). The jurors are instructed to evaluate the work samples based upon artistic quality using a rubric within each of the categories. The artistic statement is an opportunity for applicants to put their work into context for the juror. To maintain anonymity, resumes are not provided to the jurors and are for DDOA and Delaware State Arts Council use only.

After the jurors finish their application review and ranking, MAA ensures completeness. The results are then analyzed by Division staff and a cohort of the highest ranked applicants by discipline is presented to the Delaware State Arts Council for review and approval. Delaware State Arts Council members view a presentation with the cohort’s names and work samples. The number of Fellow applicants presented to the Delaware State Arts Council for review is dependent on the Division’s available funding. There is no minimum or quota per discipline for awarding Fellowships.

The highest ranked Masters Fellowship applicants are evaluated by the Delaware State Arts Council for the significance of accomplishments in their fields and sustained history of artistic activity within Delaware as determined from the applicants CVs and Masters narratives. The Delaware State Arts Council votes on awarding the Masters Fellowship. The number of Masters Fellows presented to the Delaware State Arts Council for review is dependent on the Division’s available funding. There is no minimum or quota per discipline for awarding Masters Fellowships.

All applicants are notified of results via email after the December Delaware State Arts Council meeting. The cohort of Fellows is publicly announced in mid-January.

Funding decisions may be appealed only based on procedural error or impropriety. The Appeals Process is available on the Division’s website.

The list of jurors and their bios will be available to applicants in smARTDE under the Award Info tab after applicants are notified of results via email. The jurors’ suggestions for the applicant will be available upon request. Jurors are asked to provide a brief response to the question, “What suggestions (or comments) do you have for the artist regarding their work?” The answer to this question is not reviewed by the Delaware State Arts Council and has no bearing on the Division’s or Delaware State Arts Council’s review of the juror’s results. It is only provided for the applicant’s consideration.

Please note: Applicants are prohibited from communicating with jurors or using the juror’s comments in any context.

Notification:

All applicants will receive notification via email within four weeks of the application deadline. Applicants approved for a grant will receive additional instructions from Division staff via email to receive their payments.

eSupplier:

To receive a grant payment, individuals must have an active State of Delaware eSupplier record.

We recommend that you choose to receive payments through Automated Clearing House, an electronic fund transfer, when completing or updating your eSupplier record. Electronic fund transfers are faster than mailing a check.

• First-time grantees: will receive instructions on how to register electronically as an individual (not a business) in the State of Delaware’s eSupplier Portal. *If you’re an individual, your Tax Identification Number is your Social Security Number
• Past grantees: will receive instructions for checking and updating their eSupplier record.

Questions about eSupplier? Please contact: Division of Accounting by email at FSF_Supplier_Maintenance@delaware.gov or by phone at (302) 526-5600.

Payment:

After the Division staff receives confirmation of your eSupplier registration, payments will be sent to the accounting office to process.

You can expect to receive your grant payment approximately two to four weeks after contacting Division staff with your eSupplier information.

In the event that you receive an Artist Fellowship, this Statement of Assurances and Obligations serves as your contract, if you as an applicant individual (ARTIST), are awarded a grant. Funding for the Division of the Arts (DIVISION) is provided by the Delaware General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts: Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Partnership Agreement #45.025. Individual grants consist of state funds, federal funds, or a combination. Submission of the application and acceptance of a fellowship award signifies the Artist agrees to the following requirements:

1. The ARTIST shall present to the public in the State of Delaware, examples of work in an exhibit, performance, master class, screening, public reading, or other presentation appropriate to the artistic discipline in which the ARTIST works. The public presentation shall take place before the end of the Grant Year and shall be scheduled after consultation with the Division for full publicity and statewide exposure. Extensions may be granted, but final payment is withheld until after the public presentation occurs.
2. The public presentation shall comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended; The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 as amended; The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990; The National Environmental Policy Act, if applicable; The National Historic Preservation Act, if applicable and where applicable; The Age Discrimination Act of 1975; statutes regulating lobbying with appropriated monies including Title 18 U.S.C. Section 1913, Section 319 of Public Law 101-121 Certification regarding lobbying, etc., and Title 45 CFR Part 1158; and all other restrictions and requirements in the DIVISION grant guidelines corresponding to this PROJECT/PROGRAM.
3. In addition to the required public presentation listed above, the applicant is expected to participate in a group exhibition of Fellowship winners organized by the Biggs Museum and attend the Award Ceremony in Dover.
4. The ARTIST shall indemnify and hold harmless DDOA from any and all liabilities, losses, or damages including reasonable legal costs and fees, which DDOA may incur as a result of claims, demands, law suits, or judgments arising from or in connection with the ARTIST’s performance of this agreement.
5. The ARTIST shall submit a Final Report on or before December 1 of the Grant Year. Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of final payment and preclude the applicant from future funding.
6. Certify that he/she will comply with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988.
7. Complete/update an e-supplier registration form via the State’s online portal for payments as an individual (not a business).
8. When submitting a Division of the Arts Fellowship application, applicants must agree that they have read the Guidelines, meet the eligibility requirements, and are submitting their own original work and that work is not produced by or with AI or in collaboration with another artist.

If awarded a fellowship, the ARTIST also agrees that:

1. Uses of funds may include, but are not limited to, studio rental, supplies and materials, technical production, score reproduction, continuing education, professional critique.
2. Funds received in conjunction with this application will not be used for lobbying or foreign travel or for tuition used in degree-granting programs. If the ARTIST enrolls in a degree-granting program for the arts during the Fellowship year, a portion of the Fellowship may need to be returned.
3. The ARTIST must remain a resident of the State of Delaware until the Fellowship is completed. If the ARTIST moves out of state, a portion of the Fellowship may be forfeited.
4. The ARTIST acknowledges that his/her services regarding any award shall be as an independent contractor and that nothing contained herein shall be construed to constitute them as an employee of the Division, Department of State, or the State of Delaware.

A completed Final Report is required of all fellowship recipients. The final report collects narrative, fiscal, and demographic information in keeping with DDOA and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) requirements. Successful completion of a final report is required for eligible grantees to be able to access future grants. Final reports are completed in SmartSimple, the same online grants management system used for applications. Final Reports are due by December 1 of the fellowship year, and must be submitted through smARTDE.

Fifteen percent (15%) of the fellowship amount will be forfeited if the Final Report has not been submitted to the Division by the December 1 deadline and may jeopardize future DDOA grants.

2024 Individual Artist Fellows

2023 Individual Artist Fellows

2022 Individual Artist Fellows

2021 Individual Artist Fellows

2020 Individual Artist Fellows

2019 Individual Artist Fellows

2018 Individual Artist Fellows

2017 Individual Artist Fellows

2016 Individual Artist Fellows

2015 Individual Artist Fellows

2014 Individual Artist Fellows

2013 Individual Artist Fellows

2012 Individual Artist Fellows

2011 Individual Artist Fellows

2010 Individual Artist Fellows

2009 Individual Artist Fellows