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. If you haven’t signed up yet for Arts E-News, please do so here.

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 2024

Headshots for two African American men
Justin Austin and Howard Watkins

University of Delaware Master Players Concert Series
Justin Austin & Howard Watkins
Newark
PS

In honor of Black History Month, on Sunday, February 25, this vocal-piano power duo will perform a diverse program that centers on pieces by composers of color.​

Discover the exceptional artistry of baritone Justin Austin, hailed as a “gentle actor and elegant musician” by Opera News and praised for his mellifluous voice in The Wall Street Journal. A multifaceted musician, Mr. Austin’s repertoire spans jazz, R&B, musical theatre, opera, and oratorio, collaborating with renowned artists such as Aretha Franklin and Elton John. He strongly believes in using his artistry to benefit communities worldwide, working with organizations like MEND and QSAC to perform benefit concerts for those in need.

American pianist Howard Watkins is celebrated as a frequent collaborator with the world’s leading musicians and an acclaimed assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera. He has performed in iconic venues around the globe and has served on the faculties of institutions such as Tanglewood Music Center and Aspen Music Festival.

Young baritone Justin Austin sang ‘Peculiar Grace’… with burnished sound and vulnerability. – The New York Times​ on Justin Austin​

Tickets are available at this link. 100 minutes including intermission | Ages 10+ | In Person, Livestream, or On Demand​

Master Players Concert Series (“Master Players”) serves as the cultural ambassador for the University of Delaware. Producing Artistic Director Xiang Gao, international artist and University of Delaware Trustees Distinguished Professor of Music, brings a rich and wide array of world-class musicians to the UD campus and to underserved local communities. The series’ hallmarks are its high artistic standards, the Delaware debuts of remarkable artists, and its diverse and distinctive programming.

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.