News

Arts Spotlight – June 2026

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 […]

June 11, 2026

Delaware Division of the Arts Earns 20 Awards at 2026 Delaware Press Association Communications Contest

STATEWIDE, Del. (June 5, 2026) – The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) earned 20 awards at the annual Delaware Press Association (DPA) Communications Contest Awards Banquet, held on May 13 in Dover, recognizing the work of the Division for excellence in communication and storytelling. While the contest is largely comprised of journalists, it also […]

June 5, 2026

Delaware Honors 40 Students at 2nd Annual Futures in the Arts Celebration

Graduating Seniors Recognized for Commitment to Arts Education at Historic Smyrna Opera House STATEWIDE, Del. (June 2, 2026) – Forty Delaware high school seniors were honored on at the second annual Futures in the Arts celebration at the Smyrna Opera House. The May 12 event, presented by the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE), the Delaware […]

June 4, 2026

Delaware’s Largest Class of 27 Individual Artist Fellows Headlines “Award Winners XXVI”

Following its Dover premiere, the exhibition tours to the Historic Odessa Foundation and the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center. Statewide, Del. (June 2, 2026) – The Delaware Division of the Arts and the Biggs Museum of American Art will open Award Winners XXVI on Thursday, June 4, celebrating 26 years of honoring Delaware’s Individual Artist Fellowship […]

Mezzanine Gallery Presents Milton Downing’s A Good Tree

The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery is pleased to present A Good Tree, a solo exhibition of new work by Milton Downing, on view June 5 – July 3, 2026. An opening reception will be held Friday, June 5, from 5 – 7 p.m., in the Mezzanine Gallery, located in the Carvel State […]

June 2, 2026

Delaware Division of the Arts Announces Second Round of Grants in Support of Arts Projects for Fiscal Year 2026

$572,573 in Rolling Grants Will Expand Community Access to Arts Experiences Across Delaware The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) today announced a second round of Fiscal Year 2026 grant awards through several rolling and recurring grant opportunities that support timely, community-based arts activities across the state. This round represents $572,573 awarded through 209 grants, […]

May 7, 2026

Delaware Division of the Arts Accepting Applications for 2026 Writers Retreat

The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) is now accepting applications for the 2026 Delaware Writers Retreat, a four-day residential experience for creative writers taking place November 5–8, 2026, at the Biden Environmental Center in Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes, Delaware. Applications are due on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. The Retreat gives writers an opportunity […]

May 6, 2026

Delaware Division of the Arts Announces Upcoming Retirement of Deputy Director Kristin Pleasanton After 33 Years of Public Service

STATEWIDE, Del. (May 1, 2026) – The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) today announced the upcoming retirement of Deputy Director Kristin Pleasanton, effective June 1, 2026. Pleasanton concludes a 33-year career in Delaware state service in which she served under eight Governors. Pleasanton’s state service began in 1988 as Kent County Site Supervisor for […]

May 1, 2026

Mezzanine Gallery presents Mike McSorley’s “Out of the Ordinary” in April

The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery is pleased to present “Out of the Ordinary”, a solo exhibition of new work by Mike McSorley, on view April 10-24, 2026.

April 9, 2026

Delaware Veterans Connect, Create, and Showcase Their Work Through Free Statewide Art Classes

Statewide, Del. (March 30, 2026) –  Delaware veterans are picking up paintbrushes, gelli plates, and drawing pencils — and discovering that making art alongside fellow veterans is an experience unlike any other. The Delaware Division of the Arts, in partnership with the Delaware Office of Veterans Services, has announced a new round of free eight-week […]

March 30, 2026

Delaware Division of the Arts Announces 15th Annual State Employee Art Exhibition Winners

Statewide, Del. (March 24, 2026) – Every day, Delawareans rely on state employees – people who maintain public spaces, support families, protect public health, manage resources, and keep essential services moving. The Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition offers a different way to meet the public workforce: through the creative work of employees and their immediate […]

March 24, 2026

Delaware Division of the Arts Seeks Public Input in New Statewide Strategic Planning Process

Wilmington, Del. (March 11, 2026) – The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) has launched a statewide strategic planning process to develop a new five-year roadmap for how Delaware will support artists, arts organizations, and creative communities across the state. Across Delaware – and across the nation – arts and culture organizations are navigating rising […]

March 11, 2026