Delaware Division of the Arts Earns Six Awards at 2026 National Communications Contest

STATEWIDE, Del. (September 28, 2026) – The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) earned six awards at the 2026 National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) Communications Contest, announced September 26 at NFPW’s national conference in Ellicott City, Maryland, recognizing the work of the Division for excellence in communication and storytelling. NFPW represents professionals and students working across the communications spectrum in the United States.

“Receiving national recognition like this is a testament to the talent and dedication of Delaware’s arts community,” said Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez. “National recognition brings greater visibility to the Division of Arts, along with the artists and organizations it supports, to people across the country. That visibility strengthens our creative economy, celebrates the talent found throughout our state, and reinforces Delaware’s reputation as a place where the arts thrive.”

“These awards came out of everyday work: a radio spot, a poster, a video, an annual report,” said Jessica Ball, Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “Having that work hold up against communicators from across the country tells me the stories we are telling about Delaware’s arts community are connecting. The credit belongs to the artists, organizations, and partners who give us something worth telling in the first place.”

In total, DDOA earned two first-place awards, two second-place awards, one third-place award, and one honorable mention.

First Place

• DelawareScene.com radio commercial – Advertising, Radio
• 2025 Poetry Out Loud poster – Advertising, Poster, Billboard or Banner

Second Place

• CreatiVeterans: Working with Clay – Web and Social Media, Video for Web, Nonprofit or Government Organization
• 2025 Delaware Arts Summit print advertisement – Advertising, Single Advertisement

Third Place

• Arts Alive Delaware: Wilmington Children’s Chorus – Radio and Television, Interview, Television

Honorable Mention

• 2024 Annual Report – Public Relations Materials, Report

The award-winning professionals and partners behind DDOA’s national entries include Andrew Truscott and Izzy Cocuzza of the Delaware Division of the Arts, Elias Muhammad of Advocate Media, and Brandon Reed and Ivan Thomas of DETV.

These national awards make up the second tier of a two-level competition. DDOA’s entries advanced after winning first place at the state-level Delaware Press Association contest earlier this year, then competed nationally through the National Federation of Press Women.

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About the Delaware Division of the Arts

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.