DDOA Announces 2025 Individual Artist Fellowship Awardees

The content of this post comes from a press release from the Delaware Division of the Arts...

The Delaware Division of the Arts is proud to recognize 21 exceptional Delaware artists as the 2025 Individual Artist Fellows, awarding a total of $158,000 to support their creative pursuits. This year’s application cycle saw an unprecedented 191 applications from musicians, writers, and folk, media, and visual artists across the state. A panel of out-of-state arts professionals rigorously reviewed work samples, evaluating creativity and artistic excellence. The 2025 Fellows represent a diverse range of artistic disciplines and communities, hailing from Bear, Clayton, Dagsboro, Lewes, Milton, Newark, New Castle, Rehoboth Beach, Smyrna, and Wilmington. Fellowships were awarded in three categories: Master (1), Established (11), and Emerging (9), with an additional 13 runners-up recognized for their talent.

Awards are given in three categories: $12,000 for the Masters Award, $8,000 for the Established Professional Award, and $5,000 for the Emerging Professional Award. Fellows are required to offer at least one exhibit or performance during the upcoming year, providing an opportunity for the public to experience their work.

“Individual Artist Fellowship grants recognize Delaware artists for their outstanding work and commitment to artistic excellence. Our commitment to Delaware’s individual artists is at the heart of our work, and this year we’re thrilled to expand our support by increasing the funding pool for the Individual Artist Fellowships by 15%,” says Jessica Ball, Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “In response to the unprecedented number of applications, we are introducing a cohort of runners-up who will each receive an honorarium to recognize even more talented artists for their exceptional work and dedication to their craft.”

“Providing unrestricted funding to artists through the Individual Artist Fellowships allows them the flexibility to invest in their craft, explore new ideas, and focus on their work without financial constraints. These grants not only support individual growth but also enrich communities and contribute to the local economy by fostering a thriving cultural ecosystem,” says Program Officer Roxanne Stanulis.

The Masters Fellowship is open to rotating artistic disciplines each year. For 2025, Masters Fellowship applications were accepted in Literary Arts and Media Arts from artists who had previously received an Established Professional Fellowship. In addition to exemplifying high artistic quality, Masters Fellowship applicants must demonstrate their involvement and commitment to the arts in Delaware and beyond.

Viet Dinh is the DDOA 2025 Master Fellow in the field of Literature: Fiction. Dinh was born in Vietnam and grew up in Colorado. He attended Johns Hopkins University and the University of Houston and currently teaches at the University of Delaware. He has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Delaware Division of the Arts, as well as an O. Henry Prize. His stories have appeared in Zoetrope: All-Story, Witness, Fence, Five Points, Chicago Review, the Threepenny Review, and the Greensboro Review, and his debut novel, “After Disasters,” was released in 2016.

Delaware Division of the Arts 2025 Individual Artist Fellows
Masters Fellow
• Viet Dinh, Literature: Fiction, Newark

Established Fellows
• Judy Catterton, Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Rehoboth Beach
• Geraldo Gonzalez, Visual Arts: Works on Paper, Wilmington
• Ananya Goswami, Dance: Choreography, Bear
• Makeda Hampton, Music: Solo Recital, New Castle
• Linda Susan Jackson, Literature: Poetry, Smyrna
• Dennis Lawson, Literature: Fiction, Newark
• Nadjah Nicole, Music: Contemporary Performance, Wilmington
• Damon Pla, Visual Arts: Painting, Dagsboro
• Rob Sample, Visual Arts: Painting, Clayton
• Adam Vidiksis, Music: Composition, Wilmington
• Shannon Woodloe, Visual Arts: Photography, Wilmington

Emerging Fellows
• Paula Brown, Visual Arts Painting, Wilmington
• Renita Coursey, Folk Art: Visual Arts, Wilmington
• Irene Fick, Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Lewes
• Don James, Visual Arts: Photography, Milton
• Tim Lynch, Literature: Poetry, Wilmington
• Maximillian Remmler, Media Arts: Video/Film, Newark
• August Ryan, Literature: Fiction, Wilmington
• Shana Starks aka “Blue Tulip”, Music: Contemporary Performance, Wilmington
• Benjamin Wagner, Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Wilmington

Runners Up
• Mary Jane Arden, Visual Arts: Works on Paper, Wilmington
• Jamie Brown, Literature: Poetry, Milton
• Kimberly Burnett, Literature: Fiction, Rehoboth Beach
• Gale Cornelia Flynn, Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Hockessin
• Alexander Hill, Literature: Poetry, Middletown
• L. Jackola, Literature: Fiction. Middletown
• Blazo Kovacevic, Visual Arts: Interdisciplinary, Newark
• Jennifer Lang, Music: Solo Recital, Wilmington
• Judith Loeber, Visual Arts: Painting, Millsboro
• Chris Morrow, Folk Art: Music, Lewes
• Kiandra Parks, Media Arts: Video/Film, Wilmington
• Christina Peters, Visual Arts: Photography, Newark
• Aki Torii, Visual Arts: Sculpture, Wilmington

Learn more at arts.delaware.gov. 

Delaware Division of the Arts Announces 2019 Individual Artist Fellowships

This post content originated from a press release by the Delaware Division of the Arts...

Twenty Delaware artists are being recognized by the Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) for the high quality of their work. Samples from 136 Delaware choreographers, composers, musicians, writers, folk and visual artists were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals, considering demonstrated creativity and skill in the art forms. The 20 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware including Bear, Bridgeville, Claymont, Dover, Frankford, Lewes, Middletown, Newark and Wilmington.

Awards are given in three categories: $10,000 for the Masters Award; $6,000 for the Established Professional Award; and $3,000 for the Emerging Professional Award. Fellows are required to offer at least one exhibit or performance during the upcoming year, providing an opportunity for the public to experience their work.

"Individual Artist Fellowship grants provide the recognition and exposure that artists need to successfully promote their work," said Paul Weagraff, DDOA Director. "The financial award allows them to pursue advanced training, purchase equipment and materials, or fulfill other needs to advance their careers." 

The work of the Fellows will be featured in a group exhibition, Award Winners XIX, at the Biggs Museum in Dover from June 7 to July 21, 2019. Selections from Award Winners will travel to CAMP Rehoboth in August and early September and then Cab Calloway School of the Arts during September and October. 

A photo from last year’s Award Winners' exhibition
at the Biggs. The painting is from Thomas del Porte,
2018 Established Professional, Visual Arts: Painting.

"It’s a very diverse cohort this year," notes Leeann Wallett, DDOA's Program Officer of Communications and Marketing. "I'm excited to see what they bring to the annual Award Winners' exhibition at the Biggs."

The Masters Fellowship is open to differing artistic disciplines each year. In Fiscal Year 2019, Masters Fellowship applications were accepted in Literary and Media Arts from artists who had previously received an Established Professional Fellowship. In addition to exemplifying high artistic quality, Masters Fellowship applicants must demonstrate their involvement and commitment to the arts in Delaware and beyond. Listed below are the Delaware Division of the Arts 2019 Individual Artist Fellows as well as three Honorable Mentions.

Billie Travalini has been awarded this year's Masters Fellowship in Literature: Fiction. Travalini, an internationally award-winning writer and educator, teaches English and creative writing at Wilmington University. She has taught creative writing to encourage critical thinking at youth detention centers statewide, which led to Teaching Troubled Youth: A Practical Pedagogical Guide, an award-winning book with an important message on the human condition. In addition, she has taught poetry and playwriting at various Boys and Girls Clubs. 

In 2014, Travalini received the Governor's Award for the Arts for her extensive career and work in education. Travalini, co-founder and coordinator of the Lewes Creative Writers' Conference, is currently working with Fort DuPont to have the children of Governor Bacon remembered by serving the children of today. Her passion for creative writing has led her to "promote the need to include everyone in the conversation."

2019 Individual Artist Fellows
Masters Award — $10,000 

• Billie Travalini (Wilmington), Literature: Fiction 

Established Professional Award — $6,000

• Susan Benarcik (Wilmington), Visual Arts: Works on Paper 
• Shawn Faust (Bear), Visual Arts: Painting 
• Don Foster (Dover), Literature: Fiction 
• Daniel Jackson (Claymont), Visual Arts: Photography 
• Shelley Kelley (Newark), Folk Art: Music 
• Leslie Hsu Oh (Middletown), Literature: Creative Nonfiction 
• Chet'la Sebree (Middletown), Literature: Poetry 
• IVA (Wilmington), Music: Solo Recital 

Emerging Professional Award — $3,000

• Jenifer Adams-Mitchell (Frankford), Literature: Fiction 
• Kevin J. Cope (Newark), Music: Solo Recital 
• Kaitlyn Evans (Lewes), Visual Arts: Crafts 
• Matthew Glick (Claymont), Visual Arts: Works on Paper 
• Geraldo Gonzalez (Wilmington), Folk Arts: Visual Arts 
• Karen Hurley-Heyman (Newark), Literature: Poetry 
• Mary-Margaret Pauer (Bridgeville), Literature: Creative Nonfiction 
• D.H. Regnier (Newark), Music: Composition 
• Gregg Silvis (Newark), Visual Arts: Sculpture 
• G.W. Thompson (Lewes), Visual Arts: Painting 
• Shannon Woodloe (Wilmington), Visual Arts: Photography 

Honorable Mention

• Howard Eberle (Lewes), Visual Arts: Works on Paper 
• Jane Miller (Wilmington), Literature: Poetry 
• Jim Salt (Newark), Literature: Fiction