DDOA Announces Finalists for Poetry Out Loud State Competition

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

Following a three-year hiatus, Delaware’s Poetry Out Loud State Finals returns for the first in-person competition since 2020. The recitation contest will be hosted at the Smyrna Opera House on Thursday, March 2, 2023, at 7:00pm. Twelve student finalists will compete for the opportunity to represent Delaware and advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC from May 8-10, 2023. The event is free to the public and seating is limited.

At their school, students selected and recited works from an anthology of more than 1,200 poems. Their teachers or facilitators ran their school’s local Poetry Out Loud competition that then selected a winner to be moved on to the state finals.

“Congratulations to the twelve talented and creative high school students who have been selected as semi-finalists in the 2023 Delaware Poetry Out Loud competition,” says Division Director Jessica Ball. “Your hard work and passion for the arts is truly inspiring. Keep up the great work and we can’t wait to see where your passion for the arts takes you in the future.”

The 2023 Delaware State semi-finalists are:

• Bekah Booth, Delaware Valley Classical School
• Maiss Hussein, Hodgson Vo-Tech High School
• Emily Roth, MOT High School
• Aiden Morris, Mount Sophia Academy
• Lale Ergen, Newark Charter High School
• Julia Nowaczyk, Padua Academy
• Hunter Brown, Red Lion Christian Academy
• Abigail Ehemann, Saint Mark’s High School
• Kaylee Rathbone, Sanford School
• Joelle Caternor, Smyrna High School
• Morgan Burnett, Sussex Central High School
• Ololade Olubowale, Tatnall School

Poetry Out Loud — presented in partnership with the Delaware Division of the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and Poetry Foundation — is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.1 million students across the country have participated in Poetry Out Loud.

The Delaware state champion will receive $200 and will advance to the national finals where $50,000 in awards and school/organizational stipends will be distributed. The representing school or organization of the state champion will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry materials. The first runner-up in each state will receive $100, with $200 for their school or organization. 

DDOA Names 2023 Individual Artist Fellowships

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

Image detail: Artwork of Lauren E. Peters, 2023 Established Arts Fellow

The prestigious Individual Artist Fellowships from the Delaware Division of the Arts recognize artists in a variety of disciplines for their outstanding quality of work and provide monetary awards.

In 2023, the Division received work samples from 118 Delaware musicians, writers, and folk, media, and visual artists. The work samples were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals who considered the demonstrated creativity and skill in each artist’s respective art form. Seventeen artists were awarded fellowships in the following categories — two Masters; seven Established; and eight Emerging. The 17 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware including Bridgeville, Claymont, Felton, Harrington, Lewes, Newark, Smyrna, and Wilmington.

NEW FOR 2023: Thanks to a generous increase in funding from the Department of State, the awards have increased — $5,000 for Emerging Artists; $8,000 for Established Professionals; and $12,000 for Masters — to allow artists to pursue advanced training, purchase equipment and materials, or fulfill other needs that will help advance their careers. This funding has also allowed the Division to award a second Masters Fellowship.

Master Fellowship ($12,000)

• B. Proud — Visual Arts: Photography, Wilmington
• TAHIRA — Folk Art: Oral Literature, Claymont

Established Fellowship ($8,000)

• Joyce Barbagallo — Literature: Fiction, Wilmington
• Ron Meick — Visual Arts: Sculpture, Wilmington
• Michael Miller — Folk Art: Music, Felton
• Mary Pauer — Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Bridgeville
• Christopher Penna — Literature: Poetry, Newark
• Lauren E. Peters — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
• IVA (Emily Tepe) — Music: Contemporary Performance, Wilmington

Emerging Fellowship ($5,000)

• Jill Althouse-Wood — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
• Bryant (Tee) Bell — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
• Liz DeJesus — Literature: Creative Nonfiction, Wilmington
• Constanza (Cony) Madariaga — Visual Arts: Painting, Wilmington
• James Morgan — Media Arts: Video/Film, Harrington
• Charlese Phillips — Visual Arts: Interdisciplinary, Smyrna
• Kim Hoey Stevenson — Literature: Fiction, Lewes
• Anne Yarbrough — Literature: Poetry, New Castle

Delaware Division of the Arts Hosts Annual State Employee Art Exhibit

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

The Delaware Division of the Arts will host the 11th annual Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition, from February 21 to March 14, 2022 at the Art Center/Gallery at Delaware State University, Dover. 

This year, more than 200 State of Delaware employees and their family members submitted artwork and will be competing for awards and cash prizes. The exhibition is free and open to the public. 

Prizes include:

• Adult, Amateur, Intermediate & Professional
• First Place Awards of $350
• Second Place Awards of $250 
• Third Place Awards of $150
• Youth/Teen
• First Place Awards of $150
• Second Place Awards of $100
• Third Place Awards of $50
• A Best of Show Award of $400
• An Art Education Award of $200 for reimbursement for arts instruction and materials
• People’s Choice Award, Facebook and in-person ballot

Additional awards including Honorable Mentions will be awarded at the discretion of the judges. Awards are limited to one cash award per artist per classification.

Visitors are invited to join Division and Art Center/Gallery staff for a special, weekend-long celebration of all this year’s participants and to see the winning artwork during the exhibition’s final weekend, Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13 from 12:00-4:00pm. There will be activities, snacks, and giveaways for Gallery visitors.

The exhibition at the Arts Center/Gallery can be viewed during these hours:

• Monday: Closed to the public
• Tuesday: 10:00am-6:00pm
• Wednesday-Friday: 10:00am-4:00pm
• Saturdays, March 5 & 12: 12:00-4:00pm
• Sunday, March 13: 12:00-4:00pm

Sponsored by the National Arts Program in support and cooperation with the State of Delaware and the Delaware Division of the Arts, the exhibit is judged by professional artists and visual art professionals. The Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition is designed to give artists at all skill levels a unique opportunity to exhibit their creative work and to compete for cash prizes.

Participants must be a current employee, or immediate family member of a current employee of the State of Delaware. All entries must be the original work of the applicant and completed within the last three years.

DDOA Announces 2022 Individual Artist Fellowship Awardees

The content of this post was taken from a press release by the Delaware Division of the Arts. 

Twenty-five Delaware artists are being recognized by the Delaware Division of the Arts for the high quality of their artwork. Work samples from 132 Delaware choreographers; composers; musicians; writers; and folk, media, and visual artists were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals, considering demonstrated creativity and skill in their art form. The 25 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware including Dover, Georgetown, Hockessin, Lewes, Magnolia, Middletown, Newark, Smyrna, Townsend, and Wilmington.

Awards were 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. Additionally, the work of the Fellows will be featured in a group exhibition, Award Winners XXII, at the Biggs Museum of American Art tentatively set for June 3 through July 23, 2022.

“Individual Artist Fellowship grants recognize Delaware artists for their outstanding work and commitment to artistic excellence,” said Jessica Ball, director of Delaware Division of the Arts. “The financial award allows them to pursue advanced training, purchase equipment and materials, or fulfill other needs to advance their careers. The Division of the Arts understands that artists have been hard hit by the economic fallout of the pandemic and was pleased to be able to allocate some additional funds to recognize more artists this year.”

The Masters Fellowship is open to different artistic disciplines each year. In Fiscal Year 2022, 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. Listed below are the Delaware Division of the Arts 2022 Individual Artist Fellows.

Linda Blaskey has been awarded this year’s Masters Fellowship in Literature: Poetry. Blaskey’s work has been chosen for inclusion in Best New Poets, 2014, and in North Carolina’s Poetry on the Bus project for National Poetry Month. She is poetry/interview editor emerita for Broadkill Review, is coordinator for the Dogfish Head Poetry Prize, and current editor for the new online journal, Quartet. She organized a presentation of Icelandic poetry for the Rehoboth Beach Film Festival, and her work was included in Southern Delaware Choral Society’s presentation of Haydn: “Mass in the Time of War.” She sat on the panel, “Collaborative Publishing,” for Western Maryland Indie Lit Festival at Frostburg State University. Blaskey’s work has been published in numerous journals and anthologies, and she is the author of four poetry collections, two of which are collaborations, one forthcoming in 2022. She lives with her husband on a small horse/goat farm in Sussex County, Delaware.

2022 Individual Artist Fellows
Masters Award ($10,000)

• Linda Blaskey, Lincoln - Literature: Poetry

Established Professional Award ($6,000)

• JoAnn Balingit, Newark - Literature: Creative Nonfiction
• Joseph Barbaccia, Georgetown - Visual Arts: Crafts
• Tim Broscious, Townsend - Music: Contemporary Performance
• Jamie Brunson, Wilmington - Literature: Playwriting
• Caleb Curtiss, Newark - Literature: Poetry
• t. a. hahn, Middletown - Visual Arts: Sculpture
• Jeff Knoettner, Wilmington - Jazz: Performance
• Roger Matsumoto, Newark - Visual Arts: Photography
• Isai Jess Muñoz, Hockessin - Music: Solo Recital
• Mia Muratori, Wilmington - Visual Arts: Painting
• Tad Sare, Wilmington - Media Arts: Video/Film
• Aaron Terry, Wilmington - Visual Arts: Works on Paper
• William Torrey, Middletown - Literature: Fiction

Emerging Professional Award ($3,000)

• Stephanie Boateng, Newark - Visual Arts: Painting
• Christina Durborow, Wilmington - Literature: Creative Nonfiction
• Kiara Florez, Magnolia - Visual Arts: Painting
• Gregory Hammond, Wilmington - Literature: Fiction
• Jim Hawkins, Smyrna - Literature: Playwriting
• Gail Husch, Wilmington - Visual Arts: Crafts
• Alice Morris, Lewes  - Literature: Poetry
• Maia Palmer, Wilmington - Visual Arts: Works on Paper
• TANKSLEY, Middletown - Music: Contemporary Performance
• Leanna Thongvong, Dover - Folk Art: Visual Arts
• Katie West, Wilmington - Visual Arts: Photography

To contact an individual artist, please email or call: Roxanne Stanulis, Program Officer, Artist Programs and Services, Roxanne.Stanulis@delaware.gov or 302.577.8283. The next deadline for Individual Artist Fellowship applications will be Monday, August 1, 2022.

Rebecca Wisniewski Named Delaware Poetry Out Loud Champion

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

Rebecca Wisniewski of Milford, Delaware's Poetry Out Loud Champion

From a field of 10 Delaware high school students, Rebecca Wisniewski, a senior from Milford High School, earned the title of 2021 Poetry Out Loud Delaware State Champion at the state finals held virtually on March 2, 2021. The first runner-up was Lia Dougherty from Sanford School in Wilmington, and the second runner-up was Janelle Carter of Delaware Valley Classical School in New Castle.

Rebecca is a member of the school drama club and has acted in plays and musical for years. She unexpectedly found that learning poetry has made her a better performer in general, stating, “...you have to put yourself in the background – while you are forming a deeper connection to the pieces. Reciting a poem means you have to pull from your emotions. It’s about being self-aware, even while forming a deep connection to the voices in the poems.” Ms. Wisniewski also took part in Poetry Out Loud previously in her junior year.

Wisniewski chose poems this year with very different energies. “Domestic Situation” by Ernest Hilbert, which Wisniewski calls “a tricky poem,” challenged her with its seeming sarcasm about a somber subject – domestic abuse. “I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain” by Emily Dickinson felt manic and mournful, and “has so much room inside it to perform.” Her favorite, “How to Triumph Like a Girl”, by Ada Limon, was, in Rebecca’s words, “fun, upbeat and has a positive message.” All of the poems scored high marks with the judges.

For her winning presentation, Wisniewski will receive $200 and will compete at the National Semifinals which will be held virtually on Sunday, May 2nd beginning at Noon on the National Endowment for the Arts website, arts.gov. Milford High School will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials for its school library. Lia Dougherty, the first runner-up will receive $100, and Sanford School will receive $200 for its school library.

The Poetry Out Loud state competition, sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.

Delaware's Poets Laureate (Twin Poets) Receive $50K Award for Community Poetry Project

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

The Academy of American Poets announced today that the Delaware Poets Laureate, Representative Nnamdi Chukwuocha and Al Mills, also known as the Twin Poets, have received $50,000 to launch Write Now!, an art-based community building and engagement series, including workshops, readings and service projects, focused on youth in communities impacted by gun violence and fellow veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The series will culminate with the Write Now! Poetry Festival and will take place in April 2021.

The brothers and identical twins are Licensed Master Social Workers and founders of Art For Life – Delaware, a non-profit youth and community development organization rooted in the arts. The Twin Poets were the subjects of award-winning documentaries: Why I Write and Art For Life; which chronicle their artistic social change efforts. Al is an Iraq War veteran suffering from PTSD and Nnamdi is a State Representative and professor at Delaware State University.

The Delaware Poets Laureate are two of the 23 individuals that were announced as 2020 Poets Laureate Fellows. These 23 individuals serve as Poets Laureate of states, cities, counties, and the Navajo Nation and will be leading civic poetry programs in their respective communities in the year ahead. They will each receive $50,000 (the Twin Poets will receive $50,000 in total) for a combined total of $1.1 million. In addition, the Academy will also provide $66,500 to 12 local 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations that have agreed to support the fellows’ proposed projects.

“As we face the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people are turning to poetry for comfort and courage. We are honored and humbled in this moment of great need to fund poets who are talented artists and community organizers, who will most certainly help guide their communities forward,” said Jennifer Benka, President and Executive Director of the Academy of American Poets.

Through its Poets Laureate Fellowship program, the Academy has become the largest financial supporter of poets in the nation. The fellowship program is made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which, in January of this year, awarded the Academy $4.5 million. The award will fund the program in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

“We are gratified to support the poets laureate fellows as they engage their communities around the unprecedented challenges of our moment, making work that provides meaning, brings beauty, and helps us, in Lucille Clifton’s words, ‘sail through this to that,’” said Elizabeth Alexander, poet and President of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The 2020 Poets Laureate Fellows and the communities they serve are: Honey Bell-Bey (Cuyahoga County, OH), Tina Cane (Rhode Island), Tina Chang (Brooklyn, NY), Nnamdi Chukwuocha and Al Mills aka Twin Poets (Delaware), Rosemarie Dombrowski (Phoenix, AZ), Beth Ann Fennelly (Mississippi), Angelo Geter (Rock Hill, SC), Margaret Gibson (Connecticut), Rodney Gomez (McAllen, TX), Elizabeth Jacobson (Santa Fe, NM), Stuart Kestenbaum (Maine), Susan Landgraf (Auburn, WA), Maria Lisella (Queens, NY), Porsha Olayiwola (Boston, MA), Alexandria Peary (New Hampshire), Emmy Pérez (Texas), Mary Ruefle (Vermont), Janice Lobo Sapigao (Santa Clara County, CA), John Warner Smith (Louisiana), Laura Tohe (Navajo Nation), Amie Whittemore (Murfreesboro, TN), and Assétou Xango (Aurora, CO).

Additional information about the Academy of American Poets 2020 Poets Laureate Fellows and their projects is available on the Academy’s website.

About the Delaware Poet LaureateDelaware’s Poet Laureate is an honorary position appointed by, and serving at the pleasure of, the Governor. The Poet Laureate serves as an advocate, educator, and presenter of poetry throughout the state. Delaware’s Poet Laureate program is managed by the Delaware Division of the Arts. The Division promotes the Poet Laureate’s events and activities and manages the calendar of appearances and provides a stipend to the Poet Laureate for appearances at nonprofit organizations. More information about the program is available at: https://arts.delaware.gov/poet-laureate/.

Announcing 2019 Governor's Awards for the Arts Recipients

Content of this post comes from a release from the Delaware Division of the Arts...

The Delaware Division of the Arts is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Governor’s Awards for the Arts, which pay tribute to distinguished individuals and organizations that have had a profound and lasting impact on the state’s artistic and cultural life. The 2019 Governor’s Awards for the Arts were coordinated by the Delaware Division of the Arts in conjunction with the Delaware State Arts Council and the Office of Governor John C. Carney.

To celebrate the recipients' achievements, an award ceremony will be held on Monday, October 28, at 4:00pm at the Rollins Center at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino. As part of the celebration, The Music School of Delaware’s Suzuki Academy Honors Program Student String Quartet will perform. A reception with light fare will be held prior to the ceremony from 3:00-4:00pm. The reception and award ceremony are free and open to the public.

2019 GOVERNOR’S AWARDS FOR THE ARTS RECIPIENTS

• ARTS ADMINISTRATION - Raye Jones Avery
• ARTS EDUCATION - Charles J. Conway
• ARTS PATRON, CORPORATE - M&T Bank
• ARTS PATRON, INDIVIDUAL - Carla Markell
• COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - Art Therapy Express
• PEGGY AMSTERDAM AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT - Debora Hansen

For more information about the Governor’s Awards for the Arts and the 2019 Award Recipients, click here to visit the Governor’s Awards for the Arts webpage.

The Governor’s Awards for the Arts reception and ceremony will immediately follow the 2019 Delaware Arts Summit.

Governor's Awards for the Arts Nominations Now Open

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

Governor Russell W. Peterson began the tradition of honoring Delaware artists in 1970. Since then, Delaware has paid tribute to 40 distinguished individuals and organizations that have had a profound and lasting impact on the state’s artistic and cultural life. Delaware’s Governor’s Awards for the Arts recognize individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions and a lasting and profound impact on the artistic and cultural life of Delaware. As part of its 30th anniversary celebration, the Delaware Division of the Arts is pleased to be facilitating the 2019 Governor’s Awards for the Arts, on behalf of Governor John C. Carney. Nominations are now being accepted for this prestigious honor in these five award categories:

Categories Arts Administration – Individual who has shown sustained, impactful, and visionary executive leadership of an arts organization. Arts Education – Individual or organization that has made significant contributions through leadership and creativity to advance arts education in Delaware’s schools and communities, or in community organizations. Arts Patron – Individual, foundation or entity that, over time, has sustained and enhanced the arts in their community or the state of Delaware through contributions of their time, effort, or financial resources. Community Engagement – Individual or organization that works to create or strengthen interactive arts participation among diverse community members while increasing the public awareness about the role of the arts in community life. Government – An elected or appointed official whose work has resulted in significant support for the arts through local or state government action. NOMINATE TODAY!

Timeline Now: Nomination Guidelines and Form available June 28, 2019: Nominations due July 2019: Selection Panel meets September 3, 2019: Awardees announced on website October 28, 2019: Arts Summit & Governor’s Awards for the Arts

Chelsea Anokye-Agyei to Represent Delaware in 2019 Poetry Out Loud Finals

Chelsea Anokye-Agyei in performance.
Photo by Joe del Tufo.

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

From an initial field of 20 Delaware high school students and then 12 state finalists, Chelsea Anokye-Agyei, a senior from Hodgson Vo-Tech High School, earned the title of 2019 Poetry Out Loud Delaware State Champion at the state finals held in Smyrna on February 26. The first runner-up was Samuel McGarvey from Tall Oaks Classical School, and the second runner-up was Sarah Stevenson from Milford Senior High School.

Anokye-Agyei’s final recitation, The Albatross by Kate Bass, earned her high marks with the judges. The full poem can be found on the Poetry Foundation’s website.

For her winning presentation, Anokye-Agyei will receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington with a chaperone to compete at the national championship on April 29-May 1. Hodgson Vo-Tech High School will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials. Samuel McGarvey, the first runner-up, will receive $100, and Tall Oaks Classical School will receive $200 for its school library.

The Poetry Out Loud state competition, sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.

Three Delaware Organizations Receive $54,000 in Federal NEA Grants

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

As the only funder in the country to support arts activities in all 50 states and five U.S. jurisdictions, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced that three Delaware organizations will receive $54,000 in federal grants. This is the first of two major grant announcements in fiscal year 2019 and includes three of the agency’s funding categories: Art Works and Challenge America to support projects by nonprofit organizations, and Creative Writing Fellowships. Through these grants, the National Endowment for the Arts supports local economies and preserves American heritage while embracing new forms of creative expression.

“The arts enhance our communities and our lives, and we look forward to seeing these projects take place throughout the country, giving Americans opportunities to learn, to create, to heal, and to celebrate,” said Mary Anne Carter, acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Delaware Shakespeare will receive a Challenge America grant in the amount of $10,000 to support a touring production of Romeo and Juliet, with related outreach activities. Proposed guest artist Lindsay Smiling will direct the production.

"Delaware Shakespeare is honored to be a recipient of an NEA Challenge America grant which will support our 2019 Community Tour production of Romeo and Juliet,” said David Stradley, producing artistic director of Delaware Shakespeare. “Our tours, bringing professional theatre to the full spectrum of humanity in our community by traveling to non-traditional venues such as prisons, homeless shelters, and mental health facilities, have been transformative for the organization and for audiences. The national recognition and support for this program from the NEA is a welcome affirmation for the vital necessity of this work."

OperaDelaware will receive an Art Works – Opera grant in the amount of $14,000 to support new productions of a new orchestral reduction of Derrick Wang's Scalia/Ginsburg and Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury as part of the 2018-19 festival.

"We are humbled to receive this support and incredible vote of confidence from the NEA for the fourth year in a row,” said Brendan Cooke, executive director of OperaDelaware. “This year's award allows us to bring Derrick Wang's wonderful opera, Scalia/Ginsburg to Wilmington, with the world premiere of a new orchestration of the work, crafted specifically for our orchestra and the magnificent Grand Opera House."

The State Education Agency Directors of Education (SEADAE), Delaware will receive an Art Works – Arts Education grant in the amount of $30,000 to support professional development training for teachers and teaching artists using the National Core Arts Standards as the basis for assessing student learning in the arts.

“It is a pleasure to be recognized by NEA regarding the work we do in ensuring equitable access to arts instruction across the country,” said Joyce Huser, SEADAE president and education program consultant, fine arts, Kansas State Department of Education. “Through the support of the NEA, all directors of the arts in state departments of education will receive the professional learning they need to support students and teachers across the country.”

The NEA Challenge America category primarily supports small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations—those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability.

Art Works is the NEA’s principal grantmaking program designed to support artistically excellent projects that celebrate our creativity and cultural heritage, invite mutual respect for differing beliefs and values, and enrich humanity.

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 

NEA Announces Grants to Support Delaware Arts

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

As the only funder in the country to support arts activities in all 50 states and five U.S. jurisdictions, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced that three Delaware organizations, including the Division of the Arts, will receive $729,100 in federal grants.

“The variety and quality of these projects speaks to the wealth of creativity and diversity in our country,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “From Atlanta, Georgia to Sparks, Nevada, NEA funding reaches thousands of communities, assisting local organizations and providing access to the arts to all.”

The Delaware Division of the Arts will receive a Partnership (State & Regional) grant in the amount of $689,100 to support activities associated with carrying out its NEA-approved State strategic plan.

“Representing 17% of the Division’s budget, NEA funding is critical in supporting arts programming that directly reaches more than 30 communities throughout Delaware, serving more than 1 million youth and adults annually,” says Paul Weagraff, director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “This investment in Delaware’s creative sector contributes positively to vibrant communities, comprehensive educational opportunities, and robust economic activity.”

The Delaware Art Museum will receive an Art Works - Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works grant in the amount of $25,000 to support its Bridging Perspectives series of multidisciplinary performances addressing the history of the Civil Rights Movement and contemporary issues related to social justice and equity.

“The NEA and Art Works grants support the arts and its ability to change lives and impact communities,” says Delaware Art Museum Executive Director and CEO, Sam Sweet. “Bridging Perspectives is a new initiative at the Museum reflecting our vision to engage our community, promote conversation, and foster understanding. We are so pleased that this initiative has earned support that will enable the Museum to better serve our community.”

The Grand Opera House will receive an Art Works - Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works grant in the amount of $15,000 to support its sensory-friendly family performances series which welcomes children of all ages with autism or other sensory, social or learning disabilities to experience live entertainment. These performances have been made possible by Next Generation North of the Delaware Community Foundation, DFRC and in partnership with Autism Delaware and Easterseals.

“The Grand is proud to continue our new sensory friendly programming thanks to this generous gift from the NEA. Our mission urges us to be accessible to all residents of the Brandywine Valley, and this gift, our second NEA grant in two years, allows us to further develop this valuable and much-needed program, says Mark Fields, executive director of the Grand Opera House.

The full NEA grant descriptions:

State and Regional Partnership AgreementsThrough partnership agreements, the NEA translates national leadership into local and regional benefit. States and U.S. jurisdictions have their own arts agency that together receive 40 percent of the NEA’s grantmaking funds each year to support their programs and leverage state funding. In addition to these 55 agencies, six regional arts organizations are funded to manage programs across state, national, and international borders and across all arts disciplines.

Art Works II

Art Works is the NEA’s largest category and focuses on funding the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with art, lifelong learning in the arts, and strengthening of communities through the arts.

About the National Endowment for the ArtsEstablished by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. For more information, visit www.arts.gov.

About the Delaware Division of the ArtsThe 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.

Wilmington 1968: New Website Empowers Community Reflection

This post content comes from a press release from the Delaware Art Museum...

Twenty area organizations collaborated to launch the Wilmington 1968 website, a tool for community reflection. Via www.wilmington1968.org, Delawareans can access community resources that teach about the local Civil Rights Movement through words and pictures, and address present-day racial and social justice issues. Additionally, the community can share memories of their own to contribute to cross-generational conversations about this historic event. These oral histories will be archived for future generations. The Wilmington 1968 website will also serve as a hub for information about related exhibitions, performances, events, and forums. It will be available to the community through January 2019.

Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Wilmington high school students converged on Rodney Square. Subsequent to these protests, looting and fires prompted a request for the National Guard to restore peace. Although other American cities experienced the same level of uprising after April 4, 1968, Wilmington, Delaware experienced the longest peace-time occupation in modern times. Wilmington remained under martial law for nine and a half months. This extensive patrol of Wilmington by the National Guard drastically changed the city from the inside out. Residents went about their days and nights watched, restricted, angry, and fearful. Numerous businesses along Market Street closed.

If it is true that we are destined to repeat the lessons we haven't learned, today's youth are adamant that we will not get left back. Youth-led movements such as #NeverAgain-nationwide protests stemming from the latest school shootings-are taking center stage in our social consciousness and awaking a new generation of activists. 

In 2017, Simone Austin (2017 Alfred Appel, Jr. Curatorial Fellow with the Delaware Art Museum; current graduate student, University of Delaware, History Department), was instrumental in bringing this shared history to the forefront as the primary contemporary researcher on these events for the Delaware Art Museum's summer exhibition series. 

The community-wide reflection beginning this spring will bring "both answers and questions," says Austin. "People of my generation and those who are not from Wilmington will start to understand what happened, why Wilmington looks the way it does today, and why people have certain perceptions of the City of Wilmington and of Delaware. I also think in terms of questions because the work that I've done is not the end. There are so many stories that just aren't found in traditional sources and I'm hoping that more people will come forward and share their experiences."

The Wilmington 1968 partners see the upcoming events, performances, and forums as ways to constructively process the physical and emotional toll on our city stemming the uprising and its aftermath. Our community needs to know that we, representatives of the arts & culture community, are not oblivious and unaffected by this quest for healing, and support all Wilmingtonians as they contribute to these necessary cross-generational conversations about race and reconciliation.Drawing inspiration from the protest art of the 1960s, Squatch Creative — the design firm that created the Wilmington 1968 website — blends technology and art to empower activism. Marcus Price, the site designer, shared, "While creating the aesthetic for the Wilmington 1968 remembrance, I wanted to do justice to the people who lived through this experience. It's different than creating a website for a product or a brand. It was an entire movement and people. I wanted to be sure that I honored that and the spirit involved." 

Partner Organizations in Wilmington 1968 project:

• 302 Guns Down
• Christina Cultural Arts Center
• Delaware Art Museum
• Delaware Division of the Arts
• Delaware Historical Society
• Delaware Humanities Forum
• Delaware Scene
• Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew
• Guerilla Republik
• MLK Day Contest
• Mother African Union Church
• Network Delaware
• One Village Alliance
• Quaker Hill Historic Preservation Foundation
• Squatch Creative
• The Delaware Contemporary
• The Grand Opera House
• University of Delaware Interdisciplinary Humanities Research Center
• University of Delaware Partnership for Arts and Culture
• YWCA Delaware

See www.wilmington1968.org. 

DDOA to Host Annual Poetry Out Loud State Final Competition

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

From a competitive field of 20 Delaware high school students, 12 remain to compete at the statewide recitation competition that will be held at Dover High School on Tuesday, February 27, at 7:00pm.

The finalists will compete for the opportunity to represent Delaware and advance to the National Finals in Washington on April 24 & 25, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed.

2018 Delaware State Finalists

• Chelsea Anokye-Agyei - Hodgson Vo-Tech High School
• Matthew Byer - Wilmington Friends School
• Avery Chambers - Caravel Academy
• Julian Clark - Middletown High School
• Andrew Dingwall - Wilmington Christian School
• Whitney Grinnage-Cassidy - Ursuline Academy
• Melina Hudson - Milford Senior High School
• Tyler Keeler - Laurel High School
• Giovani Malcolm - Concord High School
• Richard Matthews - Dover High School
• Samuel McGarvey - Tall Oaks Classical School
• Dounya Ramadan - Newark Charter Jr./Sr. High School

The competition encourages high school students to learn about poetry through memorization, performance and competition. Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest is sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.

The Delaware Division of the Arts sponsors the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest program in Delaware schools and the state finals. Competition begins at the classroom level in the fall and culminates with the state finals each spring. Over twenty schools and more than 2,000 Delaware students participated in the Poetry Out Loud program in the current academic year. The Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest competition is presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. 

DDOA Announces 2018 Individual Artist Fellowships

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

Seventeen Delaware artists are being recognized by the Division for the high quality of their artwork. Work samples from 124 Delaware choreographers, composers, musicians, writers, folk and visual artists were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals, considering demonstrated creativity and skill in their art form. The 17 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware including Lewes, Newark, Rehoboth Beach 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 — and 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. The work of the Fellows will be featured in a group exhibition, Award Winners XVIII, at the Biggs Museum this summer.

“Individual Artist Fellowship grants provide the recognition and exposure that artists need to successfully promote their work,” said Paul Weagraff, director of Delaware Division of the Arts. “The financial award allows them to pursue advanced training, purchase equipment and materials, or fulfill other needs to advance their careers.”

The Masters Fellowship is open to differing artistic disciplines each year. In Fiscal Year 2018, Masters Fellowship applications were accepted in Dance, Jazz or Music 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. Listed below are the Delaware Division of the Arts 2018 Individual Artist Fellows and four Honorable Mentions.

Musician and educator Lloyd Shorter has been awarded this year’s Masters Fellowship in Music: Solo Recital. Shorter plays English horn, oboe, and oboe d’amore. This season marks Shorter’s 45th season with the Delaware Symphony Orchestra. He is also a performer and Co-Artistic Director of the Relâche Ensemble, an eight-member contemporary music ensemble based in Philadelphia. With Relâche he has recorded or performed new works, toured nationally and internationally, and collaborated with numerous composers including Philip Glass. At the University of Delaware, Shorter spent 34 years as Assistant Professor of Oboe, and was the Director for the Governor’s School Music Program and a member of the Del Arte Woodwind Quintet. He continues to teach privately and explore new music with a special interest in technology.

Delaware Division of the Arts 2018 Individual Artist Fellows

Masters Award ($10,000)

• Lloyd Shorter, Wilmington — Music: Solo Recital

Established Professional Award ($6,000)

• Dennis Beach, Wilmington — Visual Arts: Sculpture
• Jack Clemons, Lewes — Literature: Fiction
• Thomas Del Porte, Wilmington — Visual Arts: Painting
• Ellen Durkan, Wilmington — Visual Arts: Sculpture
• Maribeth Fischer, Lewes — Literature: Creative Nonfiction
• David P. Kozinski, Wilmington — Literature: Poetry
• Lawrence Stomberg, Wilmington — Music: Solo Recital
• Joan Warburton-Phibbs, Wilmington — Dance: Choreography

Emerging Professional Award ($3,000)

• Leah Beach, Rehoboth Beach — Visual Arts: Photography
• Kevin Bielicki, Newark — Visual Arts: Sculpture
• Joyce Chen, Wilmington — Music: Solo Recital
• Jen Epler, Wilmington — Literature: Fiction
• Gemelle John, Wilmington — Literature: Poetry
• Lauren E. Peters, Wilmington — Visual Arts: Painting
• Robert Waters, Lewes — Media Arts: Video/Film
• Shannon Connor Winward, Newark — Literature: Fiction

Honorable Mention

• Teresa Clifton, Milford — Literature: Fiction
• Charles Guerin, Dover — Visual Arts: Works on Paper
• Isai Jess Muñoz, Hockessin — Music: Solo Recital
• Terence Roberts, Wilmington — Visual Arts: Photography

To contact an individual artist, contact Roxanne Stanulis, Program Officer, Artist Programs and Services.  The next deadline for Individual Artist Fellowship applications will be Tuesday, August 1, 2018 by 4:30pm.

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

Delaware Student to Compete in National 2017 Poetry Out Loud Finals

2017 Poetry Out Loud State Champion
Cecilia Ergueta.

Information in this post courtesy of a release from the Delaware Division of the Arts...
From a competitive field of 13 Delaware high school students, Cecilia Ergueta, a junior from Wilmington Friends School, earned the title of 2017 Poetry Out Loud Delaware State Champion at the state finals held in Smyrna, Del. on Feb. 28. The first runner-up was Shalyn Littlejohn from Hodgson Vo-Tech High School and the second runner-up was Sam McGarvey from Tall Oaks Classical High School.

Ergueta’s final recitation, The True-Blue American by Delmore Schwartz, earned her high marks with the judges. The full poem can be found on the Poetry Foundation’s website.

For her winning presentation, Ergueta will receive $200 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington with a chaperone to compete at the national championship on April 25 & 26. Wilmington Friends School will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials. Shalyn Littlejohn, the first runner-up will receive $100, and Hodgson Vo-Tech High School will receive $200 for its school library.

The Poetry Out Loud state competition, sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. Delaware's statewide competitors included students Andrew Dingwall, Cecilia Ergueta, Jane Krukiel, Tania Laurent, Glynnis Leach, Carly Lepore, Shalyn Littlejohn, Sam McGarvey, Shannon Murray, Natalie Nwanekwu, Mollie Russell, Nick Thompson and Ryan Washington.

The Delaware Division of the Arts sponsors the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest program in Delaware schools and the state finals. Competition begins at the classroom level in the fall and culminates with the state finals each spring. Twenty schools and over 2,000 Delaware students participated in the Poetry Out Loud program in the current academic year. The Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest competition is presented in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. 

Delaware Arts Info sends Cecilia all good wishes for a great performance in the national spotlight! GO DELAWARE!

DDOA Announces 2017 Awardees

This post taken from a Delaware Division of the Arts press release...

Eighteen Delaware artists are being recognized by the Delaware Division of the Arts for the high quality of their artwork. Work samples from 126 Delaware choreographers, composers, musicians, writers, folk and visual artists were reviewed by out-of-state arts professionals, considering demonstrated creativity and skill in their art form. The 18 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware including Arden, Dover, Hockessin, Milton, Newark, Rehoboth Beach 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 – and 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. The work of the Fellows will be featured in a group exhibition, Award Winners XVII, at the Biggs Museum this summer. “Individual Artist Fellowship grants provide the recognition and exposure that artists need to successfully promote their work,” said Paul Weagraff, director of Delaware Division of the Arts. “The financial award allows them to pursue advanced training, purchase equipment and materials, or fulfill other needs to advance their careers.”

The Masters Fellowship is open to differing artistic disciplines each year. In Fiscal Year 2017, Masters Fellowship applications were accepted in Folk Arts or Visual 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. Listed below are the Delaware Division of the Arts 2017 Individual Artist Fellows and four Honorable Mentions.

Yolanda Chetwynd has been awarded this year’s Masters Fellowship in Visual Arts: Painting. Chetwynd is a practicing artist who has been living in Newark, Delaware since 1987. She holds an advanced painting degree from The Slade School of Fine Art, University College London as well as a Masters in Professional Studies in Art Therapy from The Pratt Institute. An award-winning painter, Chetwynd has been invited to participate in exhibitions locally, nationally, and internationally. She is also devoted to reinforcing the role of art in education. Chetwynd has worked with the Delaware Institute for Arts in Education since 1992 and has collaborated with teachers on over 100 art projects in Delaware classrooms. She was selected as one of eight regional teaching artists from the National Association of Aesthetic Education Institutes to implement a series of national training workshops and served on the team to write the Visual Arts standards for the state of Delaware. Chetwynd has previously served on the boards of directors of Delcaps and the Newark Arts Alliance.

2017 Individual Artist Fellows

Masters Award ($10,000)

• Yolanda Chetwynd (Newark), Visual Arts: Painting

Established Professional Award ($6,000)

• Phillip Bannowsky (Newark), Literature: Poetry
• Arden Bardol (Dover), Visual Arts: Crafts
• Mahasveta (Gitu) Barua (Newark), Literature: Fiction
• Kathryn Canavan (Wilmington), Literature: Creative Nonfiction
• A.T. Moffett (Wilmington), Dance: Choreography
• Hugh Phibbs (Wilmington), Visual Arts: Works on Paper
• Troy Richards (Wilmington), Visual Arts: Painting
• Chad States (Rehoboth Beach), Visual Arts: Sculpture
• Beth Trepper (Wilmington), Visual Arts: Photography

Emerging Professional Award ($3,000)

• Jennifer Borders (Arden), Visual Arts: Sculpture
• Daniel Carunchio (Wilmington), Music: Solo Recital
• Larry Kelts (Newark), Literature: Poetry
• Kathy Maas (Hockessin), Literature: Creative Nonfiction
• Ray Magnani (Newark), Visual Arts: Photography
• Terrance Vann (Wilmington), Visual Arts: Painting
• Aaron Wright (Newark), Literature: Playwriting
• David Yurkovich (Milton), Literature: Fiction

Honorable Mention

• Dennis Beach, Wilmington, Visual Arts: Sculpture
• Luigi Ciuffetelli, Hockessin, Visual Arts: Photography
• Liz Dolan, Rehoboth Beach, Literature: Fiction
• Linda Harris Reynolds, Wilmington, Visual Arts: Work on Paper

To contact an individual artist, please email or call Roxanne Stanulis, Program Officer, Artist Programs and Services,Roxanne.Stanulis@state.de.us or 302-577-8283.  The next deadline for Individual Artist Fellowship applications will be Tuesday, August 1, 2017 by 4:30pm.

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 artsdel.org or call 302-577-8278.

Hannah Sturgis to Represent Delaware in National Poetry Out Loud Competition

Content of this post was taken from a Delaware Division of the Arts press release...

Delaware's Poetry Out Loud Champion, Hannah Sturgis.
Photo by Kathleen Buckalew.

Hannah Sturgis, a junior from Polytech High School, earned the title of 2016 Poetry Out Loud Delaware State Champion at the state finals held in Smyrna, Delaware, on February 23. The first runner-up was Brandon Dawson from Middletown High School, and the second runner-up was Jordan McMillan from Sanford School. More than 18 students competed in the Delaware finals.

Hannah Sturgis’s final recitation, Infelix by Adah Isaacs Menken, earned her high marks with the judges. The full poem can be found on the Poetry Foundation’s website.

For her winning presentation, Hannah Sturgis will receive $200 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, DC, with a chaperone to compete at the national championship May 2-4, 2016. Polytech High School will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. Brandon Dawson, the first runner-up will receive $100, and Middletown High School will receive $200 toward the purchase of poetry books.

The Poetry Out Loud state competition, sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.

See. www.artsdel.org.