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.

Summer in the Parks Returns to Wilmington

Blog content courtesy of a press release from The Grand Opera House...
The Grand Opera House is pleased to announce the start of Wilmington’s Summer in the Parks 2016! This week launched the first of the 9-week season featuring FREE arts activities in 10 different park sites throughout the City of Wilmington.

The programs run Monday, June 20 through Friday, August 19, with 86 daytime events of FREE music, dance, arts & crafts, theatre and storytelling for kids of all ages. Activities will take place Monday through Friday (except July 4 and August 12) at 9:30-10:30am and 12:00-1:00pm, in combination with the City’s Summer Food Service, which distributes breakfast and lunch for neighborhood children.

Please note that the West Side Neighborhood site has moved to Madison Street Tot-Lot, just across from the entrance to William “Hicks” Anderson Community Center, and we look forward to returning to One Love Park after they completed a beautiful upgrade last summer. Come out and join us!

Weekly ScheduleEvery Weekday Morning @ 9:30-10:30am

• MONDAY | Prices Run (BBW Park at N. Locust & E. 23rd Streets) 
• TUESDAY | Woodlawn Park (4th & Ferris Streets) 
• WEDNESDAY | Tilton Park (N. Franklin – W. 7th & 8th Streets) 
• THURSDAY | Madison Street Tot-Lot (504-506 N. Madison Street) 
• FRIDAY | Holloway/Compton Park (N. Lombard & E. 7th Streets) 

Every Weekday Afternoon, @ 12:00-1:00pm

• MONDAY | One Love Park (N. Tatnall & W. 24th Streets) 
• TUESDAY | Barbara Hicks Park (Bradford & B Streets) 
• WEDNESDAY | Kosciuszko Park (Sycamore & S. Broom Streets) 
• THURSDAY | Judy Johnson Park (N. Dupont & W. 3rd Streets) 
• FRIDAY | Haynes Park (N. Franklin – W. 30th & 32nd Streets) 

So many wonderful artists – many returning and several new this year – provide a safe and creative outlet for neighborhood youth. Artists include: Alfie Moss, Alia Moss-Koonce, Almanac Dance Circus Theatre, Dave Fry, Delaware Art Museum, The Delaware Contemporary, Delaware Shakespeare Festival, Elbert-Palmer Percussion Ensemble, First State Ballet Theatre, Fly Motivation, Gabrielle Kanter, GCJ Uniques, Griots Wa Umoja, Illstyle & Peace, Jill Perry Carpenter – Walt the Street Dog, LaFate Gallery, Leslie Carey Band, Minas, The Music School of Delaware – M&M and Friends, Nature Jams, New Wilmington Art Association with Barrel of Makers, Pegasus Trio, Philly Vibes, Pieces of a Dream, Street Xpressions, TAHIRA, Terrance Vann, Vanity Constance and Wilmington Drama League.

Weekly evening concerts will be hosted at selected park sites for all ages to enjoy – including the premiere performance at The Sugar Bowl Pavilion in Brandywine Park!

• June 29, 6:00-7:30pm, One Love Park | Alfie Moss/Dexter Koonce Project 
• July 6, 6:00-7:30pm, Haynes Park | Suzzette Ortiz Latin Jazz Ensemble 
• July 14, 6:00-7:30pm, Tilton Park | Richard Raw 
• July 21, 6:00-7:30pm, Union Park Gardens | Diamond State Chorus & Simple Gifts 
• July 27, 6:30-7:30pm, Stapler Park | Diamond State Concert Band 
• August 4, 6:00-7:30pm, Judy Johnson Park | Pristine Raeign 
• August 5, 6:00-7:00pm, Stapler Park | Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance 
• August 10, 6:00-8:00pm, Sugar Bowl Pavilion | The Souldaires with Elbert-Palmer Percussion Ensemble 

Keep up to date with the Facebook page and website, which will be updated with news, photos and individual park schedules.

The Grand would like to thank the City of Wilmington for its generous support to make this important program possible. A special thanks also to Wilmington Parking Authority, Wilmington State Parks, the Friends of Wilmington Parks, and to ALL of you for your ongoing support and participation. We’ll see you this SUMMER in the PARKS!

For information, visit TheGrandWilmington.org/Parks or call 302.658.7897 x3105.

Delaware Music: Rachel Schain's LilacFace

Coffeehouse darling (and Delaware Today's 2011 Best Musician in Upstate Delaware) Rachel Schain may be on maternity hiatus from live shows until 2014, but that's no reason to miss out on her music. If you haven't yet caught Schain's live acoustic show, her debut album, LilacFace, is a great way to get turned on to her quirky brand of pop-rock-folk.

While the songs are performed live with an acoustic guitar, LilacFace, produced by Boy Wonder, features Schain with a full band (Philly's Venice Sunlight), as well as guest appearances by Patrick Allen, TubaDan, Noelle Picara, Sheila Hershey, and Donna Smith. 

Schain's appeal is in her catchy melodies and clever lyrics. With titles like "Google Thinks We're Dating" and "Unconventionally Yours (2)," these are not your average folk-pop songs. And while several of the songs are about romantic relationships, they're love songs for girls who don't spend most of their time obsessing over boys (and the people who love them). The songs range from pretty and melodic "Liam's Song" to the rock anthem "Rockstar, Bitch!" with plenty of variation in between. The highlight of the album is "Songbird," a witty takedown that sounds much sweeter than it is (and when you get the double meaning, you'll laugh out loud).

LilacFace is available digitally on Amazon and iTunes, with both digital and physical copies for sale at CDBaby.

Jazz at Basil, Every Thursday

Wilmington is a world-class jazz town -- the annual Clifford Brown Jazz Festival downtown is evidence of that. In theory, we should be able to go out on any given night and catch some great live jazz. In reality, Thursday night is the night to experience it in Wilmington, at Basil at 422 Delaware Ave. Basil is an atmospheric little bistro inside the Sheraton Suites, with its own separate entrance. Look for the distinctive green awning to bypass entering through the hotel.

Jazz at Basil is an early night: the first set starts at 8:00 PM, and the bar closes at 10:00. The timing is good for a late dinner (Basil is a bistro serving traditional American fare--I saw lots of chicken wings and veggie burgers) or after dinner cocktails. The real draw, of course, is the music. Basil has a nice setup for jazz musicians, with a small stage that is well visible from the bar and much of the seating area in the restaurant.

On Thursday the 15th of July, the trio FVC was featured, and if this trio represents the sort of jazz Basil features every week, it's worth checking out any Thursday night. FVC, led by Philadelphia-based keyboardist Dennis Fortune, who is also a piano & jazz instructor at Wilmington's Christina Cultural Arts Center, started with an all-instrumental traditional jazz tunes with catchy beats and cool solos. Two singers were also featured: established jazz vocalist Barbara Yates, who knocked out standards such as "Misty" and "Blackbird," and up-and-comer Safia Davis, who brought a smooth, contemporary R&B styling to the set. Both vocalists fit seamlessly with the trio, each bringing her own style and edge to the set. A nice mixture of live jazz by some great regional artists.

Jazz at Basil has a $5 cover. Get there by 8:00 for a good spot--the place was filled up, except for the furthest tables, by 9:00.

For more:
Basil at Sheraton Suites
FVC Live at CDBaby