The Delaware Division of the Arts recognizes 21 Delaware artists as the 2025 Individual Artist Fellows, awarding a total of $158,000 to support their creative pursuits.
This year’s …
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The Delaware Division of the Arts recognizes 21 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 191 applications from musicians, writers, and folk, media, and visual artists across the state. A panel of out-of-state arts professionals 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%,” said 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.”
Program Officer Roxanne Stanulis said, “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.”
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. Mr. 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 are:
Masters Fellow
Established Fellows
Emerging Fellows
Runners Up
To contact an individual artist, email or call Roxanne Stanulis, Program Officer, Artist Programs and Services, at Roxanne.Stanulis@delaware.gov or 302-577-8283.
The deadline for 2026 Individual Artist Fellowship applications will be Aug. 1 by 11:59 p.m.