AWARD WINNERS XXV: CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF HONORING DELAWARE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS with the Delaware Division of the Arts

The Biggs Museum of American Art proudly presents Award Winners XXV, a milestone exhibition celebrating the 25th anniversary of showcasing the Delaware Division of the Arts’ Individual Artist Fellowship recipients. The exhibition opens May 15 and runs through September 14, 2025, featuring the exceptional talent of artists selected for their outstanding creativity and skill in their artistic disciplines.

The opening festivities will be held on Thursday, May 15, with a reception at the Biggs Museum from 5:30–7:30 p.m.. The awards ceremony will occur at 5:30pm, featuring performances by a number of fellows in the music and dance categories. Weather permitting, the program will be held outdoors, and visitors should bring blankets or chairs. At the conclusion, visitors will be invited inside to see the exhibition and enjoy light refreshments.

“This 25th anniversary of Award Winners is not just a celebration of this year’s fellows, but a tribute to the incredible legacy of creativity that Delaware artists have built over a quarter-century,” said Jessica Ball, Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “We are proud to honor the individual voices, visions, and achievements of artists who shape the cultural fabric of our state and inspire generations to come.”

Each year, the Division awards fellowships through a competitive process open to Delaware artists across disciplines including choreography, composition, literature, and visual and folk arts. In 2025, the Division received work samples from 191 Delaware choreographers; composers; 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. Twenty-one artists were awarded fellowships in the following categories – one, Masters; eleven, Established; nine, Emerging; and thirteen runners-up.

These fellows reside throughout Delaware including Bear, Clayton, Dagsboro, Lewes, Milton, Newark, New Castle, Rehoboth Beach, Smyrna, and Wilmington. Their work—spanning painting, sculpture, fiction, poetry, choreography, and more—reflects the diversity, depth, and dynamism of Delaware’s creative community.

“It is an incredible honor for the Biggs Museum to have partnered with the Delaware Division of the Arts for the Award Winners exhibition for 25 years,” said Laura Fravel, Curator at the Biggs Museum of American Art. “We are proud to be part of a tradition that has celebrated and elevated Delaware’s vibrant artistic community for a quarter of a century, and we look forward to continuing that legacy.”

Following its premiere at the Biggs Museum, Award Winners XXV will travel to the Historic Odessa Foundation and the Rehoboth Art League, expanding access to the remarkable work of Delaware’s artists statewide.

  • The museum is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Admission is free.

Award Winners XXV Exhibition Dates

The Biggs Museum of American Art

406 Federal St, Dover, DE 19901

May 15 – September 14

Reception: Thurs., May 15, 5:30-7:30pm

 

Historic Odessa Foundation

201 Main St, Odessa, DE 19730

September 19 – October 26

Reception: Thurs., Sept. 25, 6-8pm

Rehoboth Art League

12 Dodds Ln, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

November 7-30

Reception: Friday, Nov. 7, from 5-7pm