Delaware Division of the Arts Announces $5M in Grants in Support of Arts Projects for Fiscal Year 2026

$5 Million in Grants Will Strengthen Delaware’s Communities, Economy, and Quality of Life

Statewide, DEL. (August 26, 2025) – From small-town theaters to statewide education partnerships, from capital improvements to programs reaching underserved communities, the arts in Delaware are more than entertainment. They are a driver of jobs, an inspiration for young people, a catalyst for community pride, and a contributor to Delawareans’ well-being. That’s why the Delaware Division of the Arts is investing $5,056,525 in grants to 125 arts and community organizations that will deliver programming, education, and cultural opportunities to Delawareans in every county. This first round of FY2026 funding includes General Operating Support, Project Support, Arts Stabilization, StartUp, and Education Resource grants.

“These funds will play a crucial role in fostering a vibrant cultural environment and ensuring that the arts remain accessible to all Delawareans,” said Jessica Ball, Director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “We extend our gratitude to Governor Meyer, Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez, the Delaware General Assembly, and the National Endowment for the Arts for their continued support in making this investment possible.”

The impact of this funding will be felt in countless ways across the state. Arts organizations will energize neighborhoods with performances, exhibitions, and festivals that make communities more welcoming and connected. Local economies will benefit as audiences spend money at nearby restaurants, shops, and hotels, while the grants themselves help sustain the jobs of artists, educators, technicians, and administrators who form the backbone of the creative sector.

“Public support for the arts is not just about enriching our cultural life – it’s an investment in Delaware’s future,” says Governor Matt Meyer. “The arts make our state a vibrant and inspiring place to live, work, and visit. They draw tourists to our towns and cities, energize our communities, and send a clear message to companies considering relocation that Delaware values creativity, innovation, and quality of life. By supporting the arts, we’re strengthening the very fabric of our communities and ensuring that Delaware remains a destination where both residents and visitors want to be.”

In classrooms, education-focused partnerships will give Delaware students hands-on arts experiences that build creativity, critical thinking, and confidence – skills that serve them well beyond their school years. Thirteen Education Resource grants will connect schools with professional teaching artists and arts organizations to provide teacher training and standards-based arts learning for Pre K-12 students statewide, ensuring that young people in all corners of Delaware have access to a quality arts education.

The grants will also help preserve and celebrate Delaware’s unique cultural identity by sustaining the work of cornerstone institutions that have shaped the state’s artistic landscape for decades. From the Delaware Art Museum’s internationally recognized collection of pre-Raphaelite art to the world-class arts experiences offered by The Grand Opera House, OperaDelaware, the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, the Biggs Museum of American Art, and The Freeman Arts Pavilion, these organizations set a high standard for artistic excellence while serving as gathering places for communities across the state. Together, these and many other established institutions ensure that Delaware’s cultural traditions remain vibrant, accessible, and a source of pride for residents and visitors alike.

This year, three organizations – the Central Delaware Blues Society, Four Youth, and the Delaware Ballet – will join the Division’s StartUp program for arts organizations that are new to our portfolio of grantees. Designed to strengthen new arts nonprofits, the program provides financial support, board development training, and technical assistance to help participants operate sustainably and prepare for future eligibility in General Operating Support, Education Resource, or Arts Stabilization grants. StartUp organizations must demonstrate a clear artistic mission, a stable governing board, and a track record of at least two years of public programming. By welcoming these three grantees into the program, the Division is helping to ensure that the arts remain relevant and accessible, and that Delaware’s portfolio of supported arts organizations can grow, thrive, and contribute meaningfully to the state’s unique cultural life.

All applications underwent impartial peer review by panels of Delaware community members ensuring that diverse perspectives are included in the funding allocation process.

Members of the public are encouraged to explore upcoming performances, exhibitions, and programs in their communities and see firsthand how these investments strengthen Delaware’s quality of life. Sign up for the Division’s monthly Arts E-News to learn more about events, grant opportunities, and ways to support the arts in Delaware. Visit DelawareScene.com to see hundreds of arts and culture events statewide.

GRANT BREAKDOWN BY TYPE

A complete list of FY2026 first-round grant recipients is available at arts.delaware.gov.

The awards include:

• General Operating Support for sixty-seven (67) arts organizations.
• Project Support for thirty-six (36) community-based organizations that provide arts programming for Delawareans in communities and whose primary mission is not the arts.
• Six (6) Arts Stabilization projects that support capital improvements and repairs to facilities owned or under long-term lease by arts organizations.
• StartUp Support for three arts organizations, Four Youth, Central Delaware Blues Society, and the Delaware Ballet, providing them with a combination of technical assistance, board development training, and financial support necessary to become eligible for General Operating Support grants.
• Thirteen (13) education-based partnerships between Delaware’s schools, arts organizations and artists that provide teacher training and standards-based arts learning experiences for pre- K-12 students statewide, in alignment with the Delaware Standards for Learning in the Visual and Performing Arts.

Funding comes from the Delaware General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, with Arts Stabilization grants supported through the Arts Consortium of Delaware, Inc. (ArtCo) endowment.

The Division also awards grants on an ongoing basis throughout the year, including Arts Access grants, Artist Residencies, Individual Artist Fellowships (August 1 annual deadline), Creative Aging Programs, and Individual Artist Opportunity grants. Full grant descriptions are available on the Division’s website and at the end of the release.

GRANT PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

Arts Organizations: Non-profit Delaware organizations whose primary mission is the promotion, production, presentation, or teaching of the arts.

General Operating Support – support of annual operating expenses to ensure that year-round participation in the arts is available to the people of Delaware. This grant category utilizes a three-year application cycle. Full applications are due every three years, with Interim applications due in the “off” years. Annual March 1 deadline.

Arts Stabilization – supports improvements to facilities owned (or under long-term lease) and operated by the organization. Arts Stabilization grants are funded through the Division’s participation in the Arts Consortium of Delaware, Inc. (ArtCo) endowment. Annual March 1 deadline.

StartUp – a comprehensive program of financial support, training, and consultation to develop and strengthen the management capacity of emerging arts organizations so that they can operate sustainably. Completion of the StartUp program is a prerequisite for organizations seeking General Operating Support for the first time. Annual March 1 deadline.

Arts Access – supports small budget projects that include the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media, or folk arts in communities throughout the state. Applications must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the project start date, and are reviewed as they are received, beginning on July 1 of each year. Organizations that receive General Operating or Project Support from the Division are not eligible to apply. Rolling deadline.

Community-Based Organizations: Non-profit Delaware organizations, colleges, universities, and government entities that do not have the arts as their primary mission.

Project Support – supports arts programs provided by CBOs that assist in the growth of a vibrant cultural environment by encouraging the continued development of arts activities in communities throughout the state. College and university projects must be non-credit and serve the general community.  Annual March 1 deadline.

Arts Access – supports small budget projects that include the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media, or folk arts in communities throughout the state. Applications must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the project start date, and are reviewed as they are received, beginning on July 1 of each year. Organizations that receive General Operating or Project Support from the Division are not eligible to apply. Rolling deadline.

Schools: Delaware pre-K through 12 public, charter, private, and parochial schools.

Artist Residency – grants for residencies with visual, literary, performing, or media artists working with students in the classroom or professional development workshops with teachers. Rolling deadline.

TranspARTation – grants that support transportation costs for schools to travel to Delaware arts and cultural institutions and venues for students to attend arts performances, events, and exhibits.

Arts Organizations and Schools:

Education Resource – grants to strengthen standards-based arts education projects, programs, and activities that utilize the arts education resources of the Delaware arts community or strengthen arts organizations’ capacity to serve as professional development resources for teaching artists and educators.  Annual March 1 deadline.

Delaware Libraries and Senior Centers:

Creative Aging – grants to support creative aging programs designed to actively engage 55+ adults in the creative process with a professional artist in the visual, literary, or performing arts.  Quarterly deadlines: January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1.

Individual Artists: Delaware residents, 18 years of age or older, not enrolled in a degree-granting program.

Artist Fellowships – supports individual artists in their work as visual, performing, media, folk, and/or literary artists. Applications are received and processed by Mid Atlantic Arts. FY2024 Masters categories are Dance, Jazz, and Music. Annual August 1 deadline.

Artist Opportunity Grants – provides up to $1,000 to support individual artists with unique professional and artistic development or presentation opportunities. Quarterly deadlines: January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1.

About the Delaware Division of the Arts
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 or call 302-577-8278.