WILMINGTON — Two Wilmington institutions are working in tandem to breathe new life downtown through an artist in residence program.
For the past four years, the Delaware Contemporary Art Museum had a residence program in which four early-stage artists use a shared studio space. But now, the institution has teamed up with the Wilmington Alliance to continue funding the program while bringing more arts to the heart of Wilmington.
The four residents will also be invited to create, paint, sculpt and more at the Art-o-Mat on 7th and Washington Streets. A former laundromat and liquor store, the Wilmington Alliance reclaimed the space in August 2023 to offer new community events in music, literature and painting, plus other ventures.
The collaboration sparked from the Art-o-Mat’s first artists in residence Charles Edward Williams who arrived in Delaware after he landed a two-week residency at the Delaware Art Museum. During his time at the Art-o-Mat, he spent time in Wilmington and asked people walking by to help with a painting.
“One important aspect of the residency is that it’s almost like a fishbowl for the community,” Wilmington Alliance Community Engagement and Programming Manager CaDeidra Jarmon said. “When people walk by, they can actually see the artist at work. They can see our programs. That was really important, I think, in the development of the program because people are literally watching the work and can ask about it.”
Two other artists spent a few months with the Wilmington Alliance and in the neighborhood. One of those artists also stayed to offer a painting class.
Over time, it became clear that there were ways the nonprofit and economic development group could work with Delaware Contemporary to complement each other’s programs. While the Contemporary offers rising artists space to hone their craft, the Wilmington Alliance wants to help them hone their entrepreneurial skills.
Through the partnership, the four artists in residence will spend a month at the museum and another month at the Art-o-Mat. The program is called “Full Circle” as all programs work to build skills to offer a full circle experience while in Wilmington.
Wilmington Alliance CEO Renata Kowalczyk noted that the experience the Art-o-Mat offers would be exposed to a different audience than one found in the museum at the Riverfront.
“A number one economic development goal is creating exposure for businesses and this is a different way to create that exposure to potential customers. It’s also giving exposure to Wilmington and other neighborhoods through the artists, as some of them that come through the Contemporary’s program are Wilmington residents,” she said.
“We want to use this [partnership as a] opportunity to showcase Wilmington as a place that loves and welcomes the arts and artists,” Kowalczyk added.
From a broader point of view, it’s also a chance to inspire Wilmingtonians to try something different and perhaps discover a new talent. For example, Jarmon said earlier this year, a young man walked into the Art-o-Mat during a dance class.
“His mother had sent him up the street because she heard we had art classes. That sealed the deal for me, that this was really working in the community and that the community was embracing the residency,” she said.
