The Delaware Division of the Arts has announced the newest recipients of the agency’s fellowship grants.
Work samples from more than 100 Delaware choreographers, composers, musicians and visual artists were submitted, and then the 16 winners chosen.
The Masters Fellowship is open to differing artistic disciplines each year. In 2016, Masters applications were accepted in Literary or Media Arts.
This year’s winner is Newark based writer, Ramona DeFelice Long.
As an author, Long writes fiction, creative nonfiction, personal essays, and memoir. Her writing has appeared in literary publications both in print and online.
She says the way to write for publication is to commit to it. That’s why she writes for at least one hour every day.
“The goal is to write 1000 words in one hour. Sometimes I get 1000, sometimes I get 4. It really depends on what you’re doing and how that hour goes,” she says. “But for the rest of the day no matter what happens, I have had that writing hour.”
In addition to demonstrating high artistic quality, Masters Fellowship applicants must demonstrate their involvement and commitment to the arts in Delaware.
Long does that by mentoring young writers.
“I spent the last week judging the scholastic writing awards for the state of Delaware and in the next few weeks I’ll be judging the “Reflections” contest which is the New Castle County PTA program for young writers,” she says. “I do this to encourage young writers but also it’s a lot of fun.”
This piece is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
