Washington, DC – On November 1, 2016, Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will join Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) in engaging the Delaware arts community. Chairman Chu will tour The Delaware Contemporary and join Senator Coons in a public Town Hall meeting at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington. Chairman Chu will also tour the Biggs Museum of American Art and participate in a public meet and greet in Dover. Chairman Chu will tour The Delaware Contemporary, an art museum and dynamic gathering place where art, design, and technology intersect to inspire creativity. She will have the opportunity to learn more about the many programs the museum offers, including its NEA-supported artist-in-residence program.   Then, the Delaware Division of the Arts hosts a Town Hall meeting at The Grand Opera House in Wilmington. Chairman Chu, Senator Coons, and Governor Jack Markell (D-DE) will give remarks. Chairman Chu will speak about the NEA’s 50^th anniversary and take questions from the audience, giving her an opportunity to learn more about how the arts play an important role in Delaware’s arts community. Media who wish to attend this event should contact Leeann Wallett with the Delaware Division of the Arts at leeann.wallett@state.de.us. After the Town Hall meeting, Chairman Chu is available for short one-on-one media interviews. Media should send their request in advance to Judith Kargbo, kargboj@arts.gov. Later that afternoon, Chairman Chu will visit the Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover, an art museum dedicated to promoting an understanding and appreciation of the fine and decorative arts of Delaware, the Mid-Atlantic Region and the nation from 1700 to the present.  Following a tour of the museum, Chairman Chu will participate in a public meet and greet with the Dover arts community. Prior to the meet and greet, Chairman Chu is available for short one-on-one media interviews. Media should send their request in advance to Judith Kargbo, kargboj@arts.gov. As part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ 50th anniversary celebration, the NEA created a story bank of multimedia content to showcase the impact of the arts. To date, hundreds of people from across the country, including Delaware, have submitted stories about how the arts and the National Endowment for the Arts have impacted their lives. In addition to a video about the arts and culture of Delaware, this section also includes a video from Senator Chris Coons, filmed at The Delaware Contemporary. Media should contact Judith Kargbo at kargboj@arts.gov if they would like to attend any of the site visits or request an interview with Chairman Chu.

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Tuesday, November 1, 2016 9:00AM- 10:15AM            The Delaware Contemporary Site Visit Location:                     200 S Madison St, Wilmington, DE 19801 Participants:                       Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Paul Weagraff, director, Delaware Division of the Arts David Keller, interim executive director, The Delaware Contemporary Arts Kathrine Page, board chair, The Delaware Contemporary Arts Alma Sheppard-Matsuo, artist-in-residence, The Delaware Contemporary Arts

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1:00PM –2:00PM              Town Hall Meeting Location:                              The Grand Opera House at the baby grand  818 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801 Participants:                       Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Chris Coons, U.S. Senator, State of Delaware Jack Markell, Governor, State of Delaware Paul Weagraff, director, Delaware Division of the Arts Mark Fields, executive director, the Grand Opera House

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2:15PM –2:30PM              Media Availability   Location:  the baby grand 818 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801

Participants:                      Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Chris Coons, U.S. Senator, State of Delaware

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3:45PM- 4:10PM               Biggs Museum Tour Location:                     406 Federal St, Dover, DE 19901 Participants:                       Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Paul Weagraff, director, Delaware Division of the Arts Charles Guerin, executive director, Biggs Museum Ryan Grover, curator, Biggs Museum

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4:15PM- 4:30PM               Media Availability Location:                              Biggs Museum, 406 Federal St, Dover, DE 19901                                           Participants:                       Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts

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4:30PM- 5:45PM               Public Meet and Greet Location:                              Biggs Museum, 406 Federal St, Dover, DE 19901 Participants:                       Jane Chu, chairman, National Endowment for the Arts Paul Weagraff, director, Delaware Division of the Arts Charles Guerin, executive director, Biggs Museum Ryan Grover, curator, Biggs Museum

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About the National Endowment for the Arts Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts and the agency is celebrating this milestone with events and activities through September 2016.                                                                                                                                                                       About the Delaware Division of the Arts The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is dedicated to cultivating and supporting the arts to enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans. 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. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit artsdel.org or call 302-577-8278.

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United States of Art: Delaware