Delaware Art Museum Honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Annual Day of Service Focuses on Black Art and Volunteering

The Delaware Art Museum once again partners with the Wilmington community, starting with a free Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, January 16, 2023 at 10 a.m. The holiday honors the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a national day of service that celebrates the civil rights leader’s life and legacy, and the Museum arranges participation opportunities on- and off-site with partners throughout the city.

After a 10:15 a.m. performance by the Wilmington Children’s Chorus and remarks by Andrea McCoy-Carty (Chair of the Judy Johnson Memorial Foundation) and Chandra Pitts (Founder, One Village Alliance), guests will support the community through service projects. From 10:40 a.m. to 1 p.m., guests will create a “Share Your Dreams” poster with artist K.O. Simms, and glaze a bowl for Empty Bowls, benefitting the food pantry at St. Stephens Lutheran Church.

At 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., tours of the museum, highlighting Black art, will take place.

After the Museum activities, guests are encouraged to take their posters to the MLK March organized by Westside Grows. The march begins at Noon and lines up at 1009 Sycamore Street.

Additional partner activities include the 10th Annual Raising Kings Day of Service at the Freedom Center located at 31 West 31st Street. Center activities take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Community Engagement Specialist Iz Balleto says, “The Museum continually works with the community on this annual day of service. In addition to encouraging volunteerism and activism, we are pleased to be creating new art along with K.O. Simms in honor of Dr. King. Museum guests will ultimately be presenting their poster art in King’s eponymous march and sending glazed bowls out to be used for alleviating hunger in the community.”

Partnering with community organizations on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day speaks to the Museum’s mission “to connect people to art, offering an inclusive and essential community resource that through its collections, exhibitions, and programs, generates creative energy that sustains, enriches, empowers, and inspires,” and its vision, which includes creating connections to the community.

For more information, visit our website.

This event is a partnership with One Village Alliance, Westside Grows, Wilmington Childrens Chorus. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.delawarescene.com.

About the Delaware Art Museum

For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the most comprehensive Pre-Raphaelite collection on display outside of the United Kingdom, and a growing collection of significant contemporary art.

Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Kickoff
WHEN: Monday, January 16, 2023, 10 a.m.—1 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, Fusco Hall
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org