The Delaware Art Museum & District 8 Partner Again for Mural Project bringing the Jazz Age to the streets of Wilmington
The Delaware Art Museum reprises its District 8 mural project, with support from an AARP Challenge Grant and City of Wilmington District 8 Councilperson Nathan Field, as a complement to the “Jazz Age Illustration” exhibition. “Jazz Around Town” features enlarged images of Jazz Age (1919-1942) illustrations from DelArt’s expansive American Illustration collection, combined with quotations from popular writers and press from the period.
They are installed at the following locations and will be on view throughout City Council District 8 through the New Year:
- Luther Towers
- BrewHaHa Trolley Square
- The intersection of Delaware Avenue and Dupont Street
- Lincoln Towers
- Southeast Kitchen
- The intersection of Pennsylvania and Greenhill Avenues outside the Marian Coffin Garden.
“This is a fun and immersive way to explore the mass visual culture that emerged at the end of the First World War—a period characterized by cultural vibrancy and dramatic social change,” Heather Campbell Coyle, Curator of American Art, said.
The murals include works by artists Douglas Duer, George W. Gage, Jay Jackson, Neysa McMein, and Nicolai Remisoff, paired with quotes from authors F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Langston Hughes, Alain LeRoy Locke, and Dorothy Parker.
Project supporter Councilperson Nathan Field says, “The Delaware Art Museum team has done it again! With “Jazz Age,” Wilmington has yet another nationally, if not internationally, known exhibit right here in our backyard. It’s incredibly exciting to work with the team to cross promote the event with a new round of murals in and around the 8th District.”
Throughout 2024 and 2025, the Delaware Art Museum is celebrating the “Year of the Illustrator.” “Jazz Age Illustration” is the first major exhibition to survey the art of popular illustration in the United States between 1919 and 1942. Also, on view is “Flapper Philosophy: Modern Women in the Jazz Age,” a companion exhibition featuring an array of materials from the Helen Farr Sloan Library & Archives collections. The celebration continues throughout 2025, with DelArt hosting the Norman Rockwell Museum’s exhibition “Imprinted: Illustrating Race”, on view from October 18, 2025, through March 1, 2026.
“Jazz Around Town” is supported by Nathan Field, 8th District Council Member and the AARP Challenge Grant. 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 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 for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.