In 2016, the Delaware County District Library paired up with several organizations in the county that support the arts and support senior services. The result of this collaboration was the county’s first-ever juried art exhibit and competition specifically for individuals ages 55 and older. It was called the Senior Showcase: Art After 55.
This year, we are proud to announce that through a partnership between DCDL, Willow Brook Christian Communities, and The Arts Castle, the second Senior Showcase will debut this fall!
At this time, entries are currently being accepted for the showcase from artists ages 55 and older who live in Delaware County. The juried showcase is open to submissions from both professional and emerging artists until July 6 at 5 p.m.
Pieces that were not featured in the 2016 show can be submitted again in the following categories: 2D (computer, drawing, mixed media, painting, photography) and 3D (ceramics, fiber, metal, glass, wood, stone, jewelry and sculpture). Jurying fees apply in the amount of $10 for one submission and $20 for two or three submissions.
Entry forms are available in person at all Willow Brook and DCDL locations and at the Arts Castle. Individuals can also download the forms from any of the sponsor organizations’ websites, or apply online directly at www.artscastle.org/seniorshowcase.
Any artists who have been accepted to participate in the show will be notified by July 23. They will also be invited to an opening night reception at the Arts Castle on Friday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. where winners will be announced. Thanks to the generous donations from the community and other partners, the Senior Showcase is able to award prizes totaling $1,700 in various categories.
The exhibit will run Aug. 24 through Oct. 12 at the Arts Castle in Delaware during its regular operating hours and will be free and open to the public to view.
Best of luck to all entrants. Perhaps you’ll find some artistic inspiration in the newest book releases in the DCDL collection that focus on spirituality and religion. As a reminder, all DCDL locations will be closed this Monday, May 28, as we celebrate Memorial Day with our friends and families, but you can always access library resources online at www.delawarelibrary.org.
• “To Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism” by Ross Douthat. The New York Times columnist, author of Grand New Party and influential conservative assesses the efforts of Pope Francis to change today’s Roman Catholic Church, sharing insights into why the author disagrees with Francis’ increasingly popular willingness to include and share communion with formerly excluded segments of the population.
• “Box of Butterflies: Discovering the Unexpected Blessings All Around Us” by Roma Downey. The former star of Touched by an Angel shares stories from her life along with quotes, poems, scripture and artwork to help readers find inspiration, encouragement, hope and grace through God’s love and kindness.
• “Flunk. Start. Reclaiming My Decade Lost in Scientology” by Sands Hall. The compelling story of what drew the author, actress, and musician to Scientology, why she stayed as long as she did, and how she has come to embrace a decade that for years she thought of as lost.
• “Paul: A Biography” by N.T. Wright. A compelling modern biography that reveals the apostle’s greater role in Christian history—as an inventor of new paradigms for how we understand Jesus and what he accomplished—and celebrates his stature as one of the most effective and influential intellectuals in human history.
