DCAD's Kalmbach receives Christi Award

September 28th 2009

The Delaware College of Art and Design is pleased to announce Michael Kalmbach, Assistant Director of Admissions, has won a 2009 Christi Award for Outstanding Arts Advocacy.

Kalmbach is the founding member of the New Wilmington Art Association, a group designed to help new and emerging artists as well as offer them opportunities to exhibit their work. An employee of DCAD since 2008, Kalmbach had just graduated from the University of Delaware with an MFA in painting and was looking to get involved with the arts community. In looking for ways to exhibit his work as an artist within the local area, he didn’t find what he was looking for and thus, founded the NWAA.

Since its founding the NWAA membership has grown to include more than 70 artists, has held several exhibitions in downtown Wilmington and has partnered with the Buccini/Pollin Group to use their vacant spaces to attract more activity to downtown.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the Christina Cultural Arts Center. More importantly, the Christi Award will give New Wilmington Art Association a new platform to promote the needs of emerging artists in downtown Wilmington. As this new downtown begins to unfold, New Wilmington Art Association will continue to serve the needs of the young cultural workers who are largely responsible for the revitalization of our city.”

In 1991, the Christi Awards were created by the Christina Cultural Arts Center's Board of Directors to be the group's signature event. The award's purpose is to pay tribute to unsung individuals who have made significant contributions toward the promotion and sustenance of the arts, to raise public awareness of and financial support for the Christina Cultural Arts Center.

The 2009 Christi Awards, “Hope, Inspiration, Knowledge, Passion – Building
Community Through the Arts” will be held on Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Grand Opera House followed by a post reception at Christina Cultural Arts Center, in
Wilmington.

Delaware College of Art and Design, the state’s first and only professional art and design school, is the result of a creative partnership between Pratt Institute in New York City and the Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, D.C. The college opened in 1997 at 600 N. Market St. with 50 students. Today, it serves more than 230 full-time degree students and about 500 continuing education students per year.