This year for Do More 24 we’re raising $5,000 to finish the final step of a project that will genuinely change what the Creative Market can be for our artists. So far, we have raised $33,000 for our awning project, and this is the final leg to get us to the finish line. We are installing a permanent awning structure so the market can stay open more consistently, but during the planning process we realized something we honestly hadn’t thought about at first — gutters matter more than the roof.

Without proper drainage, rain doesn’t disappear, it just pours off the edges and floods the walkways and vendor spaces! So instead of building something that only works in perfect weather, we want to build it correctly the first time and make the market reliable.

For many of our artists, one good market night covers groceries, bills, or simply gives them the confidence to keep going. Consistency is everything when you’re trying to build a creative career, and a small infrastructure detail makes a huge difference in whether that opportunity exists week after week.

We’re kicking off Do More 24 with our third annual Pop-Up Art Show collaboration with the Rehoboth Art League, but the bigger goal behind that celebration is making sure artists have a dependable place to show up all season long. This fundraiser is the final push to get us there so a passing storm doesn’t take opportunity away from the people we serve. 

Join in person at Crooked Hammock for the DAC + RAL Pop-Up Art Show from 6:00-9:00PM. 

The Developing Artist Collaboration is an artist-first movement built on the belief that creative people should be able to build stable and sustainable lives through their work. We support artists through career development, peer connection, and consistent opportunities to earn income while strengthening their connection to the community.

Our work focuses on creating reliability for artists. When they have dependable places to show up, share their work, and build relationships with collectors, they gain confidence and momentum. In turn, they give back through teaching, collaboration, and creative contributions that make our communities more vibrant and connected.

Programs like the West Side Creative Market, the Artpothecary public arts space, and our flagship EMERGE creative workforce pathway are designed to create that consistency. Recurring opportunities allow artists to grow real careers, and practical improvements like weather resilient spaces directly impact whether those opportunities exist week after week.

 In 2026, DAC is expanding EMERGE into New Castle County in partnership with the Delaware Art Museum, bringing this model to more artists across the state.

At DAC, supporting artists is about more than art. It is about economic opportunity, belonging, and building a culture where creativity is valued as real work.

County Served: Sussex and New Castle
Location: Rehoboth Beach
Sector: Arts and Culture; Delaware Division of the Arts Grantee