Akima A. Brown
Delaware is a vibrant hub for creators and creative consumers alike.
With its myriad playhouses in the north and festivals in the south, the First State has no shortage of offerings for those wanting to enjoy the arts.
But did you know Delaware has an almost clandestine cohort of artists who make much of this possible? These creatives are commercial artists.
These are the freelance “makers” and creative entrepreneurs who keep our community thriving, from the content creators who keep us abreast of festivals and events to the media production teams that help market the state and boost our tourism each year.
Unfortunately, these individuals are often overlooked because what they do doesn’t quite qualify as arts or business, but lives in the space of both/and.
Having dwelled in these two worlds for years myself — as a filmmaker and equity consultant — I fully understood the necessity for a form of hybrid support when I relocated to Delaware three years ago. I quickly became enthralled with finding solutions to this unique challenge.
The result: The Delaware Collective for Creative Economy (DCCE); a local initiative championing legitimization for Delaware’s commercial artists … and support for aspirants.
Driven by the ”pillars of practice” of its parent organization, Reel Families for Change, the Collective advocates for all First State residents to have equitable access to the recession-resilient arts sector.
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Since the inception of the Collective in 2021, the group has been working to strengthen the presence of a film-centered creative economy here in Delaware. We’ve opted for film as an epicenter because it is the only medium that not only touches other artistic disciplines, but also expands into other cross-industry opportunities like distribution.
Thanks to collaborations with local creatives, businesses, and even organizations and offices like the Pete du Pont Freedom Foundation, the YWCA, the Delaware Arts Alliance, and the Delaware Division of the Arts among others, the group has been at the forefront of Delaware’s creative economy movement with everything from artist support initiatives to policy proposals.
Programs like the BIPOC Artpreneur Training Program connected Black and brown arts enterprises to resources, mentors and funders, which helped close wealth, achievement and network gaps for BIPOC artist-entrepreneurs. Funded by a grant from the Delaware Community Foundation, the program connects creative entrepreneurs with access to experts, material resources, and for a select few, even stability funding.
Recently, with the creation of the Entertainment Industry Fund, the DCCE has set its sights on reinforcing the efforts of the newly reactivated Motion Picture and Television Development Commission. The Fund, which will serve as a tax incentive pilot program for eligible media projects in the First State, serves to position Delaware as an industry leader among its regional neighbors.
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Though Delaware’s wealth of space and talent make it a prime location for production, the lack of a formal website or database makes it difficult to consistently attract profitable projects. The Collective aims to create a viable list of assets in the coming months, which can be used to showcase Delaware’s assets.
Naturally, the next legislative session will do a lot to set the tone for advancing or regressing efforts. New relationships will need to be made and the team will have to rewind their efforts for clarity, transparency and buy-in; though we’ll have our prior successes to rely on this time.
Our efforts are intended to help employ the more than 1% of Delawareans identifying as commercial artists, nearly 99% of whom have to leave the state to find consistent work in their field.
We believe more viable projects, policy reform and job creation will jumpstart the state’s annual arts and culture revenue. Rhode Island, the smallest state, generates more than twice Delaware’s revenue in this sector since integrating commercial arts into their state’s core operations nearly a decade ago.
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The creative industries are a multi-trillion dollar sector. With adequate support, Delaware could direct profits toward advancements in K-16 education, children and family services, healthcare, workforce development, justice reform, and more for the First State.
At DCCE, we aren’t just advocates or artists, we’re both. We need the very solutions we seek and we have the capacity to envision what those might look like.
We know Delaware has the potential to be a nationally recognized creative and cultural hub – and we’re doing everything in our power to make it so.Want to learn more about Delaware’s creative economy or support the Collective? Join our mailing list, attend one of our monthly meetings, or donate today. Your gift is tax-deductible.Delaware Collective for Creative Economy is a local initiative of Reel Families for Change (RFC). Akima A. Brown serves as its principal promoter alongside her role as the RFC’s founder. Akima is an award-winning filmmaker and an acclaimed equity advocate. She has overseen creative placemaking campaigns in various states and serves on several boards and advisory councils related to the arts as sustainable economic drivers. Akima resides in Kent County with her family.
