NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest returns for a 10th year in 2024. Right now, submissions are being accepted as NPR Music conducts its annual search for the best undiscovered, unsigned musicians.This year, the winner will perform their own Tiny Desk concert, headline a 10-city national tour, and for the first time be mentored by a music industry professional.Delaware Public Media’s Tom Byrne chats this week with one of the concert judges, NPR Tiny Desk Contest producer Bobby Carter, about the contest.

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In the U.S., food is the single most common material sent to landfills, making up nearly 25% of municipal waste according to the Environmental Protection Agency.In Delaware, the state’s first community composting site recently opened at Talley Day Park in North Wilmington with the hopes of reducing the amount of food waste headed to landfills while building up the First State’s composting infrastructure.This week, Delaware Public Media’s Quinn Kirkpatrick is joined by Brigid Gregory – Program Director for the Delaware Community Composting Initiative – for more on composting in Delaware.

The Queen in Wilmington has a new general manager.A former specialist in the U.S. Navy, Devin Ball takes the reins after serving as the director of music hall operations at the House of Blues in New Orleans. He promises to breathe new life into the historic theater with a fuller calendar of concerts and local acts.For this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media’s Karl Lengel sits down with Ball to discuss his new role and plans for The Queen.

Did you know Delaware has its own Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, or more precisely, Rock n’ Roll Society, honoring First State music acts that contributed to the genre?It does – and it’s about to get a place to call home for the first time.In this edition of History Matters, contributor Larry Nagengast reports on Delaware’s Rock n’ Roll Society and how it found a place to showcase the homegrown music and artists it honors.

This week, The Green makes a return trip to the University of Delaware to highlight work from student journalists.On this edition of Enlighten Me, we feature two pieces produced by UD Communications students for a class taught by Nancy Karibjanian, long-time First State journalist, Director of UD’s Center for Political Communication, and one of the founders of Delaware Public Media.

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The education world continues to look for ways to equip students with the skills and knowledge they’ll need to be successful in today’s workforce.Enter STEAM, a methodology that empowers and engages students around the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture/Arts, and Math. At the University of Delaware, youth development science educator Twila Parish-Short recently joined UD's Cooperative Extension program to create opportunities for youth across the state to engage with STEAM.Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon talks with Parish-Short this week about the Cooperative Extension program and the value and accessibility of STEAM education.

The National Ballet Competition is set to bring more than 200 dancers from all over the country to downtown Wilmington in a matter of months.The competition, now in its sixth year, will take place at The Grand Opera House from March 8-10.For this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media’s Karl Lengel is joined by the National Ballet Competition’s Managing Director Taylor Ciampi and First State Ballet Director of Advancement Joan Beatson to learn more about the competition.

The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs recently held two public forums centered around the John Dickinson Plantation.One forum was virtual and one was held in person with the ultimate goal of improving the management and interpretation of the plantation and its African Burial Ground.For this edition of History Matters, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon sits down with site supervisor Gloria Henry to chat about what was learned from the forums.