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Sterling Advice: Curator Ann Wagner Quoted in New York Times

I hope my wife doesn’t read this blog post because it might give away a gift idea that I acquired when one of our curators was interviewed by a reporter for the New York Times.

But that can’t be helped.

I recently learned that when a reporter asks to speak to our Curator of Decorative Arts for an article about silver, I tend to get excited.

I was even more delighted when Ann Wagner, the curator in question, responded with both humor and expertise to the reporter’s questions.

As often happens, the reporter couldn’t use all the quotes that were provided.

Some of my favorite parts of Ann’s interview were left on the cutting room floor, so I’m going to scoop them up here.

  • Part of Ann’s response to a question about silver tea services and candlesticks going out of style: Oh dear, have candlesticks truly gone out of style?
  • Some good advice on starting a silver collection: I would not recommend starting at the higher end; don’t make your first purchase a Paul Revere spoon unless you really know how to evaluate it.
  • And my very favorite quote (and so, my dear wife, if you’re reading this, skip the rest of this paragraph): You haven’t lived through a hot Mid-Atlantic summer unless you’ve tasted ice cream from your own cool silver spoon. Spend $25 on a pretty sterling tablespoon and test my theory. Just don’t put it in the dishwasher afterward—give it a gentle cleaning by hand.

You can read the article, What to Know When Selling the Family Silver, by clicking here. The portion featuring Ann is spotlighted in the image below. A version of the article appeared in the March 4 edition of the New York Times International.

Here now is the full interview we provided to Ginanne Brownell, the reporter to whom we are grateful for being included, and the portions that Ginanne quoted are in italics:

GB: Tell me about why silver tea services, candlesticks, etc., went out of style in terms of registering for them for weddings, giving them as gifts/graduations, etc. I assume partly we have just become a more casual society, in general.

AW: Oh dear, have candlesticks truly gone out of style? Silver on the dining table is wonderfully reflective and luminous under candlelight, so candle holders are always on my list. Silver and high-end porcelain historically were great companions for wedding and special occasion gifts. One thing I’ve noticed is that finding a retailer isn’t as hard as finding a manufacturer — silver designers and talented makers have dwindled and several firms moved offshore. I think that may be why buying antique silver is on the uptick.

GB: If someone happens to inherit silver (that would seem from their amateur eyes to maybe be of value), what would be the logical first steps in terms of if they want to see if it has value on the market? Do museums like Winterthur take donations or buy special pieces?

AW: Often a little market research or antiques dealer exploration on your own can help if you are seeking general information. Silver is a global commodity with practices that vary in time and place, but you can jump-start your research by looking closely for stamped marks that indicate a manufacturer, place, or purity level.

Museum staff regularly receive questions from heirs facing the unknown in decorative arts. Since wonderful donations have come through this channel, we do pay attention. Accredited museums cannot respond to value questions due to our industry’s ethics code, but there are accredited appraiser organizations that can be helpful.

GB: If people are interested in collecting silver, where would they start? I would think reading and talking to experts but how does one start a collection? What pieces are coveted? Of more value (I guess I mean in terms of age, provenance, etc.)?

AW: I love this question. And silver is so affordable of late that starting a collection is possible. If you are well-informed and have a more experienced mentor handy, you can have a field day at estate sales and smaller auctions. Some super silver objects like vases or flatware are actually selling for less than their melt value. My husband and I have been giving small items like 20th-century silver mugs and trays as presents to the younger generation as a way to pass on that message of artistry and affordability. But you don’t have to buy it only to look at it.

You haven’t lived through a hot Mid-Atlantic summer unless you’ve tasted ice cream from your own cool silver spoon. Spend $25 on a pretty sterling tablespoon and test my theory. Just don’t put it in the dishwasher afterward—give it a gentle cleaning by hand.

For the more serious collector and researcher, there is helpful knowledge at your fingertips in printed resources and probably from your local antiques dealer. Winterthur’s library has collecting references even on micro subjects like tea caddy spoons or napkin rings, and most public libraries can supply broader subject resources on 19th- or 20th-century silver. If you find a form you love, for example, silver water pitchers, go to museums, start reading, and visit sales in person to educate your eye about your taste. You also might appreciate learning with others from an online forum or a collectors group. Antique silver can be an investment, so you should also be on guard for imposters or fakes. I would not recommend starting at the higher end; don’t make your first purchase a Paul Revere spoon unless you really know how to evaluate it.

GB: As a museum, what do you look for in terms of adding to your silver collection? (Do you even still add to the collection?)

AW: We absolutely do! As a curator, I actively seek metalwork that brings design, handwork, and cultural significance to Winterthur’s collection, which includes objects made in this century. My wish list is shaped by sensitivity to today’s (and tomorrow’s) audiences as well as sensitivity to the museum founder’s standards. When I acquire silver, it supports our goal to inspire and broaden understanding that makers who are active during our lifetimes also participate in artistic conversations that are never-ending. And, if your readers can visit Winterthur in May, I’ll have an exciting 20th-century silver acquisition to show them.

And, so, that was Ann’s interview.

After we had submitted her answers to the reporter, I told Ann how much I appreciated her knowledge. I added that she had also given me an excellent idea for a gift for my wife, who eats a small scoop of ice cream almost every night.

Ann replied to me: “You really should own at least one sterling spoon. Cereal can be more exciting too…”

My wife also eats a small bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios almost every morning. It looks like a silver spoon is on her horizon.

Jason Brudereck is the Communications Manager at Winterthur.

The Well-Dressed Window

Henry Francis du Pont is one of the great collectors of American decorative arts and among the country’s early interior designers. His canvas was Winterthur, and his vision began with the acquisition of woodwork, ceilings, and floors from historic houses threatened with destruction. Within that framework, du Pont furnished his rooms with antiques, primarily American. His passion for detail in all aspects of decoration extended to the design and execution of his curtain collection. He spent an infinite number of hours looking at paintings, engravings, and books to find the correct representation of each room and was actively involved in selecting the antique textiles, braids, tassels, and fringe.

Du Pont took great care with the placement of furniture and objects in his rooms, striving for symmetry and balance and introducing color and pattern through textiles. He loved the color palettes of printed cottons made fashionable in the early 20th century. As he often noted, “Color is the thing that really counts more than any other.”

Although du Pont’s window treatments evoked the period of the architectural elements in a particular room, the fabrics bore little relation to what was actually used in America from the 1700s to the early 1900s. The dealers that he patronized obtained most of their stock in Europe, where vast quantities of antique fabrics were readily available from the late 19th century onward. Many, if not most, of the textiles used to furnish Winterthur were not seen on this side of the Atlantic until the early 20th century.

The artisans who were most closely associated with fabricating the curtains at Winterthur were employed by the interior design firm of Ernest LoNano, based in New York City. Over the course of the 20th century, their client list included numerous historic houses and museums. The firm’s involvement making curtains, bed hangings, and upholstery covers for the Winterthur house was their largest commission.  

Seasonal Changes

It was customary in H. F. du Pont’s day to change the look of a room with seasonal curtains and slipcovers. Room changes and reinstallations were also dictated by du Pont’s acquisition of new furniture and fabrics. The importance of color in the Winterthur Garden played an essential part in the choice of the seasonal interior color schemes. Most textiles were marked with sewn-on labels that identified the months each item was to be used, and many carried labels indicating a particular season (1 to 4), with Season 1 being January to March.

By the 1960s, it was clear to curators that some of the textile furnishings at Winterthur had faded and needed to be replaced, but large quantities of antique fabrics were no longer available. The solution was to change out the damaged textiles with reproductions, and the museum worked closely with the firm of Brunschwig & Fils on numerous replacement projects, adding to the enduring beauty of the Winterthur rooms created by H. F. du Pont, an extraordinary collector and decorator.

Interior designer Sandy Brown is the author of The Well-Dressed Window: Curtains at Winterthur (The Monacelli Press, 2017). Available at the Winterthur Bookstore or by calling 800.448.3883. $50.

Ann Lowe: American Couturier

September 9, 2023–January 7, 2024

In 1964, The Saturday Evening Post referred to fashion designer Ann Lowe as “Society’s Best-Kept Secret.” Although Lowe had been designing couture-quality gowns for America’s most prominent debutantes, heiresses, actresses, and society brides—including Jacqueline Kennedy, Olivia de Havilland, and Marjorie Merriweather Post—for decades, she remained virtually unknown to the wider public. Since then, too little recognition has been given to her influence on American fashion. 

Ann Lowe’s recently emerging visibility as a designer stands in contrast to much of her career and the countless unrecognized Black dressmakers and designers who have contributed to American fashion for generations, including her own grandmother and mother. She blazed a path for others to follow and her legacy is still felt in fashion culture. 

This is the largest exhibition of Ann Lowe’s work to date, featuring 40 iconic gowns, many that have never been on public display, and it will illuminate her evolution as a designer from the 1920s to the 1960s. The exhibition will also feature the work of contemporary couturiers and fashion designers whose current design practices, perspectives, and career paths reflect the trajectory of American fashion emanating from Lowe’s foundation. These include B Michael, Tracy Reese, Amsale Aberra, and Bishme Cromartie. Elizabeth Way, associate curator at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, is guest curator of the exhibition.

  

Born in Clayton, Alabama, into a family of African American dressmakers, Ann Lowe (ca. 1898–1981) learned the skill of dressmaking from her mother and grandmother. She developed not only expert technical skills by the time she was a teenager but also her distinctive style—feminine, elegant, and often incorporating her signature hand-made floral elements. Her extraordinary career took her through the Jim Crow South, from Montgomery, Alabama, to Tampa, Florida, and in 1928 to New York City. Lowe’s work made her an asset to wealthy society women around the country, yet she also experienced the tumultuous hardships of the fashion business and segregated America in a period of dramatic change.  

Ann Lowe’s work places her among America’s significant fashion designers, and her life illustrates a legacy of Black women’s knowledge and skills that began as enslaved labor. Lowe modernized this legacy and expanded it to international visibility, positioning herself as a creative designer, a fashion insider, and a vital contributor to American culture.  

Ann Lowe: American Couturier

Vivid new photography of Lowe’s couture gowns—including lush details of her exquisite handwork and signature floral embellishments—accompany essays that explore the trials and achievements of Lowe’s life, contextualize her work within fashion history, profile Black designers whose work reflects her influence, and offer a behind-the-scenes look at the extraordinary efforts to preserve Lowe’s gowns.

Order your copy today for $55.00 by calling 302.888.4822. Pick up at the Winterthur Store or have it shipped to your door!

Behind the Seams

Follow us @WinterthurMuse as we share exciting behind-the-scenes features of the making of the exhibition.

Listen in Style

“Ann Lowe was an exemplary creator in American fashion who happened to be Black. While this was, no doubt, an important part of her identity, it was only one part. Lowe was a spectacular and multidimensional American fashion designer, and I wanted the exhibition music to reflect other amazing Black artists like her who excelled in their genre. Her work was classical and generally structured, while also embracing organic elements, especially flowers. She was highly technical but prioritized beauty and elegance. I wanted the music to convey these elements of her work.” -Elizabeth Way, guest curator of Ann Lowe: American Couturier

Inspired by Ann Lowe: American Couturier, this playlist celebrates Black creative excellence in fields that are traditionally homogenous with barriers to people of color.

Read more about the creation of our Ann Lowe Inspired Playlist and listen on Spotify!

Ann Lowe Symposium

Relive the In the Legacy of Ann Lowe: Contemporary American Fashion symposium and join guest curator Elizabeth Way, associate curator at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Winterthur staff, visiting scholars, contemporary designers, and students for a series of talks and demonstrations that explore Lowe’s legacy and how it continues to impact fashion culture today. 

Purchase Recordings.

Envisioning Boldness: Ann Lowe, America’s Couture Designer

Listen to the lecture “Envisioning Boldness: Ann Lowe, America’s Couture Designer,” presented by Elaine Nichols, supervisory curator of culture at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

In the Press

The Powerful Story Behind Jackie Kennedy’s Wedding Dress, Vanity Fair

Everyone Thought He Had Made the Famous Gown. It Was His Wife. The New York Times

Ann Lowe Was ‘Society’s Best-Kept Secret.’ This Exhibit Aims to Make Her a Household Name. Elle

This Biggest-ever Ann Lowe Exhibit Is Set to Shine a Light on the Long Under-credited American Designer, Women’s Wear Daily

Getting Dressed with Ann Lowe: The Art of Mounting Historic Garments, PieceWork Magazine

Behind the Scenes of Winterthur Museum’s “Ann Lowe: American Couturier” Exhibit with Elizabeth Way and Alexandra Deutsch, Black Fashion History Podcast

American Couturier, UD Magazine

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library— At The Height Of Fashion, The Story Of Ann Lowe, Antiques And The Arts Weekly

Preview the Ann Lowe: American Couturier exhibition soon to open at Winterthur Museum, Delaware News Journal

Curator discusses ‘Ann Lowe: American Couturier’ exhibit at Winterthur, Delaware News Journal

Ann Lowe: American Couturier at Winterthur, Chadds Ford Live

Remembering Ann Lowe, the unsung creator of Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress, Financial Times

Winterthur honors Ann Lowe, unsung designer of Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress, Delaware News Journal

Many who know the name Ann Lowe entered her story when she designed Jacqueline Bouvier’s wedding dress for her marriage to John F. Kennedy and wasn’t credited for it. Yahoo! Life

This exhibition is made possible through support from the Terra Foundation for American Art, the Coby Foundation, Ltd., and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Getting Dressed with Ann Lowe

May 20, 2023 through Jan 7, 2024
Second-floor Galleries

In anticipation of the fall opening of Ann Lowe: American Couturier, peek behind the scenes at the work of fabricating, shaping, and dressing the mannequins in the exhibition. Learn about the special collaboration between the University of Delaware MakerGym and Winterthur’s textile conservation lab to create the custom mannequins for the gowns.

This exhibit will be closed on August 25, 2023.

 

 

 

Today, “radically old-school” Is Cutting Edge

As a champion of the traditional methods of hand-made rug weaving, remaining “radically old-school” in the way fine Tibetan rugs are made is keeping Erika Kurtz on the cutting edge of modern design and interiors.

“In a world of fast fashion, we are finally beginning to see a return to a time where consumers are being more thoughtful in their product choices and have a renewed appreciation for fine, artisanal goods and the impact products can have on communities and the environment,” says Kurtz, Chief Operating Officer and designer for New Moon Rugs, a company founded in 1993 by her father, the artist and renowned rug historian John Kurtz, in Wilmington, Delaware.

“Innovation then really comes in the form of unique design and using materials in new and surprising ways,” Erika continues. “Companies that strive to hold on to these century-old techniques to make something built that stands the test of time, and who push the envelope to create exciting new design trends, are the ones worth watching.”

Starting out as an antique-rug collector and dealer in the living room of his home before moving into a gallery, John enthusiastically searched for and found beautiful antique rugs and shared them with collectors from around the world. Early in his career, he was inspired to bring the wonderful art of rug weaving to an even larger audience. He did so with his popular PBS series Art Underfoot, which ran from 1988 to 1992, and then again on HGTV, introducing millions of viewers to the world of oriental rugs. In 1993, John began fulfilling a desire to have an outlet for his own creative process by taking his more than 20 years of experience as a dealer of antique rugs to create original designs under the New Moon label.

After discovering partners in Nepal with whom he could make this vision a reality, New Moon was founded. Since the inception of New Moon in 1993, John has been uniting his dedication to the highest standards of craftsmanship and design with his commitment to socially responsible business practices.

Since 2004, Erika has guided the operations at New Moon.

Many of the textiles in Winterthur’s collection can serve as inspiration for today’s designers, Erika says.

Erika is a featured speaker in March at the month-long Winterthur House of Style event. A lineup of sought-after design professionals will deliver flair to Delaware with talks, workshops, and demonstrations featuring their expertise in floral elegance, table décor, home fashion, wine, and entertaining throughout March at Winterthur.

Participants in the House of Style event series will dive into the latest design trends and learn how to use them in their living spaces. With different themes on March 4, 11, 18, and 23, every design devotee will find an event—or a day of events—that interests them.

“I will be providing a look into all parts of the living supply chain that creates my family’s line of Tibetan rugs that are made in Nepal,” Erika says. “It will be a crash course on how Tibetan rugs are made, from the raw wool to the finished product. From there we will discuss the evolution of design in the rug trade, from traditional to contemporary, and how the ancient traditions of fine hand-weaving juxtaposed with a contemporary design aesthetic pave a way where styles can evolve constantly without having to sacrifice any of the quality or traditions of this ancient art form.”

Other speakers include such industry leaders as Margot Shaw, Founder and Editor in Chief of Flower magazine, and Scott Kravet, Chief Creative Director of Kravet Fabrics.

Introductory House Tour: Contemporary Artists at Winterthur

See rooms you know and love in a new light through seven installations of work by contemporary artists featured in Transformations: Contemporary Artists at Winterthur. Explore how historic and contemporary art inform our understanding of the past and present. Included with general admission. Members free. No reservations required; capacity limited. Tours begin at the Conservatory.

Tuesday–Sunday through November 10, 10:00 am–4:00 pm

Purchase tickets.

Guided Gallery Walk

Join us for a guided gallery walk of Transformations: Contemporary Artists at Winterthur. Connect the past and present and see how the old influences the present new in the artistic expressions of more than 30 nationally recognized contemporary artists. Included with admission. Members free. Drop-in tour, reservations not required. 

Through November 24: Tuesday–Sunday at 2:00 pm.

November 25–January 5: Daily at 2:00 pm.

Purchase tickets.

Behind the Seams: Ann Lowe: American Couturier

When Jacqueline Bouvier married John F. Kennedy in 1953, it was the social wedding of the year. The glamorous couple had a bright future ahead of them. Kennedy was a senator from Massachusetts, World War II war hero, and a rising star in the Democratic Party. The future First Lady’s wedding dress was highly anticipated.

Designed by Ann Lowe, the dress became one of the most famous and iconic wedding dresses of the 20th century. The original wedding dress is in the collection of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and is too fragile to be displayed.

In preparation for the upcoming Winterthur exhibition Ann Lowe: American Couturier, a reproduction was made of the dress by University of Delaware Fashion and Apparel Studies professor Katya Roelse and her students. Making the reproduction was an exacting process. Here are some fascinating facts about it.

  • The dress weighs at least 12 lbs.
  • The original wedding gown has a label with Ann Lowe’s name on it. This is incredibly rare; most of her gowns do not have her name on them.
  • A sweet touch is a six-loop blue bow stitched on the petticoat trim for “something blue.”  Jacqueline Kennedy wore her grandmother’s lace veil, presumably as something borrowed or old. 
  • The pleating across the bust took three days to create, drape, and assemble.
  • The “30-15” sleeves, which refer to the reported 30 hours and 15 minutes it took Lowe to develop the design, required a full day of work to drape and hand sew. The sleeve is a signature detail of Ann Lowe’s designs and is featured in many of her gowns.
  • The dress is 70% hand sewn.
  • It took two people approximately 18 hours over 3 days to completely measure the original.
  • Cutting the fabric for the reproduction took 15 hours. Sewing the dress (hand and machine sewing) took around 250 hours.
  • There are about 35 yards of fabric in the main part of the dress. Of these, about 20 yards were used to make the swags and rosettes which, trimmed and sewn, are transformed into 154 yards.
  • There are 10 yards of silk faille between the petticoat, corset, and the petticoat trim.
  • It took four people six days to gather, pin, and hand sew the swags and rosettes
  • It took six hours to hand baste the gathered trim, another six to pin and place it, and 20 hours to hand sew.
  • It took five hours to create, pin, and hand sew the ten layered rows of fabric at the hem of the gown that spiral into seven circular rosettes. Hand sewing them to the dress took at least another 50 hours. 

Follow along as we share more exciting behind-the-scenes features of the making of the exhibition Ann Lowe: American Couturier, opening September 9, 2023.

Artisan Market Sponsorship Opportunities

Photo by Kelly Levin

Winterthur’s Artisan Market will take place on July 18 – 20, 2025, with an anticipated attendance of 5,000+ visitors from across the region. Marketgoers will stroll the Winterthur estate to shop, eat, and learn about the history of Henry Francis du Pont’s former home and world-renowned garden. 

Artisan Market—where history, arts, and culture meet chic. Enjoy a weekend of shopping, indulging in local libations, and experiencing a bit of history along the way. Henry Francis du Pont was an aficionado of antiques, specifically American-made objects, which is what inspired him to share his home and collection with the public as a museum. Embrace your own style as you wander through the estate and become inspired to start your own collection while you explore local artisans’ crafts.

The deadline for certain sponsorship levels will be April 1, 2025, to ensure that sponsorship information meets deadlines for printed materials.

Apply Now

2025 Vision

  • 100+ Artisans
    • A Market Bites area to include culinary artisans and a Market Café, located near the historic greenhouses
    • Aspiring Artisans area to provide a venue for up-and-coming artists to share their work
    • Be Your Own Artisan campaign, a DIY and hands-on avenue for guests
  • 5000+ visitors across the three-day event weekend
  • Live music throughout the estate, house tours, and exhibition access
  • Marketing initiatives:
    • Billboard on I-95
    • News Coverage: 6ABC, Delaware Live, WHYY, Delaware Today, Main Line Today, County Lines, Delaware Tourism Office, Greater Wilmington, CVB, Philadelphia Inquirer
    • Printed Calendar of Events mailed to 20k homes (Artisan Market included in three quarterly COE mailings, so a potential reach of 60k homes).
    • Four eblasts to an average list of 65k with an average open rate of 44%
    • Website views for the Artisan Market Landing Page were 68,808 in 2024
Photos by Kelly Levin

Marketing Data

@WinterthurMuse by the Numbers

Facebook
Followers: 60k
Average Impressions: 9.3k
Average Engagement Rate: 3.2%

Instagram
Followers: 50.7k
Average Impressions: 6k
Average Engagement Rate: 7.7%

Numbers accurate as of July 2024.

Artisan Market x @WinterthurMuse

Impressions: 189k
Engagements: 7k
Link Clicks: 375
Shares: 842

2024 Paid Advertising Campaign

Impressions: 3M
CTR: 1.3%
View Thru: 16.5k
Attendance: 6,500

News Coverage Highlights

Guest and Artisan Feedback

“Yesterday this event became a top highlight of my visit to your beautiful area, filled with beautiful people and beautiful artisanry. Thank you for creating such a memorable, easy experience. Locals and visitors alike: this is SUCH a wonderful and worthwhile sojourn, and it helps you celebrate and connect with humanity’s creative endeavors while supporting local small businesses. Loved everything about this event! Thank you to everyone who helped make it happen.”

—Market guest

“I love this event. I love how you plan for it and each and every part is well thought out. I don’t even care that it is hot because you all make it worth it. I have had two of my most successful markets last year and this year. I feel like Winterthur is my target audience and it is a delight to be involved.”

—Atwater Designs

Sponsorship Opportunities

With the Sycamore level of sponsorship, a company will be listed as the Presenting Sponsor for Artisan Market. This will include an exclusive logo on all marketing materials:

  • Market Map distributed to each guest (estimated 5k)
    • Pre-event promotional postcards (2–3k distributed)
  • Link and logo listed on the Artisan Market website
    • Traffic to Artisan Market website for 2024 was 68k+
  • Included on social media promotion
  • Signage displayed throughout areas on the estate relating to Artisan Market
Photos by Kelly Levin

Sponsorship Levels

SYCAMORE LEVEL | $25,000 and above 

  • Company logo on Winterthur website
  • Company featured as the Presenting Sponsor (only one available) on marketing promotional materials (print, digital, and social media), including
    • Artisan Market postcard (2k printed and distributed throughout the community)
    • Artisan Market map (distributed to each guest upon entry) 

MAGNOLIA LEVEL | $10,000

  • Company logo on Winterthur website
  • Company featured as a sponsor on select digital marketing promotional materials (digital and social media)

DAFFODIL LEVEL | $5,000

  • Company logo on Winterthur website
  • Company listed as sponsor in a Thank You post on social media

PEONY LEVEL | $1,000

  • Company logo on Winterthur website

Additional Specialized & In-Kind Sponsorship Opportunities

FULL TENT SPONSOR | $20,000

  • Company name and logo displayed on one of the outside panels on all vendor tents
  • Company logo displayed on Winterthur website
  • Company featured as a sponsor on select marketing promotional materials, including Artisan Market postcard (2k printed and distributed throughout the community)

PARTIAL TENT SPONSOR | $10,000 

  • Company logo displayed on Winterthur website and hyperlinked webpage
  • Company featured as a sponsor on select marketing promotional materials
  • Artisan Market postcard (2k printed and distributed throughout the community)

TRANSPORTATION | $10,000 

  • Local transportation or bus company to supply transportation to Winterthur from underserved communities within Wilmington along with additional shuttles/buses to transport guests throughout the Winterthur estate
  • Company logo displayed on Winterthur website
  • Company featured as a sponsor on select promotional materials

DINING AL FRESCO | $8,000

  • Sponsor seating areas within the garden (Market Bites & Garden Café) for guests to dine and enjoy the atmosphere of the market (to include farmhouse tables, cross-back chairs, barrels, stools, lighting, umbrellas, and linens)
  • Company logo displayed on Winterthur website
  • Company logo on signage in the dining area 

COOLING TENT | $4,000

  • Sponsor a cooling tent, which will include water stations, cooling/mist fans, seating, and ice

UNDERREPRESENTED VENDOR SPONSORSHIP | $400 EACH

  • Provide funding for diverse, underrepresented, or start up artists to reserve a tent at the market. Eight sponsorships available.
Photo by Kelly Levin

Questions

The deadline for certain sponsorship levels will be April 1, 2025, to ensure that sponsorship information meets deadlines for printed materials.

For questions regarding sponsorship levels and Artisan Market, please contact Jennie Brown, jbrown@winterthur.org, or Abigail Miller, amiller@winterthur.org.

Apply Now