Dare County Arts Council is dedicated to providing support to the arts in Dare County. It is a nonprofit arts organization. The Council is located on Queen Elizabeth Avenue, in Manteo, North Carolina. It aims at encouraging the arts in the country. This is done by offering enrichment, advocacy, and opportunity.
The Council has established the Frank Stick Memorial Art Show. It is the largest and oldest exhibition in Dare County. It involves artists in the region participating and showcasing their finest work. When the council started the exhibition in 1985, the artists who participated totaled 53. In 1991, there were 80 artists and in 1994, there were 140.
The first office of Dare County Arts Council was located in Nags Head at Central Square Complex. It was opened in September 1996. Two months later, the Council managed to hire the first employee because of a grant. The grant was received from the North Carolina Arts Council.
In 1999, Dare County Arts Council relocated its offices to a larger location on Sir Walter Raleigh Street. The new location was in historic downtown Manteo. It allowed the council to host a gallery, workshop space, and offices.
The Council relocated to a nearby location in July of 2010. The new location was in the historic Dare County Courthouse. This space was about four times bigger than the previous one. It has given the council a home in the community.
The Dare County Arts Council is led by a team of professionals and locals interested in the art world. They include:
This has been held each year since 1985. The show is held in honor of Frank Stick. He was an artist and preservationist in the Outer Banks. He is most known for his efforts in having the Cape Hatteras Seashore designated as the first National Seashore.
The show is often held in January. It is the visual arts exhibit that has run the longest in Dare County. Those participating submit recent innovative work. This is in the hope of winning the distinctive Eure Best in Show Award. This award honors Glenn and Pat Eure for hosting the exhibit in its first years at Ghost Fleet Gallery.
During the 43rd Frank Stick Memorial Art Show, 97 artists participated. The show was sponsored by numerous local and neighboring partners.
This exhibit will go on for a whole month. It showcases both decorative and functional pottery and sculpture. All her work will be inspired by nature. Redman uses the colors of the sky and sea to give a natural ambiance.
The work is focused on slab building. It also makes use of elements that are sculpted and thrown away. Some of the decorating techniques that Kathleen uses include;
The Kathleen Redman Pottery exhibit has organic shapes and patterns, including leaves, flowers, and swirls. She also uses a lot of green, blue, and turquoise glazes.
The most recent showing was titled ‘Raised in Clay’ and ran through the month of July 2021.
There are various events scheduled for the year. They include:
Their works will be displayed from August 6 to 28. The location is the Courtroom Gallery.
Since it was created, a number of significant exhibits have been held at the council. These include;
Dare County Arts Festival has become the art lifeline for the county. Locals and tourists attend the exhibits to experience art. Many artists have found their first displays a home at the council. It is an organization that continues to help artsy individuals better their art.