The New World Festival of the Arts will return to the Manteo waterfront for its 37th year August 15-16.
The free, outdoor festival will be held from 10am to 5pm each day offering festivalgoers the opportunity to peruse the works of over 65 East Coast artists.
Fine art including ceramics, jewelry, wood design, glass blowing, photography, printmaking, fiber and painting are some of the media that artists will be showcasing and selling at the event.
“New World Festival of the Arts is a show where people can experience the very best of fine art and craft,” said Dare County Arts Council staff member and New World Festival of the Arts show organizer Louise Sanderlin. “Whether artists are new to the show or have participated the past 36 years, each year we are always surprised by the volume of creativity and new collections shown. All of our vendors have developed such a wonderful connection within the community through their talents and personalities.”
Nationally acclaimed, award-winning North Carolina watercolor artist Russell Yerkes has participated in the New World Festival of the Arts almost 20 times since the festival began in 1981. After having to take time off from painting due to an injury, Yerkes selected New World Festival of the Arts to be his first show in over 4 years.
“Some of my paintings can take up to two months to complete and I have been painting nonstop for the last seven months to build my inventory,” said artist Russell Yerkes. “I am looking forward to coming over to Manteo for a couple days for the show. New World Festival of the Arts is great for the arts community because of the blend of Outer Banks artists and East Coast artists that participate. The festival provides a venue for all of the artists to network, creating an opportunity to share knowledge.”
On Wednesday, August 15 Dare County Arts Council will host an artists’ reception for New World Festival of the Arts at 5pm. The reception is free and open to the public, and a great time to mingle with the talented artists participating in the festival. Midway through the reception, the judge will announce the award winners and distribute prizes.
A free shuttle will run from the College of the Albemarle Roanoke Island Campus located at 205 Highway 64 S. Manteo, NC 27954 both days of the festival. Free parking is also available in downtown Manteo.
Bringing an average of 5,000-6,000 attendees to the historic Town of Manteo each year, New World Festival of the Arts has been a Manteo tradition for decades, providing awareness of current trends in the visual arts. The festival was started by Manteo business owner Edward Greene.
New World Festival of the Arts is presented by PNC Bank. The festival is sponsored by Kitty Hawk Kites, Manteo Rotary Club, The Town of Manteo, Harrell and Associates, Avenue Grille, and Holiday House Weddings and Events.
This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
To view a full list of artists participating in the 2018 New World Festival of the Arts or for more information about the event, please click here.