Community Invited to Learn How Our Stories Connect Through ALL OF US

Thirteen Outer Banks organizations and locations will host nine events this fall that will illuminate much of the interconnected history and culture in Eastern North Carolina, from before our nation’s founding to the present day.

Inspired by America’s 250th anniversary and shaped by 18 months of conversations and collaboration, ALL OF US is a multidisciplinary program that uses visual, literary, and performing arts to explore many of the diverse communities of Dare County and beyond.

“The arts have a unique ability to bring the past to life in ways that facts alone cannot,” said Dare Arts Executive Director Jessica Sands. “This series includes poetry, film, painting, writing, oral tradition, pottery, and music, offering opportunities for everyone to learn about underrepresented voices and lesser-known stories.”

Below is a list of the events:

• Oct. 3- Youth Poets Laureate with Jaki Shelton Green at Theatre of Dare in Kitty Hawk

• Oct. 11- Indigenous Carolinians discussion with author David Webb at UU Church of the Outer Banks in Kitty Hawk

• Nov. 5-7- OBX Environmental Film Festival at Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo

• Nov. 6-Dec. 19- Beyond Pea Island exhibition at Dare Arts in Manteo

• Nov. 6-Dec. 23- Facing History exhibition featuring pottery by Ben A. Watford at Dare Arts in Manteo

• Nov. 10- The History of the Freedmen's Colony presentation at Kill Devil Hills Library

• Nov. 14- Drums on the Pam-pi-co experience at Frisco Native American Museum 

• Nov. 16- An Evening of Poetry with the Secotan Alliance at Abbi’s Teas & Things in Nags Head

• Dec. 2- Artwork & Storytelling with Joan Collins at Dare Arts in Manteo

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“ALL OF US creates space for stories of struggle and resilience, creativity and connection,” said President and Founder of The Secotan Alliance Gray Parsons. “By bringing artists, organizations, and audiences together across Dare County, ALL OF US encourages curiosity, meaningful conversation, and a deeper appreciation for the past we share, reminding us that our community's story belongs to all of us.”

The first event, Youth Poets Laureate with Jaki Shelton Green, will be held on Saturday, October 3 at 7:00pm at Theatre of Dare in Kitty Hawk. This free event is organized by the Don & Catharine Bryan Cultural Series and will feature North Carolina’s current Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green along with some of the state’s most exciting young voices. 

“ALL OF US will engage audiences intellectually and emotionally while fostering mutual respect and cross-cultural understanding,” said Bryan Cultural Series Program Director and owner of Island Bookstores Susan Sawin. “All together, the program ensures that the lived experiences of generations of people are seen, heard, and remembered.”

Spanning from Kitty Hawk to Frisco, most of the events are free and open to the public, with the exception of the Environmental Film Festival and Drums on the Pam-pi-co. 

Historian, researcher, and local descendant Joan Collins is working with Dare Arts on two events that will educate the public about the last surfman at the Pea Island station. 

“ALL OF US reflects the spirit of America 250 by inviting people of various backgrounds and ages to come together and discover history, arts, and culture through many different perspectives,” said Collins. “The project creates welcoming opportunities for all to connect through the experiences and traditions of the people who call this place home.”

For more details about any of these events, please visit DareArts.org/allofus. 

ALL OF US is sponsored by Dare Arts, The Secotan Alliance, Bryan Cultural Series, Island Bookstore, Beyond Pea Island, Peace Garden Project, Frisco Native American Museum, and the Dare County Library Foundation. 

Project partners and venues include Theatre of Dare, Unitarian Universalist Church of the Outer Banks, Roanoke Island Festival Park, Kill Devil Hills Library, and Abbi’s Teas & Things.

This project is supported in part by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources.

Dare Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to encouraging the arts in Dare County through advocacy, enrichment and opportunity.