Dare Arts Pride Project Features Multidisciplinary Art Experiences
- Dare County Arts Council
- Apr 24
- 3 min read
Dare Arts Pride Project will return in June with unique programming that celebrates the artistic voices of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies through performing, visual, and literary arts.
On Friday, June 5 Dare Arts will host Pride Night, a joyful evening of performing arts expression, in The Courtyard starting at 6:00pm during First Friday in downtown Manteo. Andrea Thomas will be leading Dance It Out, beginner-friendly line dancing blending classic routines and pop hits, and Summer Alker will be hula hoop dancing at the event. The festivities will conclude with a spectacular fire performance by Panda Daniels around 8:00pm.
First Friday will also include Mama’s Black Sheep playing country, pop, and blues in the Davis Lot, and the opening reception of Essie Somma’s painting exhibition, Undomesticated, in the Vault Gallery at Dare Arts.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be hosting the Pride Project for its fourth year, bringing together returning favorites and new voices in an evolving celebration of creative expression,” said Dare Arts Gallery Director Tiffany Lindsey. “First Friday will offer a dynamic range of outdoor performances and experiences, and the gallery will debut Undomesticated by Essie Somma, an essential exhibition exploring identity.”
New for 2026, Dare Arts will be hosting a film screening of the documentary Will & Harper on Tuesday, June 9 as a part of the Pride Project. Doors will open at 6:15pm, and the film will start at 6:30pm.
Will & Harper is a 2024 film directed by Josh Greenbaum that follows actor Will Ferrell and writer Harper Steele as they make a 17-day road trip across the United States, after Harper comes out to Will as a trans woman.
“Will and Harper is a feel good film, not because it has a happy ending, but because it leads us to understand what true friendship can be,” said Outer Banks Film Society curator Gaye Morris. “It documents a relationship that lasts over time and, despite twists and turns in the lives of the friends, adapts and strengthens when love and compassion are at the center. I'm so glad that the Dare Arts Pride Project is offering this film as a part of its program this year!”
This screening is free and open to adults ages 18+ who are members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community. Although the film screening is free, seating is limited so tickets must be reserved in advance online at DareArts.org/prideproject. Dare Arts will provide candy and popcorn for attendees.
For the fourth consecutive year, Hi-Vibe Holistics will open the doors to its listening room in Kill Devil Hills for the Dare Arts Pride Project Open Mic on Thursday, June 11 at 7:00pm.
The Pride Project Open Mic, emceed by Dare Arts Community Arts Coordinator Robert Rogers, is open to all LGBTQ+ community members and their allies. Performances including, but not limited to, song, poetry, reading, theater, and comedy are welcome.
The Dare Arts Pride Project Open Mic is free and open to all adults ages 18+. To participate in the open mic, please sign up online at DareArts.org/prideproject so that Dare Arts can plan accordingly.
For more information about these events, please visit DareArts.org/prideproject or call (252) 473-5558.
Businesses or individuals interested in sponsoring the Dare Arts Pride Project should contact Dare Arts Executive Director Jessica Sands at DareArtsInfo@gmail.com.
This project is sponsored by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.
This project is supported 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.
The views expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Dare Arts’ employees, the organization, or affiliated entities.
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