Unique Art Offerings For Everyone At Dare Arts This Summer

The Dare Arts Gallery during First Friday in downtown Manteo. Photo courtesy of Casey Robertson.

Five different art exhibitions, a couple of First Friday performances, an open mic night, an outdoor fiber installation, eight kids art classes, a film screening, and multiple workshops are just a few of Dare Arts’ offerings for residents and visitors this summer. 

“Our summer season reflects Dare Arts' commitment to making the arts interesting, diverse, and accessible to everyone,” said Dare Arts Executive Director Jessica Sands. “With visual art experiences, live music and dance performances, and workshops for both children and adults, there are many unique opportunities for our community members, as well as Outer Banks travelers, to connect with creativity.”

A fire performance by Panda Daniels in The Courtyard. Photo courtesy of Casey Robertson.

Kicking off on June 5 with First Friday, Dare Arts has artist Essie Somma’s solo exhibit opening in the Vault Gallery, a tiny art exhibit opening in the Courtroom Gallery, Dance-It-Out with Andrea and hula-hooping with Summer in The Courtyard from 6:00pm to 8:00pm followed by a fire performance by Panda Daniels at 8:00pm. 

In celebration of nationally recognized Pride Month, the Dare Arts Pride Project will host a free film screening and open mic night in June. The screening of the documentary Will & Harper will be held on Tuesday, June 9 at Dare Arts at 6:15pm, and Open Mic Night will be held on Thursday, June 11 at 7:00pm at Hi-Vibe Holistics in Kill Devil Hills. Both of these events are free and open to all LGBTQ+ community members and their allies, ages 18+, but please register to participate online at DareArts.org/prideproject. 

Weather the Storm, a fiber installation by artist Lara Parks, will debut in The Courtyard at Dare Arts on Friday, July 3 during First Friday in downtown Manteo. 

“This is a public installation project that creates an atmospheric experience during both the day and night hours,” said Parks. “It fosters a direct, immersive connection between viewers, nature and the environment. Viewers are asked to return on and off as the installation is hanging to see how it weathers the storm.”

A mixed media piece by Emily Holmes. Photo courtesy of Emily Holmes.

Emily Holmes’ solo exhibition, The Perception Project, featuring her interactive artworks will open in the Vault Gallery on July 3 and remain on display through August 1.

A curated two-month photography exhibit will open in the Courtroom Gallery on July 3. Southern is Feeling, A Visual Telling of Rural NC explores themes of community, land, and place through the work of 10 North Carolina-based photographers documenting rural communities across the state. 

“One of the things I value most about photography is its innate ability to make us slow down and insert ourselves within a moment," said Dare Arts Gallery Director Tiffany Lindsey. "These artists are not just photographers but documentarians, breathing the heart and soul of our southern state into their work. My goal with curating this exhibition is to invite viewers to place themselves in our state beyond proximity and to understand the nebulous yet beautiful relationship between place and person.”

A photo of the Midgett Salvo Cemetery by Miller Taylor, who is one of the photographers in the July-August photography exhibition.

In August, the Vault Gallery will showcase paintings on reclaimed wood by artist Dave Roberts.

A workshop with artist Brad Price. Photo courtesy of Dare Arts.

Throughout the summer, artists Catherine Hamill and Brad Price will be teaching adult painting workshops and artist Mari White LaRose will be leading Kids Art Parties at Dare Arts. 

The summer season will wrap up with Fresh- A Plein Air Event, which will be held September 2-4 with artists taking to the great outdoors across the Outer Banks to paint. 

For more information on any of these events, exhibits, or workshops, visit DareArts.org or call (252) 473-5558. 

The Dare Arts Pride 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.