City: Manteo, NC

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (252) 473-5558

Address: Old Courthouse

Description: The Dare County Arts Council supplies the Outer Banks with a wide variety of creative opportunities with the help of countless volunteers, generous patrons and members, and some state and county support. This nonprofit group has a permanent office/gallery in downtown Manteo at the address above. The gallery hosts visual arts shows, and visitors are encouraged to stop by to view these shows or to gather information on arts and cultural events in the area. Office hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon through Fri and occasional weekends when volunteer staff is available. The council is affiliated with the North Carolina Arts Council as the local distributing agency of the state’s Grassroots funds. The DCAC also subsidizes other area arts organizations, such as Theater of Dare, the Writers’ Group, the Outer Banks Forum, and Icarus International, which hosts an art exhibition honoring humankind’s first powered flight each December at two Nags Head galleries. DCAC sponsors several cultural programs in the community and local schools every year. For example, DCAC has brought in performances from the Shady Grove Band, the African American Dance Ensemble, and the New York Chinese Folk Dance Company. DCAC operates on funds from grants, fund-raisers, and annual memberships. Memberships generally range from $25 and up. This is a great way to support the arts in the community.