An organization that has brought nationally known acts to the local stage is celebrating its 40^th anniversary and encouraging the community to join its membership.

BCCA President Alma Friedman said BCCA will host a celebration in the near future, to which the community will be invited. BCCA hopes for a spike in membership, and support from the business community, to continue bringing quality performers to the area and boost its offerings to the community.

“We’re really pushing for more memberships because the more memberships, the more money we have, the more well-known artists we can bring,” Friedman said. “I think this is our main objective for the 40^th anniversary, but if we continue to decline on memberships, we’re not going to be able to be here.”

As part of its anniversary year celebration, BCCA has formed a partnership with with other regional associations such as the Craven County Concert Association. A reciprocal agreement with the Craven County association means members have the chance to see nine shows this year — five in Beaufort County and four in New Bern — for the same price members could normally see five shows, according to Friedman.

Shows set for the Washington stage include The Kat Trio, The Raleigh Ringers, Kubecca, Victoria Banks and Tenore.

“Where can you go and see five shows for $60-70?” Friedman said. “I think it’s a great deal for this area.”

Lyn Sanders, the new publicity chairperson for the organization, said she hopes people will start taking an interest in the new BCCA concert season.

Exposing students to arts entertainment has also been a mission for BCCA. Beaufort County Schools students, through a partnership with BCCA, get to see one of each season’s acts, which gives an encore performance.

Dick Paul, a longtime BCCA board member, said the exposure is something the students woud not normally get to see, and it exposes them to arts education.

“We feel like it’s important for the kids to see shows they normally wouldn’t see,” Friedman said. “We want to have a great year for our 40^th, and by your participation, we can have a great membership.”

For more information, including ticket and membership prices, visit gobcca.org.