Looking for arts and cultural close to home? The Arts of the Pamlico is a nonprofit organization and the state-designated regional arts council for Beaufort and Washington counties, serving eastern North Carolina and beyond.

Cool art in a cool space fill the walls at the your local arts council’s historic Turnage Theatre every day. Three art exhibits are on display each month and available to view at no charge.

AOP partners with community groups and businesses regularly to raise awareness about their efforts and events to share information with our community. This month, AOP is once again partnering with Raised in a Barn Farm to support their sunflower festival as the home to the annual Sunflower Festival Art Show.

The sunny exhibit is featured in the Lane Gallery and includes a variety of works created by local artists using multiple mediums. Works are available to view and buy through the month of June. Stop by and vote for the People’s Choice. The artist with the most votes will receive a prize for being the People’s Choice award winner. Voting will end this Saturday at the group’s annual Miss Sunflower Scholarship Pageant onstage at the Turnage Theatre in downtown Washington. The pageant allows participants from infancy to teenager. If you are interested in the pageant, information can be located here: www.ncsunflowerfestival.com.

This show is one of three exhibits on display. Splashes of vibrant colorful works by the talented Karyn Drum fill the art café with abstracts on exhibit and for purchase. In the Turnage Gallery, the annual members show is chock-full of a variety of artworks created by AOP artist members. The show is on view through June 30.

The third-annual NC Sunflower Festival will take place at Raised in a Barn Farm from June 30-July 1. Don’t miss the colorful fields in Chocowinity abloom with thousands of beautiful sunflowers ready to be picked and enjoyed by festival attendees.

For more information on these and other great events at AOP visit our website: www.artsofthepamlico.org.

Written by Debra Torrence, AOP executive director, and Crystal Holman, AOP weekend coordinator.