From Arts of the Pamlico

During Arts of the Pamlico’s annual meeting for members, AOP installs its Board of Directors, announces its membership numbers (357), reviews financials from the last fiscal year (ends in June annually), and shares highlights from the past year and the vision for the upcoming year.

This year, Heather Thienpont was elected as the new vice chair of the board. Jeffery Phipps rotated off the Board but will remain actively involved as Theatre Task Group chair and through AOP’s Costume Shoppe, as well as his involvement with theatre productions in house and by East Carolina University.

Leesa Jones, director of the Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum, was elected to join the Board of Directors, and Cynthia Crane, director of the Aurora Fossil Museum, and Coldwell Banker Coastal Rivers realtor, Gail Kenefick, of Bath, will begin their terms as ex officios in newly added Board roles designed to bring representation to additional towns in Beaufort County. A Belhaven representative has been sought, but the position is not filled yet.

One of our next steps is to partner with towns in Beaufort County to increase access to arts and cultural events across the county. A countywide brochure and online listing of all the art stops to shop in the county is under development, a Bluegrass Festival in Belhaven in the new year is being planned and efforts to expand live music offerings in Bath are underway. Sponsorships are welcome and currently being sought to support arts events across the county, including the daylong bluegrass event at the Belhaven Wilkinson Center in January 2020.