The Beaufort County Arts Council’s annual Fine Arts Show is an institution—this year marks its 49th year. But this year, a new institution within the larger one will be launched, and this one, the public will decide.

The Dr. William E. Kidd People’s Choice Award will be given to the work of art with the most votes from exhibit visitors. From the exhibit’s public opening on Thursday at 9 a.m. through Saturday at 3 p.m., anyone who visits the show will be eligible to vote. According to BCAC executive director Joey Toler, Hester Ann Kidd had long expressed an interest in creating an award for the Fine Arts Show in her husband’s memory.

“It was just a matter of deciding what kind of award we wanted it to be,” said Toler.

Kidd’s husband was an avid art collector, filling their home, his office and their beach condo with paintings and porcelain figures. Clowns were a particular favorite, Kidd said.

So Toler and Kidd went to work to figure out what type of award would best represent Dr. Kidd’s passion for art.

“I wanted to do something he would love. … But I surely didn’t want to give the award for the best clown,” she laughed.

According to Kidd, Toler sent her home with a list of awards given annually, asking her to see if there was any type of art that wasn’t mentioned and recognized.

“I told him ‘I can’t think of anything that’s not already covered,’” Kidd said. “And he (Toler) said, ‘Well, I can — the People’s Choice.’ And that is something Bill Kidd would have loved more than anything in this world, because he loved people. And for them to be able to come in and vote? It would have been his favorite thing to have done in his memory.”

“For some time, I had been getting comments from the public that we should create an award that was decided on by our patrons,” Toler said.

Voting by the public will take place during exhibit hours when the show is open to the public, Thursday through Saturday, at the Washington Civic Center. Voting will end at 3 p.m. on Saturday when BCAC staff will collect all ballots, count the votes and announce the winner of the inaugural People’s Choice Award at the show’s close at 5 p.m. The $500 People’s Choice award will last into perpetuity, Toler said.

“It’s a thing that will go on for years and years and years,” Kidd said, adding that her children will be tasked with making the award continues for a good, long time.

“They’re all prepared to carry on that gift — until I don’t know when,” she laughed. “But I’m excited and I think it’s a great idea. …It’s all about Bill and his love of art.”

BCAC’s Fine Arts Show will open for guaranteed sales patrons at 7 p.m. tonight, then from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for BCAC members, artists and invited guests. Juror Charity Valentine will conduct will conduct a juror’s critique beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday, to which the public is invited. For more information about the Fine Arts Show or other BCAC activities, email the arts council at beaufortcountyarts@embarqmail.com or call 252-946-2504.