If you’re reading these words, you may have seen the front page of today’s edition of the Washington Daily News. There is not one, but two articles about the Turnage Theater there.

Some people may ask why — why is the Turnage Theater getting so much play in the Daily News?

The answer to that question is simple: it’s not.

But how can that be? If one were to count, the name of the theater appears 10 times in two articles. Surely that means the Turnage is getting more column inches than any other entity in Thursday’s paper.

No, really, it’s not.

Because a closer look at those articles will tell you who is. It’s the same organization that has worked for over four decades to provide fun and entertainment and cultural experiences to the residents of this county. It’s the same people who have toiled endlessly writing grants to put art in schools and put school children’s art on display. It’s the same nonprofit that, through the ups and downs of the U.S. economy, has managed to maintain its financial stability for nearly a half century.

It is the Beaufort County Arts Council.

There seems to be some misconception that the Turnage Theater has opened its doors again because the City of Washington and Beaufort County have decided to pour money into the theater. They’re not. That’s the arts council’s job now.

The Turnage Theater belongs to the Beaufort County Arts Council — signed, sealed, delivered, it’s theirs.

Which explains why there’s been so much stuff going on there. This year, so far, the arts council has hosted a free spoken-word performance; an opening reception for the exhibit of two internationally acclaimed artists, also free; the U.S. Air Force jazz band, free as well; and the Eastern Youth Orchestras will perform Sunday — you guessed it, for free. Then there’s the student art show opening on March 30 and on April 26 BoCO Music Festival, April 27, the Beaufort County Community Orchestra, and the list goes on and all of it free.

Because that is what the arts council has always done: provide free programming for anyone who wants to participate, predominantly by way of grants and memberships and fundraising.

It just so happens that the arts council is becoming more commonly known as The Turnage since it moved in to the early 20^th-century theater in December. But this is not the Turnage of ‘70s with its B-movies, nor is it the Turnage of the ‘90s with its infestation of pigeons. It’s not the Turnage of the ‘00s, with its expensive tickets and a half-filled theater, nor is it the Turnage of ‘10s, with its foreclosure and sale on the Beaufort County Courthouse steps.

This is the Turnage of the arts council — an organization that has worked to better and brighten and embellish life in this community for many years.

As a community newspaper, it’s our role to cover what’s happening here and what’s happening is the arts council. Where it’s happening is at the Turnage.