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The Board of Directors of the Beaufort County Arts Council, known as Arts of the Pamlico, is announcing a new Executive Director, Kelly Shanafelt, effective August 2023. Kelly comes to the Arts Council with a background in nonprofit management and theatre.

Since March of this year, Kelly has served alongside Stacy Jesso of Sumner Madison Consulting as part of a two-person team working with the Board of the Arts Council to assess the organization’s strengths and needs. Stacy Jesso will continue in her role as a consultant.

Having spent her youth involved in theatre and music both onstage and off, Kelly attended Mars Hill College as a musical theatre major. There, she discovered a real passion for the administrative side of the arts, and then the wider world of nonprofits.

She has spent the past 24 years serving as a Development Director, Executive Director, and Consultant for organizations in fields that include higher education, healthcare, economic development, and human services. She is very excited to bring her two passions of the arts and non-profit management together.

New staff won’t be the only change coming to the Arts Council this fall. On Sept. 6th, 2023, the Turnage Theatre on Main Street will begin new operating hours. The historic building will be open to the public Wednesday – Sunday, from 11:00-5:00, or until the end of the event of the day. They will continue to open their doors at 10:00 on Saturdays for the Beaufort County Traditional Music Association’s Saturday Jam Sessions, which are always free to the public.

The Arts Council has also revised the rental rates at the Turnage, including the Palace Theatre and the Galleries. These spaces may be rented for performances, art exhibitions, rehearsal space, events, receptions, meetings, and more. Offering special low rates to organizations and artists based in Beaufort County is just one way the Arts Council is seeking to meet their mission to support and promote artistic expression and to provide and advocate for resources that expand arts opportunities for the entire community.

These changes are part of the Arts Council’s outreach efforts to bring more of the community into the Turnage.

“The Arts Council exists to serve all residents of Beaufort County, and we have been entrusted with this beautiful building dedicated to the arts,” says Shanafelt. “We are going to do everything we can to share it with our community. From improv comedy to family-friendly movies, from fine art to spoken word poetry, and from nationally touring musical acts to local musicians playing traditional music on Saturday mornings, we want the Turnage to be a place for all. For everyone with an interest in the arts in Beaufort County.”

The new hours will begin Sept. 6. 

About The Beaufort County Arts Council

The Beaufort County Arts Council fosters community engagement in the arts by providing support to artists and arts organizations, presenting exhibits, programs, and educational opportunities, and by promoting a culture where artists and arts organizations can thrive. The Beaufort County Arts Council is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council.