Mattie Arts Center

To understand what MATTIE Arts is really about, one must understand the geographic make up of mainland Hyde.

We operate in the second largest county of NC and the least densely populated one. There are no incorporated towns- only isolated villages 25 to 60 miles apart. There are no stop lights, and no fast food restaurants. Industry is based on fishing and vast expanses of farm land under cultivation.

Our home base, in the village of Swan Quarter, county seat since 1836, is right on the Pamlico Sound and is still recovering economically from the devastation of the 2003 Hurricane, Isabel.Fortunately, today the village is protected by an extensive dike system completed after Isabel.

A tier 1 county, the majority of Hyde's residents are at or below the poverty level. For many this means forsaking God given creative talents for mere survival through labor.

The intent of our mission has evolved into a passion to play a positive role in alleviating this situation and to seek out those with artistic talents or desires and help them emerge...to provide them with the tools they need through marketing education, exposure of their art work, and teaching opportunities in order to create a venue of artistic growth through collaboration and creative communication with one another. Our vision is to see these talents emerge to support full time artists and instructors.

At MATTIE, we recognize that the real product we sell may be different from the art instruction given or the revenues realized from the artwork sold. The real product is hope. We grow life in the community by creating an opportunity for people to reach beyond the routine of day-by-day existence; an opportunity to discover and express their creative gifts, and, in so doing, deepen a sense of purpose in their lives.
We are already saving and changing lives...even our own.