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Coming just two years on the heels of Alabama’s Bicentennial celebration, Pike County is now celebrating its own 200th birthday.

Pike County was created from portions of Henry and Montgomery Counties by an act of the Alabama General Assembly on December 17, 1821. The county’s boundaries changed several times with the creation of Barbour, Bullock, and Crenshaw counties. The present-day boundaries were set in 1897.

The Pike County Commission and the Johnson Center for the Arts have joined together to celebrate the milestone event in an artistic way.

Pike County artists are invited to showcase their artwork in the Pike County 200 Exhibit at The Studio in downtown Troy from September 16 through 23.

All artists with roots in or connections to Pike County are invited to exhibit their work.

Brenda Campbell, JCA director, said Pike County 200 Exhibit is just that, “an exhibit.”

“The Pike County 200 Exhibit is not a competition,” Campbell said. “It will not be judged and there will be no ribbons awarded. It’s an exhibit of the talent we have in Pike County. There is no entry fee but, due to space limitations, each artist may submit up to five pieces depending on size.”

Campbell said the artwork may be marked “for sale” and, if so marked, the artist will agree to make a 33 percent donation of the price of the art-work sold during the exhibit to the Troy-Pike Cultural Art Center.

Campbell said the exhibit is generating interest across the county and she is encouraging those who are considering entering the exhibit to be mindful that applications to enter the Pike County Bicentennial exhibit must be submitted two weeks prior to opening day, September 16.

The delivery date for artwork to be submitted is from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on September 8. The takedown date is September 24 and the pickup date is September 27.

For more information, call 334-670-2287.