With a blend of dreamy acoustic duets, foot-stomping folk and bluesy murder ballads, New Zealand-formed and Nashville-based South for Winter’s sound is as eclectic as their origins. The award-winning act melds three-part harmonies, fingerstyle guitar, mandolin, banjo, cello, foot percussion, and more into a genre-bending sound described by American Songwriter as “impeccable”. 

Lisa LeBlanc has been dropping musical plot twists for 15 years. For her newest album Patchwork, she went back to the jam session, diving into 60s and 70s folk and rock’n’roll while adding a hint of swamp pop, soul and a dash of traditional Cajun and Acadian influences. Intimate yet relatable, Patchwork blends the atmosphere of kitchen parties with the contemplation of late-night drives.

Acclaimed Ugandan-born singer-songwriter Jon Muq believes that even our mistakes can lead us where we are meant to go. Long before he understood that singing could become his profession, he learned to trust sound as a compass. “What’s in front of people did not just happen because it’s in front of them,” Muq explains. “It passed through a process, stage by stage.”

By the time Avi Kaplan launched his solo career in 2017, he’d already built an audience that stretched across the globe, racking up three GRAMMY Awards as a member of the platinum-selling vocal group, Pentatonix. Now, propelled by the success of his indie released 2025 EP Move Our Souls and the viral momentum of his single “Peace Somehow,” he sets his sights on his first full-length album release since Floating on a Dream.

Mesmerizing folk duo Ordinary Elephant has spent the better part of the last decade on a never-ending tour that earned married couple Crystal and Pete Damore widespread critical acclaim and made fans of luminaries like Tom Paxton and Mary Gauthier.

Sydney and The Sams based in Lafayette, LA is best known for their energetic shows and catchy tracks. Spanning genres, Sydney and The Sams bring energetic R&B and funk sounds to every stage.

MacKenzie Bourg is a Lafayette-born deep talent show artist known for his dynamic sound and breakthrough performances in pop. A contestant on American Idol as well as making it to the  top 4 on the Voice, Mackenzie is now bringing his talent to AcA.

James Dupré, a native of Bayou Chicot, Louisiana, was named one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s “Country Artists You Need to Know.” His captivating baritone voice has garnered him a substantial following through social media platforms and performances at venues and festivals across the United States, Canada, and Europe.

The inaugural Piano Plus Competition brings together emerging musicians from around the world. Dedicated to piano-inclusive chamber ensembles, this unique international competition highlights the extraordinary balance, communication, and creative leadership that great chamber music demands. Support provided by the Thistlewood Foundation.

Rooted in Acadiana, Contretemps is a contemporary ballet inspired by what drive us away and the family, traditions, and community that call us home. Choreographer Gina Aswell weaves together ballet and modern dance with the rhythms of Cajun and Zydeco traditions. Featuring live music by the Magnolia Sisters, Contretemps is a moving celebration of culture and resilience.

Cutting-edge choreographers and performers from the 2027 International Dance Festival New Orleans bring their original works to Lafayette, creating a rich intermingling of local spirit and global contemporary dance. Expect bold physicality, cross-cultural exchange, and imaginative stagecraft. Each piece is an invitation to witness movement that defies borders and invites connection.

Meet Dr. Gustav Störring, a young psychologist working to make a name for himself during the rise of Nazi Germany. Into his hands falls a strange patient, Mr. B. Grounded in historical events surrounding the making of one of the earliest scientific documentaries, this new play by Daniel Povinelli explores the uneasy relationship between media technology, authenticity and human story-telling.