LAFAYETTE, LA – MARCH 23, 2023

With five stages, and 32 performances from 10am to 6pm, Student Arts Expo, presented by MacLaff, Inc. is a jam-packed day celebrating creativity and culture in partnership with the Lafayette Parish School System.

A free festival on the streets of Downtown Lafayette, Student Arts Expo begins with a marching band-led parade down Jefferson Street. The mayors of all Lafayette Parish municipalities will join the parade as honorary marshalls in celebration of the Lafayette Bicentennial.

Following the parade, the day kicks into high gear with live painting demonstrations along Jefferson Street with 18 student artists painting making a complete new piece of art during the day. Hundreds of student performers will take the stage over the course of the day, representing Band, Chorale, Dance, and Theatre programs from schools across the parish.

The AcA will also host its largest ever Student Artist Market, where visitors can purchase original arts and crafts directly from 67 student artists. Visitors can stroll along Jefferson Street between 10am and 6pm and view art exhibitions in 16 different locations across Downtown Lafayette.

AcA Executive Director Samuel Oliver says, “Why do we do this? Because the arts bring joy and happiness to people. Art enriches our lives. Culture makes our region what it is.”

This festival aims to bring the community together to recognize and support the next generation of creative thinkers and leaders from Lafayette Parish.

AcA has partnered with the Lafayette Parish School System since 1978 to ensure that every student has exposure to the arts and to diverse cultural experiences.

Student Arts Expo in Lafayette is a partnership between Acadiana Center for the Arts and Lafayette Parish School System with leadership support from MacLaff Inc. and other local business sponsors.