LAFAYETTE, LA – Acadiana Center for the Arts and Louisiana Division of the Arts are funding 14 diverse art projects in the Acadiana region, totalling more than $98,000.

The projects include a family-friendly nature and art halloween festival, a Louisiana Craft Guild annual Acadiana-wide open studio showcase, and the return of Symphony Sunday in the park presented by Iberia Cultural Resources Association. Other projects include a wide variety of historical and culturally relevant music, film, theatre, arts, and sculpture projects.

The Louisiana Project Grants (LPG) program took the place of the Decentralized Arts Funding (DAF) program, which began in 1995. It now provides a system for funding arts projects in all regions of the state by giving artists, nonprofit arts organizations, nonprofit organizations, public and private schools, and local government agencies in each region the opportunity to develop arts projects that meet their local needs and collaborate between parishes in each region.

AcA Executive Director, Sam Oliver, said “We’re excited that for the first time in several years we are able to provide most of the successful projects with their full requested amount, allowing each project to reach its full potential. The selected projects really display the diversity of the Acadiana region and meet the goals of the program to encourage meaningful community involvement and collaboration.”

FULL LIST OF PROJECTS:

Project: 2021 Halloween Art & Nature Festival by Atelier de la Nature (The Festival of Words acting as Fiscal Agent)
A one-day free event to be held on October 30th, 2021 at Atelier de la Nature in Arnaudville, LA. Returning for the fourth year, this family-friendly event aims at inviting all children and families to celebrate Halloween and Louisiana’s special natural surroundings, through art, music, food and science.

Contact: Aurore Ballengee, info@atelierdelanature.org

Project: Lâche pas la musique en vermilion by Vermilion Arts Council
Continue an afterschool, LA folk-roots fiddle club at LeBlanc Elementary, located in Abbeville, and expand to Erath Middle School in Erath, J.H. Williams Middle School in Abbeville, and Gueydan High School in Gueydan.

Contact: Madeline DeHart, madeline.dehart@vpsb.net

Project: Open Studios Acadiana by Louisiana Crafts Guild Inc.
Open Studio Acadiana showcases artist studios, galleries, museums and homes featuring craft demonstrations, art sales, and general celebration of the diverse arts community across 8 parishes in Louisiana’s Acadiana region.

Contact: Katherine Odell, katie@louisianacrafts.org

Project: PASA Presents Black Angels Over Tuskegee and New Orleans Jazz Orchestra Projects Performing Arts Serving Acadiana will offer two performing arts-based projects, with outreach and residency activities. These projects are designed to develop and engage audiences. Both culminate in ticketed, public performances at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette.

Contact: Jacqueline Lyle, jackie@pasaonline.org

Project: Symphony Sunday in the Park by Iberia Cultural Resources Association
This is a free open-to-the-public Symphonic concert by the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra. This year’s theme will be “From Hollywood to Broadway” and will provide entertainment and stimulation for the diverse community. The Concert is to be held outside under-the-oaks at the New Iberia City Park.

Contact: Cathy Indest, cathy.indest@gmail.com

Project: Rising Dawn (Film) by Monique Morton Derouselle (Basin Arts acting as Fiscal Agent) Rising Dawn is a coming of age comedic short film based in the world of baton twirling. This project will provide opportunities for local emerging filmmakers to work alongside more experienced filmmakers in a professional setting while also providing an insight into the overlooked sport of baton twirling.
Contact: Monique Derouselle, moniquerachell@gmail.com

Project: ProjectSpace Residency @ Basin Arts
ProjectSpace Residency @ Basin Arts is a bi-monthly residency program that includes a rotation of exhibitions and a series of community engagement events.

Contact: Clare Cook, clare@basinartslafayette.com

Project: Southern Screen Festival
Southern Screen is a multi-disciplinary not-for-profit arts organization that supports and celebrates entertainment professionals and their work. They provide a platform for emerging and innovative storytellers to sharpen their skills, showcase their craft, and share their creativity. Moving beyond traditional film and music outlets, Southern Screen exposes southern communities to the widespread possibilities of storytelling offering film screenings, educational workshops, panels, and seminars, as well as, live performances and networking opportunities. The festival runs November 11-14, 2021.

Contact: Julie Bordelon, julie@southernscreen.org

Project: Champions for Justice: Six Civil Rights Leaders in St. Landry Parish by Rural African American History Museum
A permanent collection of six busts of civil rights workers in St. Landry Parish will be housed inside the Rural African American History Museum in Opelousas. Its purpose is not only to show the beauty and dignity of the civil rights leaders, but also to educate the Acadiana region about the important work these people did in schools, courts, churches, and nonprofit organizations, which advanced civil rights in St. Landry Parish and improved the lives of generations of people.

Contact: Wilken Jones, wilkenjones762@yahoo.com

Project: Washington Awaits Arts by Town of Washington, LA
A project lead by PASA Executive Director, Jacqueline Lyle, and tying in with PASA’s funded project, the Town of Washington will begin offering performing arts and other cultural activities for its citizens. This will include a free small ensemble performance by the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra in November 2021, a dance/opera project led by artistic director/choreographer Paige Barnett, and a ticketed public performance at the Washington Garden Club’s chapel. This project will also include workshops for special education students at Washington Elementary and Theodore Foster, PhD, will conduct a talk focusing on the Tuskegee Airmen, in conjunction with Performing Arts Serving Acadiana’s (PASA’s) presentation of the drama Black Angels Over Tuskegee.

Contact: Dwight Landreneau, dlandreneau@townofwashinton.net

Project: Crowley Art Promenade by Crowley Art Association
This project will bring awareness to art while promenading the local historic district communities of Crowley as local businesses host instructional art meets and strolls.

Contact: Dana Leger, crowleyartassociation@gmail.com