Art, Music, Film Find Fertile Ground in Lafayette, LA
Discover why creatives of all kinds feel at home in the region.
When you think of Lafayette, Louisiana, you might think of it as a hub of the region’s Cajun and Creole cultures or perhaps a place that extends the proverbial Southern hospitality. While both are true, it’s also a place where creatives of all kinds feel right at home — and have for some time. The Lafayette Parish is celebrating its bicentennial in 2023.
Whether you produce — or simply enjoy — art, music and film, Lafayette is the place where you can let your creative juices flow.
“We’re just a very unique part of the world when it comes to arts, music, food and the creative spirit. It’s a great place to be if you’re an artist,” says Pat Mould, a chef who mixes Cajun and Creole cultures with music, travel and joie de vivre, and is one of the organizers of the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles. “We’re all part of this creative posse that’s been established here in Lafayette.”
A Robust Arts Scene
Downtown Lafayette’s arts scene is flourishing, as it boasts public art sites, museums and galleries, and a slew of art-centered events. As the city’s artistic center, it offers walkable, brick-paved blocks that provide access to restaurants, cafes and diverse art and music venues.
“I think in a community like Lafayette where the arts and cultural space is very rich, very unique and thriving in many ways, from a regional standpoint, it’s not about the presentation and the final iteration of the idea, but about supporting process,” says Clare Cook, the founder and creative director of Basin Arts, a local arts incubator that gives artists space to explore new ideas and collaborate with one another.
“The energy of this community is a really rich place for artists to be and be creative. All of the art institutions truly work together,” Clark says.
More than a dozen murals (many created by acclaimed Lafayette native Robert Dafford) and public art pieces grace downtown, which is home to several galleries. Examples include Atrium Gallery, featuring contemporary art by Louisiana artists, the Benoit Gallery, featuring the works of Bryant Benoit, and the Dirk Guidry Art Studios, featuring Guidry’s various works.
A major supporter of the arts, the Acadiana Center for the Arts fosters art and culture in the region. It facilitates ArtSpark, a grant program funded by the Lafayette Economic Development Authority for artists working on individual projects. Basin Arts offers studio space for resident visual artists, an art gallery, dance and art classes and ways to promote the creative process.
Cité des Arts is another art incubator that provides space for artists to introduce their art to the public.
With such a robust arts community, it’s easy for locals to get involved or simply take in the arts here. For a truly immersive experience, ArtWalk, held the second Saturday of each month, allows residents and visitors to enjoy art galleries, shops and restaurants, peruse vendors, listen to live music and catch a live dance or theater performance.
“One of our greatest assets in this area is our art and culture scene,” Cook says. “I’d say to anyone visiting or moving here, whether your interest in the arts is as a consumer, a maker or a learner, ‘Go to an event and introduce yourself, have a conversation, and within an hour, you’ll have 10 email addresses, phone numbers and restaurant recommendations.’ People just want to share their resources.”
Diverse Music Options
Like art, music is abundant in Lafayette. In fact, the region is known as the capital of Cajun and Zydeco music.
Whether you choose to follow the Dance Hall Trail, hit the floor at the famed Blue Moon Saloon or Hideaway on Lee or attend the Festival International de Louisiane, a five-day live music event that brings performers and guests from around the globe, you can find live music in the city any night of the week.
“A lot of people think that it’s just Cajun and Zydeco down here, but there are layers and layers of different styles of music that happen in the city, as well, from blues to rock to indie to pop. We have quite a few bands that play nothing but original music and are actually trying to make a living at their craft,” Mould says. “Having been one of the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles organizers for 30 years — I’ve been booking the bands and doing the programming of the festival — I have a pretty good handle on what the music scene has to offer.”
Festivals Acadiens et Créoles brings the best of Lafayette together for three days, highlighting the region’s food, music, arts and crafts.
“It’s a celebration of who we are, how we live, how we eat, how we dance. So, when you come to the festival, you have an opportunity to have an immersive experience into Cajun and Creole culture,” Mould says.
Film + Festivities
Louisiana has become a popular location for filmmakers. In fact, it holds the nickname “Hollywood South.” Everything from Hollywood blockbusters and independent films to made-for-TV movies (including several Hallmark Christmas movies) have been filmed here.
The acclaimed film “Secretariat,” which tells the story of a Triple Crown-winning racehorse and stars John Malkovich and Diane Lane, was filmed in Lafayette. Most recently, “57 Seconds,” starring Morgan Freeman and Josh Hutcherson, was also filmed in the area.
Lafayette also hosts two internationally recognized film festivals: Southern Screen, which takes place over four days in various venues around the town, and Cinema on the Bayou, which is held in January and features independent and international films.
“That’s the beauty of this area — there’s so much richness to the culture that it’s a great place not only to shoot a film, but to base the film’s story,” says Pat Mire, a local documentary filmmaker who grew up in the area and is the organizer of the Cinema on the Bayou film festival.
His documentaries have won numerous awards and gained international recognition.
“We have filmmakers from around the world that come here and keep coming back because they just fall in love with the culture, the food and the music,” Mire says. “The bulk of our friends here in the region are musicians and visual artists — it’s a big tribe in a little area.”
This article was sponsored by the Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission, Lafayette Economic Development Authority and One Acadiana.
