Artists Find Success in Lafayette, LA
Every corner of Lafayette – from blues bars to cultural festivals and even high school track and field meets – brims with superb talent. In fact, step one foot into this southern Louisiana region, and you’ll find yourself among a collection of successful visual artists, independent filmmakers and Grammy-nominated musicians. We spoke with three artists, all native to Lafayette, LA, about their artistic journeys and why they’re adamant on staying in their hometown.
Dusty Reed
Multimedia Artist
Dusty Reed earned the nickname “Cajun Picasso” for his vibrant contributions to the Louisiana arts sphere. Since launching his creative career in 2010, Reed has sold work across festivals and galleries and even operated a gallery of his own. Reed previously served on the leadership boards of the Lafayette Art Association and Louisiana Crafts Guild, two organizations established to uplift Louisiana’s artists.
After nearly 15 years in the arts field, Reed offers advice for young Lafayette, LA, artists looking to share their work: “Lafayette oozes with opportunities to showcase work. Usually, I encourage young artists to first save $30 and get a booth in the park, then join an organization like Lafayette Art Association and work your way up to Louisiana Crafts Guild. In the meantime, you can showcase at events like Festival International de Louisiane, Festivals Acadiens et Créoles and The Big Easel.”
Reed admits that artistic success doesn’t necessarily come easily in smaller communities, but he feels it’s worth the hard work to establish yourself in a place you love.
“Artists from Lafayette, LA, are told to go to New Orleans or Austin to make it big, but that’s not actually necessary,” he says. “I did everything in my power to make it work in my hometown because there’s something – I can’t quite pinpoint it – that sparks creativity here. Maybe it’s the festivals and the food or the close-knit community and the traditions. You just can’t get the feeling of Lafayette anywhere else.”
Brennan Robideaux
Independent Filmmaker
Inspired by the small-town stories of southern Louisiana, Brennan Robideaux has always wanted to become a filmmaker. His passion project, Born to Fly, documents the story of a high school pole vaulter from Lafayette with dreams of becoming the world’s best.
“Living in the south – living in Louisiana – you don’t always hear such lofty goals – ‘I’m going to be the greatest in the world.’ That was in 2017. It’s been seven years now, and I’ve been able to capture this incredible story about this Lafayette kid not only becoming an adult but making it to the Olympics and breaking the world record in pole vaulting seven times,” Robideaux says.
Born to Fly showcased at Lafayette’s own Southern Screen Festival, an annual four-day event that brings together storytellers and film enthusiasts from around the region. Three massive screenings of Born to Fly brought nearly 1,000 people out to witness the power of a Lafayette story. The film is now streaming on the Olympic Channel.
“Seeing that kind of turnout for a local film that I started alone – it was magic,” he says. “It showed me just how willing the community was to support the project.”
The film community continues to grow in Lafayette. In the meantime, local filmmakers stay connected and work in tandem to uplift one another’s projects and strengthen their network.
“I want to show that filmmaking can thrive here and that we have a strong enough community. As someone who likes to tell stories, you can’t find a better place,” he says.
Sir Reginald Dural
Grammy-Winning Musician
Sir Reginald “Buckwheat Zydeco Jr.” Dural is a recent Grammy winner and the son of legendary musician, Stanley “Buckwheat Zydeco” Dural Jr. Impassioned by Creole and French-Louisiana zydeco rhythm, Dural carries on his father’s legacy while building his own.
“Being in Lafayette, I’ve always been surrounded by talented musicians,” he says. “It wasn’t just zydeco music – it was gospel, blues, jazz. Still today, people get together for jam sessions at El Sido’s Zydeco and Blues Club where my dad used to play. It’s like a big family affair. We support each other, and that’s what I still love about the community today.”
Dural first took interest in his father’s music career in high school. “I loved the way he controlled the crowd,” he says. “It just amazed me.” In the years following, Dural joined his father’s crew of Louisiana locals, The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band.
When the iconic Buckwheat Zydeco passed away in 2016, Dural stepped into his father’s shoes, taking lead of the band. After years of living for the music and the legacy, in February 2024, the group won a Grammy for Best Regional Roots Album.
Dural spends a lot of his time touring these days, but he never falters in pride for his southern Louisiana town. “You can go around the world many times, but there’s no place like home,” he says. “You meet someone for the first time here in Lafayette, and it’s like you’ve known each other for years.”
This article is sponsored by the Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission, Lafayette Economic Development Authority and One Acadiana.