Our Mission
The Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana supports arts and culture initiatives, events, and organizations in the 5-parish area that bring a unique cultural experience to local citizens while helping to bolster tourism and economic growth through the arts and humanities.
WE SUPPORT THE ARTS AND CULTURAL INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS YOU ENJOY.
The Arts Council functions as an umbrella organization to over sixty nonprofit arts organizations and many artists and co-ops throughout the five parish region. If you’ve ever been to the Black Heritage Festival, visited the Art Associates Gallery, acted on stage for the Lake Charles Little Theatre, or enjoyed a performance from the McNeese Banners Cultural Series, you have been affected by our services and grants.
Since 2005 we have allocated nearly $2 million to SWLA communities through four annual grant programs:
Funded by the City of Lake Charles and awarded to organizations and agencies within the Lake Charles city limits for arts and cultural programming and to nonprofit arts organizations for organizational support.
Funded by the Louisiana Division of the Arts and distributed to all 64 parishes on a per-capita basis via nine regional arts organizations, the Arts & Humanities Council awards SWLA’s share of the funding to projects in Region 5 (Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jefferson Davis parishes.)
Funded by the Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations to use for marketing tools and promotional efforts that help to boost visibility, attendance, and marketability for arts programming.
Funded by the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury for arts and cultural programming for organizations within Calcasieu Parish.
We facilitate annual events and festivals that bolster tourism and economic growth within the region.
The arts can be catalysts for urban and rural development by helping to improve quality of life, which attracts new businesses, encourages civic involvement, and increases tourism dollars.
Our Events
An arts education program facilitated by the Arts Council on behalf of the Louisiana Division of the Arts, that challenges high school students to memorize and recite poetry in a tiered nationwide competition.
A free, three-weekend music festival presented by the Arts Council and the City of Lake Charles which features local and regional bands at the Arcade Amphitheatre along the Lakefront, along with art and food vendors.
An annual downtown art market which showcases over 80 local artists and vendors and turns dozens of downtown restaurants, businesses, and even vacant buildings into art galleries for the afternoon. A competitive “Art War” live painting competition is also held for both adult and student teams.
A fall gallery walk that showcases art spaces, galleries, and exhibits across the Lake Area as they open their doors for a simultaneous reception for their current hanging exhibits.
An annual, all-day music, art, food, and culture festival held in Downtown Lake Charles celebrating all things Southwest Louisiana.
Guests are guided through local historic cemeteries as they listen to stories told by historic figures about their lives and their impacts on today’s Lake Charles.
We act as a clearinghouse of resources and information for artists, arts organizations, and cultural projects
Through networking programs and promotional services, we are able to offer expertise and experience to those working in the arts in SWLA who need assistance and resources for their careers and projects. Past events have included seminars and workshops on topics from self-marketing to website design and we provide networking opportunities for artists.
The HeARTbeat Weekly e-Newsletter, which reaches over 1,200 SWLA residents and businesses, is a weekly email about local art events, and the HeARTbeat Tour local artist directory at VisitLakeCharles.org allows artists across all genres to promote their work. The Culturalyst is another resource for artists provided through a partnership with the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development which offers a free mini portfolio as well as information about grant opportunities and calls for artists. Our social media accounts connect you with the arts on a moment’s notice so you can get plugged into the cultural life of SWLA.
We Act as the region's voice in the statewide arena for Arts Funding Advocacy
Through our partnerships and connections with other regional arts councils and advocacy agencies, we are able to participate fully in an ongoing dialogue with legislators and decision-makers to show the importance of full arts funding to our state’s identity and economy.
Arts Advocacy Day in May allows all arts enthusiasts to demonstrate the need for arts funding at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge.
Economic Development
We Believe the Arts Translate Easily Into Economic Growth
Generated nationally from the arts in 2011; from a study by the National Endowment for the Arts and Americans for the Arts.
Jobs created nationwide directly from the arts in 2011, according to the same study.
Generated in Federal Income Taxes directly from the arts in 2011; Measured against direct federal arts funding of about $1.4 billion, that’s a return of nearly nine to one.
The Arts & Humanities Council is supported by the City of Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, and by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council. Funding has also been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works. The support of these organizations, and the patronage of the public, allows the Arts & Humanities Council to achieve its mission.