The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana is the umbrella organization for the Arts and Humanities in the five-parish Imperial Calcasieu region. We are "At the heArt of what matters" dedicated to supporting, developing and enriching all forms of cultural expression for the region. We fulfill our mission in a variety of roles:

RESOURCES

The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, strives to be a clearinghouse of information for artists, art organizations and the community in our region. We publish a Cultural Resource Directory full of information about the artists and organizations that contribute to our cultural life. We also keep a Calendar of Events, detailing arts & humanities events happening in the area. Our Regional Arts Network meetings, held every other month, provide a wonderful opportunity for those with a lively interest in the arts and culture to meet and network. Artists and organizations are encouraged to form dynamic partnerships to bring arts and arts experiences to the community. Through our Artists' Opportunity email group, artists in the region are made aware of juried exhibitions, grant availability, residencies and other opportunities to further and enhance an artistic career.

GRANTS

It's a fact of life. In order to thrive, artists and organizations need financial support for operations, projects and marketing. That is why The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana is pleased to administer three vital grants programs for the region. The first, funded through the Louisiana Division of the Arts, is the Decentralized Arts Funding program, which grants over $120,000 on a per-parish, per-capita basis for artists, arts organizations and projects in the region. The second is the Lake Charles Partnership grant program, funded through the City of Lake Charles provides another opportunity for artists and arts organizations within the city limits of Lake Charles. The Tourism Marketing Initiative grant program, funded by the Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau furnishes funds for marketing tools for artists and organizations in Calcasieu and Cameron parishes. The Arts Council of Southwest Louisiana administers these programs, gathering applications, holding workshops and individual appointments for grantees' technical assistance, overseeing the panel process to award funds with continued involvement assuring compliance with all grant requirements. While these programs are excellent, we continue to work to increase funding for the arts by seeking to establish grant programs through local governments and other sources throughout the area.

PROGRAMS

Another vital component of our community involvement is arts programming. Along with the City of Lake Charles,  and the Calcasieu Parish Schools, The Arts and Humanities  Council of Southwest Louisiana sponsors ArtsFest, held on the last Saturday in October, Arts and Humanities Month. This hands-on fest celebrates visual and performing arts, gives artists a chance to demonstrate their discipline, and gives fest goers of all ages a chance to make and take home ART! There are booths with art projects of all kinds. 

In concert with the Calcasieu Parish Schools Art Department, The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana has sponsored a summer Arts Camp for kindergarten through 8th grade children for more than 20 years. This four-week camp gives students hands-on experience in the performing arts and visual arts. The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana provides both full and partial scholarships.

Downtown at Sundown is another fun way to experience the arts! This is a spring concert series sponsored by the city of Lake Charles, Downtown Development, the Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau and The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana. Held four Fridays in spring, 5:30 -8:30 PM, at Broad & Ryan Street, Downtown at Sundown features live music from local bands, along with cuisine from local restaurants and artisans displaying their wares.

The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana has been instrumental in helping organize the annual Gallery Promenade for area artists and art spaces. The art walk event has been expanded to three days in early September and has included galleries across Calcasieu Parish. We've also instituted Performers' Promenade, a showcase for performing arts organizations held each year just two weeks after Gallery Promenade. 2004 was the inaugural year for this event, the open house was well received and this event has grow and we expect it to continue. The first Spring Art Walk was held in May 2005, and has become an annual highlight of the cultural calendar.

The Mayor's Arts Awards, held annually in conjunction with Arts and Humanities Month, honor those in our region who strive for excellence in the arts and humanities. Awards are given for Artist of the Year, Cultural Organization of the Year, Citizen of the Arts, Business/Corporate Support, Citizen of the Humanities and Arts Educator of the Year.

Art Associates Gallery is a free space for artists to display their work. The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana manages the gallery in conjunction with Art Associates of Lake Charles. From grade school student work, to a Black History Month showing of the primitive art of Alvin Batiste, to pottery, sculpture and lithographs, Art Associates Gallery has attracted a wide range of artists and exhibits to the Central School Arts and Humanities Center. Exhibits usually hang five to six weeks, and jury panels are held twice a year. Any artist or group of artists may apply to the jury.

Workshops and training are an important part of our role in the community. Each year The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana holds a series of grant workshops, as well as training sessions of interest to artists and arts organizations, such as PAN on the Road, sponsored by the Louisiana Partnership for the Arts. The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana also makes information available to emerging 501(c)3 organizations to assist in their development.

We at The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana will continue to strive to better serve our community with quality arts programs.  In the wake of Hurricane Rita, the Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana helped provide local artists and art organizations access to disaster Relief grant information, loan information and relocation information for displaced artists and affected arts organizations and businesses

ADVOCACY

The cultural community must be recognized, respected and supported by our lawmakers in the local arena and nationally. The Arts Council of Southwest Louisiana coordinates arts advocacy efforts such as letter writing campaigns, editorial campaigns and communications with local, state and national lawmakers. Additionally, The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana involvement with the Louisiana Partnership for the Arts and Americans for the Arts guarantees that our voices will be heard by legislators in our community, in our state and in Congress.

PROMOTION

What if you gave a gallery opening but didn't tell anyone? To support our thriving cultural climate, it is The Arts Council of SWLA's vocation to spread the word about events, projects, opportunities and fundraisers. The Arts Council of SWLA coordinates and promotes community events like Gallery Promenade and Performers' Promenade, as well as offering general marketing and promotional services to local artists and organizations for through press releases and regular media contact.
The Arts Council of SWLA also seeks to promote the arts through our membership, which gives members of the community direct access to the information we have gathered through our quarterly newsletter, ArtScene and other direct mailings. Membership in The Arts Council of SWLA does have other advantages as well, from invitations to exclusive arts events to dandy The Arts Council of SWLA and local arts merchandise. If you're not a member, check out our membership page, and sign up today!
Arts promotion reaches beyond our region, and so does The Arts Council of SWLA's involvement. The Lieutenant Governor has rolled out his Roadmap for Change for Louisiana, and an integral part of the Roadmap concerns the formation of Louisiana's Cultural Economy, by which the arts are recognized as vital tools for economic development. The Arts Council of SWLA has been active in this important initiative. We've pledged to assist artists, artisans and organizations to develop business skills and contacts needed to effectively exploit cultural tourism for the arts and export quality arts created in Louisiana to the rest of the world.