Downtown Lafayette is set to come alive this weekend with the Student Arts Expo, a festival of creativity and culture with performances and visual arts exhibitions from Lafayette Parish public school students.
Experience the free and family-friendly festival of student artwork, live performances and fun art activities from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Three stages and 30 exhibition locations will be set up throughout downtown Lafayette, according to a news release. The event showcases artwork and performances by more than 2,000 students from pre-K to 12th grade.
The expo includes a marching Art Parade, Art in Action live painting demonstrations, hands-on art activities and the Student Artist Market.
“Student Arts Expo nurtures the next wave of creatives,” ACA Executive Director Samuel Oliver said. “Through events like this, our community learns to recognize the value of the arts in uplifting and empowering young people.”
The event is a collaboration between the Acadiana Center for the Arts, the Lafayette Parish School System, MacLaff Inc. and other local sponsors to showcase the talent of local students.
The day will begin at 10 a.m. with a parade led by a student band marching down Jefferson Street. Students will conduct live painting demonstrations along Jefferson Street and in Pa Sans Souci, the release said. Some pieces will be up for auction.
The festival features hundreds of students from band, chorale, dance and theatre programs across the parish.
“Lafayette parish takes great pride in the opportunities afforded to its students through community partnerships,” Dr. Mark Rabalais, Lafayette Parish School System Associate Superintendent said. “The Students Arts Expo exemplifies a tremendous collaborative effort with the Acadiana Center for the Arts, nurturing student creativity. Providing a platform for students to showcase their talents enhances their pride and confidence in their talents and underscores the impact of this initiative.”
The Acadiana Center for the Arts will host the Student Artist Market, offering visitors the chance to purchase unique arts and crafts directly from the students themselves. Throughout the day, Jefferson Street and its businesses, along with Parc Sans Souci, will transform into a gallery space for attendees to enjoy.
The Visual Arts exhibitions will be installed at Acadiana Center for the Arts, One Acadiana, Lafayette Children’s Museum, The Jefferson, Gordon Hotel, Reve, Grace Hebert Curtis Architects, WhooJoo Glass and the Deuxieme Vie.
Visit the Student Arts Expo website at acadianacenterforthearts.org for more information on the special events, maps, and performances.
