Downtown readies for Friday’s pop-up culture event
Residents are invited to head downtown on Friday for the Arts Council of Southwest Louisiana’s annual Spring Art Walk as vendors line the streets and spaces transform into pop-up galleries for the evening.
Art in its many forms will take over 18 downtown venues and spill out into the street with live performances, games, art competitions, a beer garden and 50 vendors selling locally crafted works, said council head Ashli Waldrep.
“It really brings people together and highlights all of our talents here in the region,” she said.
An Art War will feature teams of adults and students competing to create a mural in one hour in front of an audience — a “pretty exciting” thing to watch, Waldrep said. A winner is chosen through tips.
“Washed Up,” by Robin Stoddard-Jones, exhibiting at The Villa.
Waldrep called it a year of expansion for the event, with a record number of vendors and galleries to explore.
“We’re growing and expanding,” she said, adding that organizers are expecting “big crowds.”
Venues will offer drink specials, concessions, demonstrations and giveaways.
Participating venues are 3b & E Marketing, Alexander Art Studio, Blue Dog Café, Botsky’s, Business First Bank, Cajun Gypsy Corner Market, The Children’s Museum, Historic City Hall, The Paramount Room at Historic Calcasieu Marine Bank, Pujo St. Café, Pure Press Juicery, Salon Lindsay/Bespoke Hat Co., Salon Mixx, Sloppy’s Downtown, Stellar Beans, Tia Juanita’s Fish Camp, The Villa, and an artistic lighting installation by Lumiere Du Lac at 311 Broad St.
Work by Andra Gustin will be on exhibit at Botsky’s.
Featured artists and performers include Candice Alexander, the Artisans Gallery, Barbe Show Choir, Bayou Writers Group, Seth Barrilleaux, Cal-Cam 4-H Club, Christian Youth Theatre, harpist Jane Clark, Stephan Darnutzer, Amber Duplechin, Meagan Green, Andra Gustin, Taylor Hickey, International Dance Co., Robin Nicole Jones, Lake Charles HEMA Academy, McNeese Drumline, McNeese Visual Arts, Eddie Mormon, Nee de Traditionne, Christy Osborne, Greta Painter, Pelican Sunsets Photography, Petite Matisse art school, Robert Saxy Richard, the St. Louis High School Art Club, Alana Young Tezeno, Ginny Waggoner, and Lyd Walls.
A full list of artists is available at www.artscouncilswla.org. Maps of participating locations can be picked up during the event.
For more information, call the Arts Council at 439-2787.