Louisiana Bicentennial
2012 is a big year for the Arts Council! We are working with the Lake Charles / SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau to present the Lake Area’s role in Louisiana’s upcoming statewide Bicentennial Celebration. Our distinct cultural identity is 200 years in the making, and in partnership with the Imperial Calcasieu Museum we will present a series of programs and events to celebrate our history in Southwest Louisiana.
Julie Kane Poetry Reading: Saturday, May 12th, 4 p.m. under the Sallier Oak at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum
Southwest Louisiana will be immortalized in the award-winning verse of our state’s Poet Laureate, Julie Kane, in 2012. During a special poetry reading on Saturday, May 12th, Kane will present a series of poems specifically commissioned to illustrate our Southwest Louisiana identity and way of life. The reading will be held under the arms of the historic 375 year-old Sallier Oak at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum in Lake Charles. Kane’s series will celebrate the intersection between landscape and identity while uniting both the raw and the rapturous images and symbols of Southwest Louisiana. Kane is also a non-fiction writer, editor, and translator and is the author of three books of poetry with many of her poems appearing widely in anthologies. She has lived in Louisiana for over thirty years and has lived in Natchitoches since 1999.
Fred Stark Mural, Spring 2012, Downtown Lake Charles
The downtown Lake Charles historic district will see the addition of its newest public art mural on the
side of the locally-owned dessert shop Sweets & Treats. Local artist Fred Stark, whose murals appear in sixteen states, will create a large scale Bicentennial-themed mural to illustrate our Southwest Louisiana connection to the state’s 200 year legacy. Composed in three different layers and timelines, the mural will show the visual history of Louisiana from 1812 to 2012 and will include our local ties with the 100 year anniversaries of four local historic landmarks. Stark, who is owner of Fred Stark Design & Illustration, is best known for his work with the Lake Charles Civic Ballet as a scenic artist.
George Rodrigue 200 Years: The Faces & Places of Louisiana, Opening Reception: September 14th, Imperial Calcasieu Museum
The Imperial Calcasieu Museum will host a special George Rodrigue art exhibition titled 200 Years: The Faces & Places of Louisiana which will exhibit Rodrigue’s famous prints and paintings of significant Louisiana figures steeped in over 200 years of both history and folklore. This comprehensive collection of the people and landscapes of our state collectively makes up the expanse of our own history and identity. Rodrigue will be on hand during the exhibit’s September 14th opening reception for a discussion of the featured pieces and his ties to both art and Louisiana history. In collaboration with the exhibit, the Museum will also host a Bicentennial Art Contest, and the winner’s Bicentennial-themed artwork will become the official poster for Louisiana’s Bicentennial.
Lake Charles has another reason to celebrate in 2012; four of our most loved buildings and neighborhoods are celebrating their 100 year anniversaries: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Margaret Place Historic District, Historic Calcasieu Parish Courthouse, and Central School Arts & Humanities Center.
On April 28th, 2012, Friends of Central School and the Arts Council will host a Centennial Open House Celebration at Central School to draw the public into the facility for an interactive experience of the art offices, museums, galleries, and studios housed within Central School. The building will be filled with live music, art demonstrations, and historical lectures to better increase its visibility as an all-inclusive arts center and artist colony for Southwest Louisiana. The Cathedral and the Courthouse will also host special open houses with historical tours on April 28th.
On March 31st through April 1st, the annual Palm Sunday Tour of Homes will include exclusive events throughout the weekend that offer an insider’s perspective of the Margaret Place Historic District, including a guided walking tour, a street party, and a centennial brunch at 121 Artisan Bistro. Advanced tickets for these events are available. Visit the Calcasieu Historic Preservation Society.
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Please join us all year long in celebrating our heritage, our arts, and our culture!
