Attn Vicki Chrisman

Visual art exhibits and performances - the year began with "painting rent," an exhibition of the artwork of olin john "leroy" evans who passed away in 2021. Internationally acclaimed bass-baritone opera singer andre courville returned home to Louisiana to perform an all-french concert celebrating batille day. A new chamber music series, the listening room, premiered in august 2022, a collaboration with aso. the exhibition "poetics of selfhood" explored creole francophone identity - this project is a multi-year, multi-destination exhibition. the Louisiana crossroads series featured a night of rock and roll with brother dege. the calendar year concluded with a sold-out solo performance by jon cleary. In february, a new solo exhibition of john isiah walton, a new orleans painter whose work as gained international recognition. During february, aca also hosted two performances of "roots, the journey". Spring was busy with performances including an evening with appalachian singer/songwriter iris dement. Aca unveiled 15 new traffic box artworks in the artbox program. In march and april, two student Arts expo events were held to showcase the art, music, and performance of students in teh schools across two parishes. To conclude the year, aca held its most attended performance in its history, 10,000 students attended a theatrical performance by lightwire theater at the heyman Center over the course of five performances and three days.

Community development - aca and lafayette economic development authority were awarded a distinction for innovation and collaboration by the international economic development council for it's years of investing in artists and creatives as entrepreneurs. the artspark program has helped boost the careers of 72 artists since its inception. Aca launched the creative Acadiana project, aiming to provide more accessible skill building, entrepreneurship training, and practical tools for individuals building careers in the Arts. 15 workshops were delivered during the year serving 122 Acadiana artists, musicians, and creators.

Education and outreach - aca and lafayette parish school system celebrated 45 years of partnership by launching a new expansion of services called Arts experiences for all - a comprehensive strategy to ensure every young person in lafayette parish has first hand experiences in art, dance, theater, and music - both as a participant and as an audience member. Aca Arts in education work has expanded to include 83 schools in vermilion, lafayette, and st. landry parish schools.

General programming