Moving Forward Archive

The Opelousas Cultural District has been selected as one of two districts in Louisiana to participate in Sound Places, a pilot program centered around the performing arts.

This placemaking program, developed by Chamber Music America (CMA), the Louisiana Division of the Arts (LDOA), and Project for Public Spaces (PPS), with support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will fund two musical ensembles “to engage in meaningful ways with the civic fabric” of the districts.

Opelousas will host WindSync, a Houston-based wind quintet, for a series of chamber music-infused events during 2017, according to Melanie Lee Lebouef, the town’s tourism director. The ensemble and community are currently working to develop activities unique to Opelousas and St. Landry Parish.

The other Louisiana district, the Rivertown Kenner Cultural District, is hosting The Westerlies, a Brooklyn-based brass quartet.

WindSync has been featured in educational performances presented by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Midland Symphony Orchestra, and the Rockport Chamber Music Festival. As the 2013 Music for Autism Spotlight Artist, WindSync traveled to five cities across the United States performing concerts specifically developed to provide a safe environment for children or individuals on the autistic spectrum and their families.

Creative placemaking is a relatively new concept that is gaining adherents around the globe. In a NEA white paper, Ann Markusen and Anne Gadwa describe it as bringing together partners “from public, private, nonprofit, and commu­nity sectors” to “shape the physical and social character of a neighbor­hood, town, tribe, 

city, or region around arts and cultural activities.”

According to that NEA paper, placemaking “animates public and private spaces, rejuvenates structures and streetscapes, improves local businesses viability and public safety, and brings diverse people together to celebrate, inspire, and be inspired.”  In the past, the concept has been most often associated with the visual arts rather than the performing arts.

However, Sound Places recognizes that “small ensembles are perfect for reaching out to communities,” Leboeuf said. “They are portable, don’t require sets or costumes, can perform in flexible spaces, and provide audiences with the opportunity to experience live music in their own neighborhoods.”

The program is a “natural fit” for Louisiana communities according to Gaye Hamilton of the Louisiana Division of the Arts. “Louisiana’s musical traditions are as deep and diverse as anywhere on the planet,” she says. “It is a place where music is enjoyed and celebrated from birth to death. Louisiana boasts a statewide network of Cultural Districts, both urban and rural, where the focus on strengthening community is an active, ongoing process. It is the perfect breeding ground for Sound Places to unearth the magic that music can bring to our communities in new and different ways.”

The Opelousas Cultural District is one of seven in St. Landry Parish designed to help communities capitalize on cultural assets. The other districts are the Deux Bayous Cultural District in Arnaudville, Eunice Prairie Cajun Cultural District, Frozard Cultural District in Arnaudville, Grand Coteau Cultural District, Sunset Cultural District, and Historic Washington Cultural District.