Cité des Arts in Lafayette focuses on cultivating a space for local performing arts groups, writers, playwrights, dance groups and bands to have an affordable space to create. Daniel Ladmirault, executive director at Citè des Arts. Cité's origin story is about finding a solution.
The whole idea is the brainchild of doctor Maureen Brennan, who's our founder and executive director emerita. In the late 1990s, the Lafayette Community Theater was closed, so there were no performing groups in Lafayette. Cité was created to fill that void and become a space for theater.
It evolved into a multidiscipline, multiuse facility. We do a little bit of everything. Our real mission is to focus on grassroots art development.
We focus on cultivating and giving a safe space for local performing arts groups, writers, playwrights, dance groups and bands to have an affordable space to create. We turned 22 in June. Our solution is to give up-and-coming performers, visual artists and more a space to develop their crafts.
Because we have so many disciplines, the lobby is always a place where new ideas are coming from and people who are working together. Our philosophy has always been, especially as executive director, I really don't say no to anyone. Everyone has the opportunity to come into this space and use it.
By having so many different artists and influences, the space is organically diverse, inclusive and equitable. We have different cultures, races, religions all coming together in on.