ACA Fighting to Keep Our Music Alive

The Acadiana Center for the Arts is hosting a winter concert series, to try and bring music back amid the pandemic.

It's just one way the center has fought for the culture of Acadiana, and the musicians that make it possible.

March 13th: the day the music died.

Sure that may be a bit hyperbolic ... but the musical community has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.

But as news1's carter simoneaux shows us ... there are people in the community who are trying to protect artists who make acadiana one of the most unique regions in the country.

While 'm just a part time musician ... my instruments and music gear have been collecting dust throughout the pandemic.

Unfortunetly, there are those who rely on music for most of their income.

Luckily ... there are those in acadiana who have been fighting to protect one of the pillars of this regio's culture."the situation is what it is.

Uh, and we can either choose to do nothing - which in some ways is the easier thing to do, or we can do something."the acadiana center for the arts is launching a new concert series to help local musicians.

I's something the've been fighting for since the start of the pandemic ... like their involvement with the lost my gig fund."that was really helpful, especially right when it hit.

It was super helpful to me and a lot of my friends."

On top of the concert series ... which sam oliver says will comply with state covid-19 protocols in mind ... they are also hosting ... along with social entertainment ... the "lost my gig - encore" fundraiser."the're the hardest, hardest hit industry really, uh, in the country right now, and we have a disproportionate number of them in our community.

And the're such a definitive part of our community: our musicians."

But fundraisers like the lost my gig fund can only go so far."now i's just about saving what you do make because you do't know if yo'll lose a gig, uh last minute - and if it rains everythin's outside so you could still lose a gig."and i's not just the musicians that are hurting ... "people are so used to having music five nights a week.

They want that, they expect that.

And so, i miss it.

If 'm off, i want to go hear music."i's why sam oliver and the aca are trying to find a way to navigate the new normal ... even if i's just for a few nights ... and at a social distance."if we can do this right now where the community is, then tha's great because we can continue to do this."in lafayette carter simoneaux news15*nat*"tell me what to do!"

Barring any setbacks ... the aca will begin their winter convert series on december 10th.

For more information ... and to donate to the lost my gig encore fundraiser ... head over to