VERMILION PARISH, KATC - From live performances to colorful paintings — and even a giant lollipop — students across Vermilion Parish are taking center stage at the inaugural Student Arts Expo this weekend in downtown Abbeville.
The event, a first for the parish, is a collaboration between the Vermilion Parish School Board and the Acadiana Center for the Arts. It brings together young artists from more than seven schools to celebrate creativity through theatre, music, and visual arts.
Sophie Babineaux, an eighth grader at Rene A. Rost Middle School is among the dozens of students preparing to perform with her Theater Troupe group.
“We are putting on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” said Babineaux, who is part of her school’s theater group. “Theater group is something where a bunch of kids get together, put on a show, to show off their talents. We’re actually having a spring play.”
A highlight of the weekend will be the debut of the Art Walk, a vibrant display of local talent featuring street vendors and community artists.
Andrew Broussard, president of the Vermilion Arts Council, says the expo also coincides with a broader effort to revitalize the area through the arts.
“Downtown has been revitalized — as you can see, it’s very beautiful — and we want to bring people in and show them what Abbeville has to offer. The Art Walk has been two years in the making, and it’s meant to showcase art in the parish and to expose the citizens of Vermilion Parish to art,” Broussard said.
Whether it’s a middle school musical or a professional mural, organizers say the expo is all about connection — bringing students, families, and neighbors together through shared expression and artistic celebration.
KEY INFORMATION
When: Saturday, April 12, 2025
Time: 10 am - 4 pm
Cost: Free
Contact information for Andrew Broussard below,
http://Patreon.com/AndrewBroussard
Contact information for Rene Rost Middle School Theater Troupe below,
https://www.facebook.com/ReneRostMiddleSchoolTheaterTroupe
Upcoming event
RRMS Theatre troupe presents Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Jr.
Saturday, May 17 at 3 pm
Tickets are $10 and held fund future performances
