SB ART & CULTURE
BY SEVA MAY
H
aving spent the last forty plus years of my life enjoying the comradery of my fellow thespians on local stages, I thought I was on top of “All Things Theatre” in Shreveport-Bossier. It turns out that there’s more to the fine arts scene here than the stage and the lights. There’s usually an entire organization working tirelessly to offer our community the best work of local virtuosos. This includes dance, visual arts, drama, musical theatre, photography, music and crafts. One of the hardest working, most successful teams behind the scenes can fit into one of the jail cells that doubles as a dressing room at Bossier Arts Council. You heard correctly. Jail cells. Bossier Arts Council is housed in the old Bossier City Jail. Made up of a handful of dedicated staff members and a diversified Board of Directors, the Bossier Arts Council is a true jewel in city’s crown of achievements. The Bossier Arts Council is also home to DigiFest South, an annual digital arts festival and tech expo that celebrates how digital technology combined with artistic creativity has helped our modern society progress. DigiFest continues to inspire students to seek advanced education in the digital arts. It also serves to validate the econom-
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ic significance of the skills highly sought by today’s big tech companies. Digital skills stimulated by DigiFest can translate into lucrative career opportunities. The Artist’s One Stop gives local artists access to technology and training to further their ability to present their careers as either vocational or professional artists. With the goal of discovering emerging artists, Artist’s One Stop provides professional photography equipment so that artists can document their work. Computers are available for use with access to the internet as well as Adobe Creative Suite. It doesn’t stop there. Printers, paper and other office supplies are available (some fees may apply) and classes are offered in a variety of software applications as well as professional development.
