• Upcoming

    Contemporary Arts Center

    Call For Artists: MAKE AMERICA WHAT AMERICA MUST BECOME

    September 18, 2020 to January 24, 2021

    THANK YOU GULF SOUTH ARTISTS!

    The Contemporary Arts Center wishes to thank all of the artists who have submitted work to our 2020 Call for Artists: Make America What America Must Become! We have received a near-record number of submissions of work and are excited to share the exhibition with... Read more →

    Past Shows

    Contemporary Arts Center, The Helis Foundation and The Times-Picayne New Orleans Advocate

    WOKE DREAMS: A Celebration & Reflection of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

    January 20, 2020
    On Monday, January 20 from 12-3:30 pm, join us at the CAC for WOKE DREAMS , a reflective celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s impact on today’s social movements, and the role that art plays in advancing activism and social justice. Through a panel discussion, music, and art explorations, guests are invited to reflect upon and celebrate Dr. King’s legacy. WOKE DREAMS is free and open to the public, courtesy of The Helis Foundation! Admission to the CAC's exhibitions will also be free to enjoy, featuring works by Mickalene Thomas, Akosua Adoma Owusu, Meg Turner, and collaborative artist and retail collective Les Femmes Féroces. A special menu of food and drinks will be available for sale from La Vie En Rose Cafe. This event is free and open to the public but registration is requested. RSVP here! Panel Discussion: Art, Community, and Activism Join our all-star panel for a conversation about the intersection of art, community, and activism at the center of the old and new civil rights movements, in the heart of the Mickalene Thomas: Femmes Noires exhibition at the CAC. Panelists include: Ranord J. Darensburg JD, RSW , Judicial Administrator, Orleans Parish Juvenile Court Stephanie McKee , Director, Junebug Productions Alanah Odoms-Hebert , Executive Director, ACLU of Louisiana Kathy Randels , Artist, Art Spot & The Graduates Dr. David Robinson , The Center for Equity, Justice, and the Human Spirit Jose Cotto: "Cultivating history, Documenting dreams" Artist Jose Cotto invites you to take part in his photographic project to capture intimate one-on-one portraits of individuals -- and their dream-like auras -- through innovative photographic techniques. Les Femmes Féroces Presents Jet Costello, Artist New Orleans-based artist Jet Costello and CAC resident art collective Les Femmes Féroces will present a memorial altar installation to honor murdered Trans women from...
    Les Femmes Féroces

    JOIE NOIRE: Move Ya Body

    January 5, 2020
    This Sunday, January 5, Les Femmes Féroces, a gallery & retail popup collaboration at the CAC, invites you to join them for an afternoon of release and rejuvenation to celebrate the new year! Artist Chipo Kandake will lead a dance healing circle to heal and remove blockages. No dance experience is required! This event is free and open to the public. To participate, please check in at the front desk located in the CAC Atrium. Participants will meet inside the CAC Oval Gallery inside the Femmes Féroces exhibition. Food will be available for purchase on-site courtesy of Le Vie En Rose Cafe! Learn more about Les Femmes Féroces
    Hancock Whitney and Contemporary Arts Center

    Hancock Whitney White Linen Night 25

    August 3, 2019
    Hancock Whitney White Linen Night Turns 25! Event Information Saturday, August 3, 2019 300 - 700 blocks of Julia Street and throughout the Arts District New Orleans FREE & open to the public Rain or shine For complete event details, visit our dedicated mini-site, here! This year the Contemporary Arts Center and title sponsor Hancock Whitney commemorate 25 years of experiencing art, building community, and celebrating culture in the Arts District New Orleans on August 3, 2019! Hancock Whitney White Linen Night is an annual outdoor celebration of art and artists in the Arts District New Orleans, featuring gallery openings, public art displays, food vendors, and much more! Proceeds from the event support the Contemporary Arts Center. Art in Focus: Celebrating 25 Years of Hancock Whitney White Linen Night and the Arts District New Orleans Thursday, August 1 6pm - 8pm at the CAC In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of Hancock Whitney White Linen Night, you are invited to join us for a special reception honoring the legacy of gallery owner Arthur Roger and the support of art collector and actress CCH Pounder on Thursday, August 1 at the CAC! Our expert panel will also explore the impact of 25 years of White Linen Night on art, collecting, and our local economy and community. Admission is free and open to the public. ART TALK: Past, Present, & Future: White Linen Night as Creative Placemaking CAC Black Box Theater | 6:30pm Panelists include Dr. Jordan Amirkhani, Curator, American University; Demond Melancon, Artist; Jeanne Nathan, Moderator, Creative Alliance of New Orleans; CCH Pounder, Art Collector; Arthur Roger, Arthur Roger Gallery; Regina Scully, Artist; and Kurt Weigle, President & CEO, Downtown Development District. Artful Awards CAC Atrium | 7:30 pm Julia Street Block Party 5:30pm - 9:30pm | 300 - 700 blocks...

    Second Thursday at the CAC

    April 11, 2019
    Second Thursday at the CAC We invite you to join us for Second Thursdays, our free, open to all, monthly celebratory event during which we welcome you to see our exhibition, Hinge Pictures: Eight Women Artists Occupy the Third Dimension. Join us on this Second Thursday for an evening of celebration, socializing, and programming designed to enhance your appreciation of contemporary art and artists. Free and Open to All Cash Bar Open All Night Music by DJ h3LLnah h3LLnah is a gender-non-conforming DJ reigning from New Orleans. They keep the clubs poppin’ with femme-centered sets and carefully-curated reimaginations of classic hits. Galleries on View, 6-9pm Immerse yourself in our visual art exhibition, Hinge Pictures: Eight Women Artists Occupy the Third Dimension, a demonstration of formal innovation and social liberation across two floors of the CAC. Women and Freedom– 6:30pm-7:00pm, Atrium Join Laura Blereau (Coordinator of Academic Programs at the Newcomb Museum) as she moderates a conversation with Kathy Randels (Co-director of The Graduates), Fox Rich and Dolfinette Martin (about the powerful story behind The Graduates’ The Life Quilt , on view in Per(sister) at the Newcomb Museum until July 6. Using our Hinge Pictures show as a platform to highlight women’s issues, they will speak on issues having to do with women and incarceration. The Graduates is a performance ensemble comprised of former members of the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW) Drama Club. Girl’s Night in with Nasty Woman, the Game -- 7:30-8:30pm, Rehearsal Hall Fight the patriarchy with us, get all those intense and valid feminist emotions out with Amanda Brinkman (CEO and Co-founder of Shrill Society) as she leads us in a rowdy game of Nasty Woman: A Game For Every Feminist. Nasty Woman is Amanda’s game where saying what you really think is the whole point!...

    Hinge Pictures: Eight Women Artists Occupy the Third Dimension

     

    Hinge Pictures: Eight Women Artists Occupy the Third Dimension is an exhibition in eight-parts, a confrontation with the patrimony of European modernism in the practices of eight leading women artists: Sarah Crowner, Julia Dault, Leslie Hewitt, Tomashi Jackson, Erin Shirreff, Ulla von Brandenburg, Adriana Varejão, and Claudia Wieser.

    Across eight ... Read more

    VIRTUOSO - A Paderewski Musical Project

    November 28, 2018
    The Adam Mickiewicz Institute in conjunction with the University of New Orleans and the Contemporary Arts Center present the first act of "Virtuoso" a new musical inspired by the life on famed Polish pianist, composer and statesmen Ignacy Paderewski. This new musical melds rock, R&B, and gospel with classical compositions by Paderewski, Chopin and Beethoven to tell the story of a man who was truly a rock star of his time. Written by Matthew Hardy, Directed by Laura Hope, Music Direction by Natalie True and Produced by Lauren Turner. Featuring: Hedrick Deshotel, Shelby Duhe, Polanco Jones Jr., Ann Lengel, April Louise, Kathleen Moore, Ray Proctor, Kris Watkins, Lexi Wedll and a rocking five piece band. This project has been commissioned by The Adam Mickiewicz Institute in collaboration with the following Institutions:UCLA TFT, USC School of Dramatic Arts, Ghost Road Company, Playwrights' Arena, Wang Music International, CAC New Orleans, UNO, Tricklock Company, UNM, Tisch School of the Arts, Philadelphia Theatre Company, MASS MoCA, The Consulate General of Poland in Los Angeles, The Polish Cultural Institute in New York as part of the international cultural program POLSKA100 accompanying Poland's Centenary of regaining independence. Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland as part of the multi-annual program NIEPODLEGŁA 2017-2022.

    NOLA Nerdlesque

    November 16, 2018
    NOLA Nerdlesque is a two day performance festival. We'll be bringing burlesque performers from all across the country to the Big Easy to celebrate and satirize our favorite pop culture and nerdy properties. The festival will also include workshops and parties for performers and a few lucky VIPs.

    Mélange Dance Company presents La Résistance at the CAC

    November 9, 2018 to November 11, 2018
    La Résistance , an energetic tribute to people power, demonstrates how one generation’s radicalized ideas become the following’s common sense in an evolving venture through the ages of resistance. From the civil rights movement, to women’s liberation, and the Stonewall riots which led to our first Pride Festival, we portray the spirit of revolution and the raw emotions that are faced in awakening and effectively organizing for change. We explore landmark rulings that brought margins to mainstream, and the largest grassroots resistance yet, the 2017 Women’s March, demanding justice for all, including earth. “Sea levels are rising, and so are we.” La Résistance encourages the next generation's rising voices, culminating in an uplifting finale celebrating the strength in diversity to realize that we can all be heroes.

    Second Thursdays at the CAC

    November 8, 2018
    Join us on the Second Thursday of each month for an evening of programs designed to enhance your appreciation of contemporary art and artists. Free and open to all, CAC Members receive a complimentary drink at the bar from 6pm-9pm. Music: DJ All True Food Truck: Afrodisiac Gallery Tour and Talk – 6pm-7pm, Second Floor Gallery Join artists Keith Calhoun and Chandra McCormick alongside Jennifer Williams , Youth & Family Programs Manager at NOMA, for a gallery tour and talk of the current exhibition Labor Studies . Hands-On – 6pm-8pm, Lobby Writer and artist Cubs the Poet asks participants to meditate on the question: What kind of work would you do if money or value did not exist? Panel Conversation – 7pm-8:30pm, Atrium This panel discussion presents current and historical models for winning equity and security for cultural workers. Zarouhie Abdalian (Artist), Dena Beard (The Lab), Renard Bridgewater (Music And Culture Coalition of New Orleans), and Toni Jones (New Orleans Hospitality Workers Committee) come together to consider the broader politico-economic role of the art worker in the system of capitalist production and what possibilities or pitfalls follow from this class position.