Check out this mini-feature on Moonbot Studios, a digital animation studio among other things, located in Shreveport, Louisiana that is the product of the mind of William Joyce, Shreveport native and author, illustrator and filmmaker of such children’s stories as "Rolie, Polie, Olie" and "Meet the Robinsons." Moonbot is visibly transforming the area through public art creations and displays, and in a less visible way through the recruitment of a team of highly talented artists who have made North Louisiana their home.

Louisiana is known around the world for its sound. North Louisiana certainly carries its weight in this area by growing and nurturing extremely talented musicians that apply their crafts in a wide variety of ways, from leading local drum circles to being nominated for Grammy's (James Burton, Buddy Flett, Kenny Wayne Shephard to name a few). Elvis even got his start at the Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport, Louisiana. This video gives a taste of what you can find around the area these days.

ArtBreak is the South's largest student arts festival, currently held at the Shreveport Convention Center each spring.  Admission is FREE and open to all ages. ArtBreak features an exhibition of over 2,500 juried 2-D and 3-D visual art pieces, literary writings and musical compositions throughout the Convention Center.

Third grade students from throughout northwest Louisiana attend ArtBreak's "Third Grade Days" to participate in multi-disciplinary arts activities taught by professional artists.  The ArtBreak Festival is a showcase of the performing arts programs and outstanding student talents of more than 100 Caddo and Bossier parish schools on three continuous stages. 

The Robinson Film Center, another strong supporter of arts in education in north Louisiana, partnered with ArtBreak students over recent years to produce films capturing some of the creativity flowing through the Convention Center halls.  You can check them out at left.

Having lived in cities such as New Orleans, San Francisco and New York City, these north Louisiana transplants don't doubt for one minute their decisions to re-locate.  The warmth of the people, the great housing options, the family-friendliness, the music and the variety of cultural events are just some of the reasons they love calling north Louisiana "home" now.

The Mardi Gras season is a festive time of year in North Louisiana, with parades big and small, some for humans, some for our furry friends (the Krewe of Barkus and Meoux has an especially popular parade each year). To get a taste of what Mardi Gras is like in North Louisiana, check out this video of the Blanc et Noir Marching Society, the group that kicks off the family friendly neighborhood parade of the Krewe of Highland in Shreveport every year on the Sunday before Fat Tuesday. The Marching Society, accompanied by the Red & Black Brass Band, leads the procession of floats through the historic Highland neighborhood, revving up the crowd for the oncoming festivities by dancing and greeting friends and neighbors along the way.