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As Dirk Guidry and his team of local artists bring new life to the wall at the Children's Museum of Acadiana, the transformation happening on the bricks is only part of the story.
Behind the scenes, something just as meaningful is unfolding.
Businesses, organizations, restaurants, and community members have stepped up to provide lunches for the mural team. Some sign up in advance. Others simply see a need and fill it. Meals are dropped off with encouragement and gratitude, tagged and thanked on social media, and woven into the rhythm of long days on scaffolding.
The artists do not pause for a long, shared table. They take a moment when they can, between brush strokes and often under the Louisiana sun. But even in those quick breaks, the message is clear: you are supported. You are not doing this alone.
That is what community looks like.
It is not always glamorous. It is not always a headline moment. Sometimes it is just someone recognizing that they can help and choosing to do it.
What makes this especially beautiful is the variety of people who have stepped in. Not just restaurants. Not just one sector. All kinds of businesses and interested neighbors have found a way to participate. Some may not cross paths on an average Tuesday. Some operate in completely different circles. Yet through this mural, they become part of the same story.
Art has a way of gathering people who might not otherwise gather.
Public art belongs to everyone. It becomes a shared landmark, a backdrop for memories, a marker of growth. But the process of creating it can be just as unifying as the finished piece. When people invest in something greater than themselves, especially something that enhances downtown, they help shape not only a wall but the culture of a place.
Downtown is not built by projects alone. It is built by people who see momentum and decide to add to it. By those who ask, “How can I be part of this?” and then show up in whatever way they can.
The mural will stand as a vibrant addition to the district. But just as important is the quiet generosity that surrounded it.
That is how great things happen downtown. Not just through vision, but through participation.
JoElle Judice
Downtown Lafayette
The Ambassador program started as a practical step to maintain our downtown, but it has quickly become something more. It is a catalyst for civic pride and collective care.
If you can envision it, you can build it. If you can dream it, you can paint it. And when that dream is shared between artists, institutions, and the public, it becomes part of the city’s story.
Walkability is a term often coined like an achievement, something a city either has or does not. In reality, it is a process. And when done well, it requires patience, listening, and thoughtful design.
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Improvements are underway at downtown Lafayette's Parc International, which serves as a main venue for Festival International, the city's largest festival that draws thousands every April.
Downtown Lafayette looked — and smelled — a little fresher Saturday morning as volunteers gathered for 'Downtown in Bloom,' a local beautification event.
The Children's Museum of Acadiana in downtown Lafayette will get a major facelift from muralist Dirk Guidry.
Since the park opened in 2024, residents who use it have been out of luck for a bathroom if surrounding businesses are closed.
New Downtown Ambassador Program by Block By Block begins their work the week of Festival International, helping to keep Downtown Clean, Fun, and Vibrant.
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Drainage construction will begin in downtown Lafayette at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Lee Avenue in front of the old city hall building, according to a spokesperson Lafayette Consolidated Government’s (LCG) Public Works Department.