Exposition Itinérante
Louisiana French: Preserve & Evolve
is a multi-lingual traveling exhibition organized by CODOFIL and supported by a 2024 LEH Rebirth Grant and the State of Louisiana. Louisiana French—and its sister language, Louisiana Creole/Kouri-Vini—have shaped our state immeasurably, but they are often misunderstood.
This exhibition seeks to correct these misunderstandings, valorize local language, and highlight Louisiana’s place in the greater French-speaking world, while recognizing the contributions of Louisiana language activists and inspiring individuals to reclaim their heritage languages.
Calendrier de l’exposition
Currently showing at:
Acadiana Parish Visitors’ Center
- 401 Tower Road
- Crowley, LA
The center is open to the public from 8am-4pm, Monday through Friday.
Upcoming showings:
March 2027: Teche Center for the Arts – Breaux Bridge, LA
Past showings:
This exhibition debuted in March 2024 and has since traveled to towns big and small throughout the state.
March-April 2026: Alliance Française de la Nouvelle-Orléans – New Orleans, LA
October 2025-January 2026: Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site – St. Martinville, LA
June-October 2025: E.D. White State Historic Site – Thibodaux, LA
February-March 2025: Jean Lafitte Prairie Acadian Cultural Center – Eunice, LA
October-November 2024: Vermilion Parish Visitors’ Center – Abbeville, LA
June-July 2024: Zigler Art Museum – Jennings, LA
March-April 2024: Acadiana Center for the Arts – Lafayette, LA
Partenaires et collaborateurs
This project received financial support from a Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities 2023-2024 Rebirth Grant and the State of Louisiana.
Hosting partners:
Acadiana Center for the Arts, Zigler Art Museum, Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission, Vermilion Arts Council, Abbeville Cultural & Historical Alliance, Jean Lafitte National Historic Park, E.D. White Historic Site, Grand Réveil Acadien, Friends of the E.D. White Historic Site, Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site, Alliance Française de la Nouvelle-Orléans, Alliance Française de Lafayette, Acadia Parish Tourist Commission.
Thank you to the following individuals and organizations that contributed to the contents of this exhibition:
Allison Bohl DeHart, Amanda LaFleur, Barry Ancelet, Becca Ezekiel, Brenda Mounier, Christine Verdin, Clif St. Laurent, Clint Bruce, Dana Kress, David Marcantel, Drake LeBlanc, Flo Thunissen, Givonna Joseph, Jaik Faulk, Jennifer Rodriguez, Jessica Cormier Rabalais, Jonathan Mayers, Joseph Dunn Jourdan Thibodeaux, Kate Durio, Lawson Ota, Matt Mick, Nathan Rabalais, Peggy Feehan, Peter DeHart, Philippe Gustin, Roger Kash, Rogers Romero, Stephen Ortego, La Table Française du Bayou Teche, Theodore Brode
The page from the Catéchisme du diocèse de la Nouvelle-Orléans appears courtesy of Special Collections at the Edith Garland Dupré Library
Images of the monologue “Hallo, cher, Grand-m’man’s fine, an’ y’all?” appear courtesy of the digital archives of Louisiana Public Broadcasting; the text can be found in May G. Waggoner’s Une fantaisie collective: Anthologie du drame louisianais cadien (1999, UL Press)
The “Louisiana French or French French?” game can be found on the vieillelouisiane Youtube channel, and the “La Prière” music video can be found on Jourdan Thibodeaux’s Youtube channel.
Informations sur l’artiste / les artistes exposé
Graphic Designers: MakeMade
We are grateful to the following photographers whose images are used in the exhibition to highlight the diverse projects going on in francophone and creolophone Louisiana today.
- Cedric Ellsworth (photograph for Opera Créole)
- Jonathan Mayers (photograph for Chinbo, Inc)
- Matt Mick (photograph for La Table Française du Bayou Teche)
- Meagan Andrepont (photograph for the Rabalais family)
- Reagan Laird (photograph for Tours by Marguerite)
- Sherry Heflin (photograph for Les Éditions Tintamarre)
For more information on the ongoing projects highlighted in this exhibition, visit: