Current Projects
	The Houma Regional Arts Council serves the community in a variety of ways. Over the years, the council has built museums, planned and sponsored festivals and events, showcased local art and much more. Currently the council is working on the following projects.

Rep. Melancon Announces Federal Investment For Houma Regional Arts Council’s “Big Read” Program Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby Selected for 2010 Program

WASHINGTON—Congressman Charlie Melancon (LA-03) announced today that the Houma Regional Arts Council has been awarded a $10,000 matching grant to support its 2010 “Big Read” program. The federal investment is funded through the National Endowment of the Arts’ (NEA) Big Read program. For the fourth year, the Houma Regional Arts Council will engage communities in six parishes in reading and discussing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic work, The Great Gatsby.

“Congratulations to the Houma Regional Art Council for once again being recognized for their efforts to develop a love for reading among south Louisianians of all ages,” said Rep. Melancon. “Nurturing an appreciation for great American literature will help strengthen education and achievement in our communities, because people who love to read also love to learn. I encourage all Louisianians in the region to participate in this opportunity to appreciate our American literary heritage.”

The Arts Council will kick off its 2010 Big Read program on Jan. 29, 2010, at the Assumption Parish Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet. Participants will be able to pick up a copy of The Great Gatsby along with a reader’s guide, audio guide and bookmarker. Additional Big Read events during the year include book discussions, Mardi Gras parades and movie showings. For more information about Big Read events, visit http://www.neabigread.org/communities/?community_id=1154 .

Executive Director of the Houma Regional Arts Council Glenda Toups said, “The last three years of the Big Read have been very successful in engaging the people in our area to read these classic American novels. It’s our honor and a pleasure to bring quality arts and cultural programming to the region, and the Big Read allows us to continue to support the literary arts in the communities of south Louisiana.”

The NEA will provide participating organizations like the Houma Regional Arts Council with free support materials including reader’s guides for students and community participants, teacher’s guides, audio introductions to the book, as well as a comprehensive Web site.

NEA’s Big Read is the largest reading program in the Unites States. Since the program began in 2006, the NEA has awarded more than 802 Big Read grants and engaged communities in all 50 states along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Houma Regional Arts Council was among 269 communities nationwide that will receive Big Read grants between September 2009 and June 2010.

"Poetry Out Loud" Poetry Out Loud - Bethany France, Arts-in-Education Director, Louisiana Division Of The Arts, congratulates Julio Contreras, Region 3 finalist from Terrebonne High School, at the Poetry Out Loud Louisiana State Competition in Baton Rouge March 6th, 2010. Poetry Out Loud is a national competition for students to recite and interpret contemporary and classic poems. Find out more at www.poetryoutloud.org.

The programs of the Houma Regional Arts Council are supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council.

Our offices are located in the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum, 7910 Park Ave Houma, LA