Our calendar may only feature happenings in New Orleans, but that doesn’t mean Pelican Bomb doesn’t have love for events in Lafayette! The Southern Open kicks off this weekend at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. This year’s exhibition was juried by curator Rene Barilleaux of the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio. He whittled over 750 entries down to 75 pieces, featuring 31 artists from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida:

Chad Aldridge, Richard Armendariz, David Armentor, M R Barry, Kathy Baus, Heather Bause, Joe Bennett, David Bogus, Sesthasak Boonchai, Matthew Broussard, Shanna Dantonio, Lee Deigaard, Keith Dorwick, Troy Dugas, Kurt Dyrhaug, Terry Grow, Sandria Hu, Weston Lambert, Colin Miller, Emee Morgan, Stephanie Patton, Pat Phillips, Alex Podesta, Akasha Rabut, Alice Raymond, Gregory Reuter, Cynthia Scott, Trish Simonite, Brian St Cyr, David Sullivan, and Jonathan Vaughan

One thing we like most about the Southern Open is that someone walks away paid! A juror's pick prize of $1,000 and two $500 honorable mentions will be announced at Saturday’s opening reception, starting at 7:30 pm.