ABOUT

Basin Arts is an arts incubator focused on supporting Louisiana artists towards a sustainable creative practice with the goal of increasing access to professional contemporary arts experiences and creating authentic relationships between artists and the greater community.

Founded by Clare Cook

Choreographer. Teacher. Collaborator.

After a decade of living and working in NYC, Clare Cook returned to her home town of Lafayette, Louisiana to build a homebase for her professional work while still choreographing and teaching throughout the United States and abroad. Basin Arts is an extension of Cook’s passion for artistic collaboration combined with her experience in arts management and theatrical production. It comes out of her desire to support the development of professional artists in a hands-on, accessible environment, thereby helping to build a more diverse and widespread creative community.

Testimonials

What people say

As a former artist-in-residence, I am humbled to have been a part of the inaugural year of Basin Arts and its resonating impact on the creative class in Lafayette. Basin Arts functioned and operated as a constant engagement with other creatives, not just exclusive to visual art, but to many different practices. The impression that the space has had on me is one of generosity – a periodical check-in of eager makers and compelling collaborators all within close proximity to one another.

Jacob Broussard
Visual Artist MFA Candidate, Yale School of Art

Basin Arts is everything the creative community of Lafayette deserves. There is no limit to this place’s potential. With offerings in dance, studios for artists, collaboration between all art forms, it is opening conversations that are changing the way we think of art. I will always find a place for my artistic expression here. I will forever cherish the support that our artistic community is receiving from Clare Cook and this amazing community of people.

Aerin Higginbotham
Dancer and Yoga Instructor, Nashville, TN

The space and creativity that Basin Arts provides allows for even more expansion on Acadiana’s burgeoning arts scene. While teaching at Basin Arts this summer, I was able to experience, first hand, the impact it is having on the local dance community and it thrills me to imagine “what’s next?” I take away a newfound admiration for local dance and can’t wait to come back for more! 

Alex McBride
Professional Dancer, Limon Dance Company

What I find exciting about Basin Arts is that our community is growing and supporting spaces like this! Having a space like this is vital to the community of Acadiana; it truly is an incubator for for the arts. As the Outreach Director at the Acadiana Center for the Arts my work is rooted in opening opportunities for our community, developing careers for individual artists and providing platforms for continued growth.  Basin is a grounding place for artists – providing a true definition of a Container for Creativity. It provides a support system and naturally feeds into the work we are doing at AcA. I’m thrilled by what it provides and I look forward to the continued growth year to year.

Paige Krause
Outreach Director, the Acadiana Center for the Arts
Top