Central School Arts & Humanities Center

Central School june 2023 ribbon cutting

Central School Arts & Humanities Center was designed and built by noted New Orleans architects Favrot & Livaudais in 1912 and is located at 809 Kirby Street in Lake Charles in the heart of the Charpentier Historic District. It originally functioned as an elementary school and was repurposed as an arts and humanities center in 1995. Its classrooms now serve as studios, offices, and performance spaces for dozens of cultural organizations and individual artists.

Current tenants include the Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA, the Lake Charles Symphony, the Literacy Council of SWLA, Lake Charles Community Band, Bayouland Ballroom, and Lake Charles Little Theatre along with numerous other visual artists, dance teachers, non-profits and music teachers. The school's historic auditorium is currently undergoing renovations following Hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020.  Auditorium renovations are expected to be  complete in the fall of 2024.

For more information on Central School Arts & Humanities Center, including room rental information and rates, contact the Arts and Humanities Council at 337-439-2787 or visit www.artscouncilswla.org.