53rd Annual
May 3-12, 2019
History of the Arts Festival
The Annual Arts Festival of First United Methodist Church, Alexandria, Louisiana, was established in 1967 to encourage use and understanding of the arts as a means of healthy expression. It presented the first juried art competition in Central Louisiana. For more than four decades since, the festival has offered a variety of exhibits as well as programs of music, film, literature and drama.
The festival was renamed in 1980 to honor the memory of the Rev. Tom Peyton, a former associate minister whose ministry to the entire community’s arts and educational efforts was especially significant. An endowment in Peyton’s memory contributes to the festival’s budget, which is supported otherwise by patrons’ gifts and grants. The festival enjoys the guidance and services of the church’s staff and the use of its facilities. The core of the festival remains the competitive juried exhibit, which retains the respect it has earned from artists in the region.
Cenla Focus featured the 50th celebration of the Tom Peyton Memorial Arts Festival. Read more about the history of the Festival in their archives.
Calendar of Events
The 54rd Annual Tom Peyton Memorial Arts Festival is May 2020.
Art Exhibits
Competitive Show
2020 Important Dates:
To be Announced
