In This Issue
- A retrospective of all the great people the writer has met over the years.
- A musical instrument suitable for a “theatre palace”.
- Port Arthur, Tx’s Quasquicentennial, the dumbfounding word for “125th Anniversary”
- A Lamar alumnus’s exhibition that celebrates the Lamar University Art Department of the 1970s.
On the cover: Christina Majdalani Lokey
Marketing Director at the Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau
Christina is riding a Beaucyle, which you can rent and explore Beaumont with!
Enjoy your Beaucycle on a scenic ride around Beaumont’s historic downtown, a National Main Street Community. Follow one of our suggested routes, or use the map to explore on your own! Whether you have an hour or all day to explore, it’s easy to see a lot with limited time without even breaking a sweat.
Art by Tom Windham. Requiescat in pace old man. You were a real one.
Welcome to Southeast Texas!
We welcome travelers to Southeast Texas, where winters are mild and summers subtropical. Whether you are looking for adventure, entertainment, or cultural enlightenment, we boast an ideal location. Uniquely situated between Houston and New Orleans, we offer a taste of big city talent without the traffic and long lines, and a combination of ethnic flavors with our Cajun, Creole, African, Hispanic, Asian, and European ancestry.
Beaumont has been working hard to develop a magnificent downtown hub with much to offer those with entertainment in mind. It hosts six museums, two historic theaters, a civic center, event center, a newly restored historical library, five parks, bike lanes, and fabulous architecture. It was recently designated an official cultural district by Texas Commission on the Arts. We highly recommend you visit the DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT Cultural Arts District. The new Event Center boasts 16,000 square feet of seating space and hosts a convivial assortment of galas and productions, and the downtown’s pedestrian walkways allow visitors to stroll easily to nearby parks, museums, and live performances.
Port Arthur, home of many acclaimed artists of every medium, has a unique history all its own. Visit the Museum of the Gulf Coast on Procter Street for an opportunity to view the history of man from beginning to present day. Enjoy exhibits on music, culture, and more at this diverse museum. Port Arthur has also lately begun hosting the Cajun Heritage Fest, a foot-stompin’ jamboree of Cajun and Creole culture.
Orange too, has much to be proud of. Home of the Stark Museum of Art, the historic Stark House Museum, and the Lutcher Theater, where shows from across the world come to perform, this small town will charm the most sophisticated visitor.
We are the center of information for arts and cultural events in Southeast Texas. To find out what’s up, anytime and anywhere, visit us at setxac.org, find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/SETXAC.ORG, or follow us on Twitter @SETACTweets.
Sue Bard
Executive Director, SETAC
Port Arthur, Tx turned 125 this year. Read about the history and struggle of the Gulf Coast’s most steadfast city. Read more>
The historic Jefferson Theatre has one of the few remaining Robert Morton pipe organs in its original installation. Read more>
Looking back at fourteen years of writing about Southeast Texas. Read more>
Mike Cacioppo remembers the 1970s in the Lamar University Art Department as a unique moment in his life. With this exhibition at the Beaumont Art League, you can join him there. Read More>
Special Thanks to those who make this publication possible!
SETAC Board of Directors
Officers
Debbie Hammond Pletcher – President
Penny LeLeux – VP Orange
Reggie Rogers – VP Jefferson
Christle Feagin – VP Hardin
Dexter Broussard – Treasurer
Pam Trosclair – Secretary
At Large
Maurice Abelman
Amy Elizabeth
Albert Faggard
Gina Garcia
Barri Hoffman
Sandra Laurette
Matt Morones
Laurah Riesen
Grover Roberts III
Terrie Salter
Carolyn Thibodeaux
Whitney Valcin
Richard “Eddie” Vanderwalker
Advisory
Greg Busceme
David Cargill
Bridget Johnson
Sharae Bassett Reed
Gloria Roy
Staff
Executive Director
Sue Bard
Creative Director
Blake Bertrand
Fall – Winter 2023 • Vol. 4, No. 06
Publisher
Southeast Texas Arts Council
ISBN 1-886130-31-0
Off Ramp Magazine is published semi-annually by the Southeast Texas Arts Council.
All materials copyrighted in 2020 by the Southeast Texas Arts Council.
All rights reserved.