Regional Airport to again serve as an art gallery

Artists have until Aug. 13 to apply to show off their work when Shreveport Regional Airport’s Artport returns in the summer of 2025.

From December 1990 until 2015, the work of local artists greeted travelers who passed through the gates of the Regional Airport.

“Art Port was originally launched as a project to beautify the airport for travelers coming into the airport for the Independence Bowl,” according to Artport Director Abigail Simmons. “It is still a beautification effort, because when you have all this beautiful art, it no doubt accomplishes that, but it has grown into something much more. It fosters community and is an outlet for local and regional artists.”

Simmons said the Artport installations were about six to eight months apart when they began. As time passed, the installations got further apart, as much as two or three years. There have been 15 installations over 25 years.

“In 2015, the last installation went up and had been up for a little bit when the airport started undergoing construction. We took the art down to ensure that these beautiful works of art weren’t in the way of construction, and they were not going to get damaged. (When) it was time to start planning for a new installation to start going up, they were still undergoing construction. It kind of interrupted the flow, and it just fizzled out,” Simmons said.

But this month, it’s about to sizzle back in as applications are received from artists who want to participate in various media.

“This time, we are going to have the hallmark Artport traditional canvas, but we are also extending to large format artists, mural artists, sculpture artists and digital media artists as well. So, the mix of media that will be on display in this installment will be much more wellrounded than it has been in the past,” Simmons said.

According to Simmons, there will be the traditional opening night for the event next summer, perhaps in June. The public is invited to come and browse the art displayed on the terminal’s lower level. There will be entertainment, food, drink and the opportunity to purchase art from the participants. Guided tours will be organized for the secure areas of the terminal.

“Traditionally, all of the artists submit a tile that they painted. Those are auctioned off,” said Simmons. “We also are going to open it up to other painted memorabilia, but also the artists can submit reproduction bundles of their work.”

Ironically, the airport is on the cusp of more improvements to the facility, and Simmons said they were excited when the airport came to them to resurrect Artport.

“The call for entries is open (through Aug. 13),” she said. “The application is available on the website, which is artportshreveport.org. We have a jury committee that will go through a process to select the artists participating in this installation.” The installation is slated to remain up until 2028, which will give locals and visitors ample opportunity to stroll the airport corridors to see how local artists interpreted the current theme, “In Southern Dimension.”

“(It’s) shining a spotlight on Shreveport’s vibrant culture and heritage,” Simmons explained, “and the diverse dimensions of Shreveport, from music and sports history to Barksdale, festivals and celebrations, landscapes, landmarks and wildlife to Shreveport icons and important moments in Shreveport history. Everything is Shreveport-centric, and we’re hoping to pull in some of those Shreveport experiences.”