FAQ
FAE ORIGINS
FRANCO FINE ARTS EXCHANGE WAS CREATED
TO CONNECT VISUAL ARTISTS WHO SHARE SIMILAR HERITAGE.
AFTER CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ROZ LeCOMPTE,
DEINSTALLED HER THIRTY-PIECE SOLO EXHIBITION IN
LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SHE LONGED TO SHARE HER INTERPRETATION OF HOME
WITH OTHER PLACES WHO APPRECIATE ACADIANA.
SHE QUICKLY LEARNED THERE WAS NO ESTABLISHED CIRCUIT FOR VISUAL ARTISTS
WITH A UNIQUE SHARED HERITAGE TO FLOW THROUGHOUT,
LIKE THERE IS FOR CAJUN MUSIC.
BECAUSE OF A LOVE OF HISTORY, A DESIRE TO CONNECT WITH INTERNATIONAL
ARTISTS, AND A CONSTANT PURSUIT OF HEALING THROUGH EXPRESSION,
FRANCO FAE WAS BORN IN 2025.​​
IT HAS SINCE MORPHED INTO A GLOBAL DIRECTORY AND ARCHIVAL ENDEAVOR.
WHAT IS AN ACADIAN ARTIST?
THE TERM ACADIAN/ACADIEN IS USED TO IDENTIFY THE DESCENDANTS OF THE FIRST
FRENCH AND EUROPEAN SETTLERS ESTABLISHED IN ACADIA, CANADA,
DURING THE NEW FRANCE ERA STARTING IN 1604.
THEY ORIGINATED FROM WESTERN AND NORTHERN FRANCE AND INCLUDED DESCENDANTS OF SCANDINAVIAN AND CELTIC PEOPLE.
IN THE NEW WORLD, THEY LIVED AMONG THE NATIVE MI'KMAQ TRIBE.
TOGETHER, THEY WERE PAWNS IN THE ONGOING CONFLICT BETWEEN THE
ENGLISH AND FRENCH GOVERNMENTS.
IN 1755, THE ACADIANS REFUSED TO PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE
ENGLISH AND FRENCH CROWN AND WERE FORCEFULLY
DEPORTED FROM NOVA SCOTIA.
10-18,000 FAMILIES WERE SEPARATED AND DISPERSED DURING LE GRAND DERANGEMENT. SOME RETURNED TO FRANCE AND ENGLAND, OTHERS ENDED UP IN BRITISH COLONIES ALONG THE EAST COAST, BUT EVENTUALLY THE LARGEST ACADIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPED IN THE SWAMPS OF SOUTH LOUISIANA, NOW KNOWN AS ACADIANA. THERE, THE ACADIANS MIXED WITH FRENCH, SPANISH, IRISH, GERMAN, ITALIAN, NATIVE AMERICAN, AFRICAN, AND AFRO-LATIN CREOLE,
CREATING WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS CAJUN.
ANY AND ALL ACADIAN DESCENDANTS NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE ON EARTH
ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THE REGISTRY AND THE CONVERSATION!
HOW DOES FAE BENEFIT ARTISTS?
JOINING A GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF ACADIAN VISUAL ARTISTS PROMOTES
A SENSE OF UNITY AND PRIDE IN HERITAGE.
HISTORICALLY, MOST ACADIANS WERE MADE TO FEEL EMBARRASSED BY THEIR ANCESTRY AND WERE FORBIDDEN TO SPEAK THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE
IN AN ATTEMPT TO BE ASSIMILATED INTO SOCIETY.
THIS INNATE SENSE OF SHAME CAN SUBCONSCIOUSLY EXIST GENERATIONALLY.
​GROUP EXHIBITIONS WILL BRING ACADIAN ARTISTS TOGETHER TO ENGAGE IN
VISUAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE PAST THAT ARE STILL RELEVANT TODAY.
TO GATHER AND PRESENT THESE VISUAL EXPRESSIONS OVER 250 YEARS LATER
IS A PROFOUND ACT OF HEALING.
FRANCO FAE WILL OFFER AN ONLINE DIRECTORY OF ARTISTS IDENTIFYING AS ACADIAN WITH HEADSHOTS, BIO, EXAMPLE AND LINKS TO ARTWORK.
WE WILL PROMOTE ARTISTS AND CREATE MULTI-MEDIA PUBLICATIONS.
FAE ARTISTS WILL BE CONNECTED THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE PENPAL NETWORK​​,
CREATING WORKS FOR GROUP EXHIBITIONS, AND HAVE IMMERSIVE RESIDENCY OPPORTUNITIES IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES.
WHAT IS KREWE DE FAE?
ANY ACADIAN VISUAL ARTIST WHO REGISTERS WITH FRANCO FAE IS ENCOURAGED TO
PARTICIPATE IN PENPAL COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER FAE ARTISTS VIA SNAIL MAIL OR ELECTRONICALLY. THE IDEA IS TO HAVE CONTINUOUS INTERACTION WITH EACH OTHER
MUCH LIKE MUSICIANS GATHERING TO JAM OR IMPROVISE.
PIECES CAN BE CREATED DIGITALLY OR MAILED BACK AND FORTH.
IT IS UP TO THE ARTISTS TO SET UP TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT.
THE COLLABS WILL BE PROMOTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ARCHIVED ON OUR SITE,
AND CAN BE SUBMITTED FOR GROUP EXHIBITIONS IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES.
ARTISTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING COSTS DURING CREATION.
IF YOUR PIECE IS CHOSEN FOR AN EXHIBITION FAE COVERS SHIPPING TO GALLERY.
SIGN UP HERE.
ARE THERE ANY FRANCO FAE FEES?
NO. FRANCO FAE IS A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHO PROVIDES A FREE GLOBAL DIRECTORY, COMPLIMENTARY PROMOTION, COLLAB FACILITATION, GROUP EXHIBITION CURATION, AND IMMERSIVE RESIDENCIES IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES FOR ACADIAN VISUAL ARTISTS. WE ASK THAT FAE ARTISTS SHARE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, WEBSITE, DONATION LINK, AND FUND RAISING EVENTS WITH THEIR FOLLOWERS AND COMMUNITIES.
FIND OUR MERCH DESIGNED BY FAE ARTISTS HERE.
DO I HAVE TO BE BILINGUAL?
NO. WE ARE ALL ALWAYS LEARNING!
A WILLINGNESS TO LEARN AND BE IMMERSED IN EITHER DOMINANTLY ENGLISH OR FRENCH REGIONS IS RECOMMENDED.
THE ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM WILL BE PRESENTED IN BOTH LANGUAGES.