What's New at NUNU Arts & Culture Collective

What’s New at NUNU

A Maker's Space, featuring a 3D printer and laser cutter, rounds out the Arnaudville arts & culture collective

Alexandra Kennon

At one point, the former Singleton Hardware and lumber store on the outskirts of rural hArnaudville slung some of the most basic tools and supplies imaginable: lumber, hammers, nails. But since 2011, NUNU Arts and Culture Collective has occupied the old building, fostering an enclave of artistic expression, exploration, and collaboration in Acadiana. Now, the nonprofit is elevating its offerings with its new Makers’ Space—featuring high-tech equipment that includes a 3D printer and laser cutter.

“We are trying to create a Makers’ Space that will bring people together and bring in some of this technology that they hopefully can learn to use for their future jobs, or hobbies, or whatever,” said Gloria Van Arsdale, the jewelry maker who donated the 3D printer and laser cutter to NUNU. “And that’s basically what the Makers’ Space is [for]: to bring the community together.”

The historic building NUNU resides in is outfitted with seventeen-foot ceilings, which provided ample space for the recent addition of a mezzanine in July. “And so the anticipation is that we’ll use the mezzanine as a Makers’ Space, so there’ll be space up there for artists to do their painting, for people who want to do some production work on a laser cutter,” explained NUNU’s Interim Director Peg Ramier of a few possible uses for the space. “I got a really good idea last night: I’m gonna make little Cajun houses! Yeah, so I’m excited about the laser cutter, now that I’ve got my idea in mind.”

The goal is that artists working in a variety of mediums, as well as those interested in exploring new crafting hobbies, will have access to relatively cutting-edge (i.e., expensive) technology that otherwise would be unavailable in a small, rural town like Arnaudville. Other anticipated additions to the Makers’ Space are a photography studio, as well as a place for the production of encaustic artwork (which utilizes beeswax as a medium).

“And we’re really really, really thankful to Gloria, that [she] wants to help us grow because there’s a lot going on here,” Ramier, referring to projects already ongoing at NUNU, which include initiatives like an artisan market, music venues, and the Five Mile Café, which sources all its produce from within five miles. “The laser cutter is going to be a really exciting part of it.” Van Arsdale, who makes her company’s jewelry using a laser cutter, emphasized the community benefits access to the equipment will provide. “I think [the Makers’ Space] will give the community the ability to know a little more about NUNU and create, which is I think the reason why NUNU exists: to bring together artists and creators,” she said. “I think that will help people as they move forward in their jobs, to be able to know that they can use laser cutters, 3D printers. Just introducing new technologies and making them available as a new part of the artistic community and the community in general.”

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