Joe Stewart also new Artist in Residence at the University of Louisiana

Lafayette native Joe Stewart is the honoree for the University of Louisiana's College of the Arts 6th annual Festival of the Arts. The famed production designer will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award during the festival.

Stewart attended Cathedral Carmel High School and the University of Louisiana before transferring to Carnegie Mellon University to graduate with a B.F.A. in drama (design).

His illustrious career had humble beginnings. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon, Stewart moved to New York to find work in theatre and television set design. He quickly went from working with stage clothing to getting hired as assistant art director with the television series Days of Our Lives.

Stewart has worked on sitcoms, award shows, special events, game shows, charity telethons, talk shows, music and variety series and specials, and live theatrical productions.

To date, he and partner John Shaffner have received three Primetime Emmy Awards for David Copperfield Specials and one for The George Lopez Show, three Daytime Emmy Awards for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, one for the George and Alana Show, one Art Director’s Guild Award, and one Los Angeles Area Emmy Award.

In addition to being the Festival of the Arts honoree, Stewart will also be artist in residence with the College of the Arts for 2011-2012.

He will work closely with theatre, design, architecture and choreography students for the production of “The Rabble,” a play about Acadian life by French Canadian Antonine Maillet that will be featured during the Festival of the Arts.

Stewart’s specialty is “creating an environment for storytelling,” with which he will be assisting during the production of “The Rabble.” He will also be giving periodic lectures on the art of stage and set design during his residency.

The Festival of the Arts will be held March 22-30, 2012. For more information visit http://arts.louisiana.edu or call 337-482-6224.

Once the fall semester starts, the COA Calendar of Events is available at: www.ularts.com

UL PRess