Artistic cultural revolution & anti AI movement is arising in Shreveport-Bossier

Sysica Hazelton
Jan 22
4 min read

SHREVEPORT - BOSSIER CITY (SBC HeART Share) - Artists are coming together in a quiet revolution of creative culture and anti AI movement in the SBC following a hectic AI open forum.

It all began in December 2025, when the art community of Shreveport-Bossier exploded in a mix of emotions from many sides regarding the use of AI imagery in advertisements by the Shreveport Regional Arts Council (SRAC).

I would say this was just the tip of the iceberg of issues artists in the area are facing, and unfortunately, SRAC just happened to be the one to cause the avalanche of anger.

Digital artwork by Brittney Hazelton, author of this article. No AI used.

They weren't the first organization to use AI slob in their adverts, avoiding the use of real photographers or real artists to promote events, despite the city having a hugely underserved population of creatives. Both the Shreveport Downtown Development Authority, food trucks, and other small businesses have chosen to do the same in 2025.

SRAC itself decided to hold an Open Forum: AI & Art on Jan. 8, 2026, but it didn't go as planned when a large number of artists showed up and felt they were not being heard, and the real issue wasn't being addressed.

Read more and watch the full video in my previous story, https://www.sbcheartshare.com/post/nwla-artists-speak-out-during-srac-s-open-forum-ai-and-arts.

ARTISTS FACING ADVERSITY AND AI

Not only are all artists at threat due to the increased agenda to spread AI by big tech companies, but the lack of outreach and communication regarding resources for creatives seems to have been limited to only a select few in the community, the rostered artists, who were selected by professional art critics.

Some artists seeking approval for the roster were given purely non-constructive critiques and discouraged altogether from participating in the "main scene". Some even were told that they were not 'real artists'.

Maybe I'm wrong, but it feels like this is just one contributor to the overall issue that has caused a cultural divide between the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and the massive underground art scene in Shreveport-Bossier and the overall Northwest Louisiana. Especially when the artists who were discouraged have sometimes been some of the most influential in the underground scenes.

These things, stacked with the current state of our nation, dealing with major data centers popping up to support this AI, the overall political climate, the fear some have of federal intrusion in communities, and the struggle of living in a burdened economy that doesn't support skilled labor or fair workers' rights, caused frustration in the SBC artist community overall.

ARTIST UNIFICATION IN ANTI AI MOVEMENT

While SRAC has released a statement regarding a possible future policy change, the delay has caused the spawning of a new 'artist union' in the background.

Following the AI panel that SRAC hosted, which blew up in a mix of outrage, passion, confusion, and hopefulness, both rostered and underground artists have begun to unify. Over 50+ artists, multiple organizations, and businesses have joined discussions regarding the future of the art scene in Shreveport-Bossier on Facebook groups, Instagram group chats, and in-person/virtual meetings.

The talks aren't just with visual artists either; tattoo artists, performing artists, music scene artists, literary artists, and other types have become involved as well. It's honestly amazing to see all of these creatives collaborating and making plans to put a spotlight on the community.

These conversations have included:

Networking with businesses and venues to host more widespread art events across the SBC
Help encourage and connect small businesses and organizations to real artists to create their logos and graphics. ( Even finding ways to help smaller businesses that struggle with the funds to pay artists.)
Find ways to nurture artists in the underground community and help them grow.
Promote creatives and their events on a larger scale.
Being transparent and encouraging transparency from large art nonprofits/facilitators to grants.

CHANGE OR ???

Despite these conversations happening due to the AI panel, these artists, for the most part, have no plans to 'replace' SRAC but only to become a parallel facilitator in the community to support the large, underserved, underground art scene. To connect these artists to every venture or resource possible, including what SRAC provides, as long as SRAC says no to AI slop. *AI slop refers to work that is a majority produced by generative AI with a prompt and has no real artistic merit.

But, also note, many artists feel the use of any AI at all is automatically a no-go, due to the drastic environmental impact that it is causing on our planet, especially in primarily Black communities. One artist has even brought to light that one process for a prompt wastes around seven bottles of water.

With that said, if SRAC chooses to support the use of AI in its marketing for art events or allows 'slop' to be submitted and supported by art funding, they may find a very different response from this growing underground movement.

Let's hope their decision follows the path of other art councils, like Bossier Arts Council, which have stood against the use of AI-generated images.

If you are an artist who is interested in being involved in these discussions, reach out to me at SysicaOlivinia@gmail.com or join the Facebook group, Arklatex Artists.

Author note:

As for the artists who still support AI usage, even when they themselves are talented artists, all I have to say is that it's your prerogative, but don't expect the majority to be on your side on this. Most of us still respect you for your skill and contribution to the art community.

For those of you who think AI is unavoidable in art, I understand how it can be hard to ignore the persistence of AI being introduced into every single place in our lives. It makes it seem like it's 'unavoidable' or 'inevitable', but everything set out in front of us has been intentional. We, as a community, can say what we accept as the norm. AI invading creative spaces and funding can be stopped by the organizations that we support if they put it in their policy to limit its impact. So, let's encourage those organizations to do better for the creatives and workers, who could be replaced by AI.