The Whirlybird
The Whirlybird is a creative portal.
Not just a honky tonk. Not just a bar. It’s where time folds, where dead men dance, and where truth leaks through the walls if you lean close enough.

Every floorboard is a witness. Every nail’s got a heartbeat. Here, stories swap hands, songs trade tongues, and creative sparks catch like fire in dry grass. Cultural exchange isn’t just welcomed—it’s woven into the woodgrain.

Exploration isn’t optional.
It’s how we breathe.
The Whirlybird Studio (Elvis Tower) is built from second chances and wild ideas - it's living proof that beauty blooms where you least expect it. Raised from repurposed and recycled materials, it’s more than a structure—it’s a spirit with open arms. Part studio, part creative workshop, part artist’s residence, part community gathering place, it’s where artists, neighbors, and dreamers come together to share rhythm, stories, and sparks of possibility.
The Whirlybird Artist Residency isn’t just a place to work — it’s a place to become. Tucked deep in South Louisiana, it offers artists a secluded, soulful setting to create, reflect, and soak in the rhythms of a living culture. With studios, gallery space, performance stages, and simple comforts to keep the kettle warm, The Bird invites you to slow down, dig deep, and let SWayLA leave fingerprints on your work. Here, creativity isn’t rushed—it’s lived, one story, one song, and one slow sunrise at a time.

Story

Founded and run by Christy Leichty and Jim Phillips, The Whirlybird Artist-in-Residence Program is built around one simple idea: the creative spirit grows stronger when it’s surrounded by living culture.

What began over 20 years ago as a way to support touring musicians and their families—offering a safe, welcoming place to land while visiting SWayLA for gigs at The Whirlybird, appearances at The Blackpot Festival, Louisiana Folk Roots, and Festivals Acadiens et Créoles—has quietly grown into something much bigger.

Since 2005, we’ve hosted several hundred artists through this program and its extended Whirlybird network of hospitality. Today, the residency continues that same tradition of care while welcoming not only musicians, but also storytellers, writers, and visual artists—anyone drawn to the deep cultural roots and natural beauty of South Louisiana.

Up to the max, sixteen artists at a time are welcomed into a secluded, inspiring setting in Acadiana with accommodations and essential amenities, including studio and performance spaces, a kitchen, laundry facilities, and the breathing room to create, reset, and return to their work with new fire.

Christy and Jim’s vision is straightforward, positive, and full of heart:

give artists a quiet, beautiful place—inside a vibrant living culture—and awe-inspiring things are bound to happen.

 

 

 

Our Creative Community

 

Artists are responsible for their own food and transportation, but Christy and Jim offer weekly shopping trips and occasional cultural and artistic excursions. A few simple guidelines help keep the space running smoothly: no pets, no non-working partners, no smoking indoors, and no alterations to the property.

In the spirit of giving back, residency artists are also invited to participate in what Christy and Jim call Community Lagniappe—a little something extra for good measure, in the best Cajun and Creole tradition.

Artists contribute through a project that fits their voice and work, such as:

 

  • a reading or talk

  • a workshop

  • a recital or jam session

  • an exhibit or open studio

  • a community gathering or performance

 

Feedback at the end of each residency is welcomed, helping us keep the creative spirit alive and evolving.

 

 

 

Acadiana: A Living Culture to Create Inside

 

Acadiana—the historic heart of French Louisiana—is home to The Whirlybird and a uniquely rich setting for creative exploration.

This region offers artists a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in a living culture, experience deep musical and storytelling traditions, and explore breathtaking landscapes shaped by water, weather, and time.

South Louisiana holds a legacy of folk, Cajun, and Creole music—sounds close to Christy and Jim’s hearts—alongside legendary food, diverse wildlife, and a thriving arts scene.

Artists at The Whirlybird Compound find inspiration not only in the land and culture, but in real human connection—becoming part of an active creative community and contributing their own voice to the ongoing story of Acadiana.