ST. JOSEPH — Big ideas in a tiny Louisiana town keep bringing recognition locals hope to parlay into more opportunities in the arts.

The Saint Joseph Arts Center in Tensas Parish has been singled out for the Most Outstanding Small Nonprofit Organization award, given for the first time by the lieutenant governor’s office of Louisiana.

“This is recognizing the cultural impact that the arts have on the economy in the region,” said Cecil Linda Evans, center director since 1998. “And in Louisiana, the cultural economy is the second largest industry — second only to health care.”

St. Joseph has 1,000 residents and nearby Newellton has 1,500. The entire parish population is 5,700. The small nonprofit organization award category was formed to recognize any organization with a budget of $750,000 or less that has made an outstanding contribution to its cultural discipline or the state’s cultural life. There were 12 other categories in the awards program.

The arts center, which was nominated by the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council, was presented the award and trophy by Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu at the Louisiana Culture Awards during the World Cultural Economic Summit and Louisiana Cultural Economic Summit held in New Orleans.

Evans believes the award will give the 12-year-old arts center the boost it needs to grow, adding a performance space.

“The Legislature now notices you and the ones that make the decisions notice you,” she said. “When they introduced us for the award at the state, they gave us a wonderful introduction about the orchestra and the music school. It said, ‘The only thing they’re missing is their performing arts center.’”

Orchestra? Yes, St. Joseph has a concert orchestra that has performed regionally for years. Although some musicians travel 60 miles or more to rehearsals, it has flourished while orchestras in communities 100 times larger have struggled. The organization has pending an application for state money to expand its facility, which houses a few small classrooms and a general area that can hold up to 80 people for single performances. Evans estimated the expansion would cost around $800,000. It would allow for more performers and room for up to 300 guests for a single show.

She said she won’t know the result of the application until the summer.

The orchestra and ensembles now perform at community centers and in outdoor pavilions, and the cost to perform at a separate venue can run over $2,000.

Before Hurricane Katrina in 2005 devastated much of the Gulf Coast, Evans said the art center had been approved for a performing arts center.

“It would have enabled us to expand and to draw more,” she said.

“Then Katrina hit and state money just went out the window,” Evans said.

The existing center is operated through state grants and private donations. Its biggest donor is Mrs. Harry T. Goldman of Goldman Equipment in Louisiana, who has been donating $30,000 a year for the last three years to help fund the music school.

The center has more than 150 patron members from Vicksburg and other areas, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Performance groups include the orchestra, of which Sandy Shugars of Vicksburg serves as concert mistress, the Jazzers, the Saint Joseph String Quartet; the Bro & 2 Sisters Trio and the Potluck Rockers.

The orchestra’s next performance in Vicksburg is its holiday concert at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center at 3 p.m. on Dec. 13.

Teh orchestra will be accompanied by the Alcorn State University Choir.

The music school has 30 students, ages 5 to 73, who are taking lessons in vocals, violin, guitar, piano and percussion from two full-time instructors.

Second-year student Acey Hendrix, 7, takes guitar lessons a couple of times a week from Becky Burris of Tensas Parish, who also teaches piano and violin. His father, James Hendrix, said the arts center has “been a great opportunity for Acey in this rural area.” Acey is a second-grader at Tensas Academy.

Private lessons are $20 per session, but limited scholarships are available to those who show interest and commitment.

“These children are given lessons regardless of their ability to pay,” she said.

Also, instruments are also provided to students who cannot supply their own.

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Contact Manivanh Chanprasith at mchan@vicksburgpost.com