Cultural News You Can Use! - 4/25/2025

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Cultural News You Can Use! - April 25, 2025

French Navy Visits during New Orleans Navy Week

This past week we proudly welcomed the French Navy ships FS MISTRAL and FS SURCOUF as part of The Jeanne d’Arc mission during this year’s New Orleans Navy Week, reaffirming the deep-rooted cultural, historical, and diplomatic ties between France and New Orleans that dates back centuries.

Director Frederick Delahoussaye and Deputy Director Alana Harris of the Office of Cultural Economy attended official receptions to honor the visit and further deepen international collaboration.

OCE Supports the Crescent City Classic

On Saturday, April 19, OCE’s own Mashaera Alexander celebrated a personal and philanthropic milestone, completing her first 10K at the Crescent City Classic! She walked 6.2 miles in under two hours, finishing #12,466 out of 16,480 participants.

Mashaera ran as one of 61 Charity Runners for the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library, helping raise an impressive $22,806, more than double the original $10,000 goal. Thanks to her efforts and others, the Friends ranked among the top 5 charity partners in their first year with the “Run for It” Program.

Proceeds will support vital library programs like the Summer Fun Reading Challenge, early literacy initiatives, and local history lectures, expanding access to lifelong learning for the New Orleans community.

Call for Entries Now Open: 2025 Louisiana Contemporary, Presented by The Helis Foundation

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art proudly announces the 2025 Call for Entries for Louisiana Contemporary, presented by The Helis Foundation. This annual juried exhibition celebrates the vibrancy and dynamism of Louisiana’s visual arts community and is open to all artists 18 years and older residing in Louisiana.

Eligible submissions must be original works completed between 2023 and 2025. The exhibition will be on view at the Ogden Museum from August 2, 2025, through January 4, 2026.

Esteemed guest juror Daniel S. Palmer, Chief Curator at the SCAD Museum of Art, will curate the 2025 exhibition and select four award-winning artists, including a Best in Show prize presented by The Helis Foundation, along with additional cash prizes for first, second, and third place.

For more information, visit: Louisiana Contemporary 2025, presented by The Helis Foundation.

Johnny Jackson Jr. Gospel Is Alive! Celebration, Presented by Peoples Health

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival invites the community to the Johnny Jackson Jr. Gospel Is Alive! Celebration, presented by Peoples Health, on Monday, April 28, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, located at 2515 Franklin Avenue.

This cherished annual event is free and open to all ages, offering a powerful morning of music, community, and inspiration. This year’s lineup features soul-stirring performances by: Bishop Paul S. Morton and The Greater Sound Choir of Greater St. Stephen FGBC, Jessica Harvey & The Difference, Council on Aging Community Choir

The Gospel Is Alive! Celebration serves as the Festival’s annual educational outreach concert for youth and senior citizens in the New Orleans area. Named in honor of Johnny Jackson, Jr., a passionate advocate and longtime board member of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, this concert continues his legacy of cultural celebration and community empowerment. Past performers have included legendary artists such as Rance Allen, CeCe Winans, The Clark Sisters, and Shirley Caesar.

The event is made possible through the generous support of Peoples Health, a Louisiana-based health services administrator founded in 1994. As part of UnitedHealthcare, Peoples Health provides Medicare Advantage plans and a holistic approach to wellness and care coordination for Louisiana residents.

For more information, visit: 2025 Johnny Jackson, Jr. Gospel is Alive! Celebration Presented by Peoples Health.

Now Accepting Applications: Partners In Place – A New Creative Placemaking Opportunity

The Louisiana Cultural Districts Program is excited to announce the launch of Partners In Place, a new pilot initiative aimed at revitalizing public spaces through arts and culture. This opportunity will offer free, customized technical assistance to three selected Cultural Districts across Louisiana.

This program is led by Kevin King, Founder of Creative Community Strategies and a familiar face from last year’s Technical Assistance Webinar Series. King will partner directly with each selected district to build a creative placemaking and keeping framework that reflects local culture and community needs.

Open to Certified Louisiana Cultural Districts. Applications must be submitted by Cultural District Liaisons or Local Governing Authorities.

This is a unique chance to elevate creative expression, strengthen local economies, and reimagine shared public spaces with expert guidance. Apply now to be one of the three districts selected for this transformative opportunity!

For more information, visit: Partners In Place - NEW TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OPPORTUNITY.

Join a Grant Review Panel with Arts New Orleans!

Arts New Orleans is currently seeking community members from Orleans, Jefferson, and Plaquemines Parishes to serve as volunteer panelists for our Louisiana Project Grant review panels this summer. This is a valuable opportunity to contribute to the local arts ecosystem by helping fairly distribute grant funding made possible through city and state resources.

They're seeking individuals who reflect the diverse ethnic, demographic, and geographic makeup of our region. Ideal panelists will bring a passion for the arts and experience in areas such as arts administration, community programming, artistic practice, or financial management. Panelists should be reliable, open-minded, comfortable with group decision-making, and knowledgeable about the New Orleans cultural landscape.

Panel meetings are typically held online between May and August and last less than two hours. Panelists will be asked to review grant applications in advance through an online system and participate in one virtual meeting to determine funding recommendations. A modest honorarium will be provided in appreciation of your time and contributions.

For more information, visit: Arts New Orleans Panelist Nomination Form.

Making It Home: From Vietnam to New Orleans – A Tribute to Resilience and Legacy

The Historic New Orleans Collection invites the public to attend a powerful evening honoring the 50th anniversary of the Vietnamese community’s journey to New Orleans with the event Making It Home: From Vietnam to New Orleans, taking place Tuesday, April 29, 2025, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at 520 Royal Street.

This special program offers a chance to hear from Vietnamese elders as they recount their experiences of resettlement following the fall of Saigon in 1975. Their stories are a testament to perseverance, cultural continuity, and the shaping of New Orleans’s modern identity.

Accompanying the event is a new exhibition, also titled Making It Home, on view April 4 through October 5, 2025, in the Tricentennial Wing, 1st Floor, at The Historic New Orleans Collection. Through oral histories, portraits, heirlooms, and rare archival material, the exhibition highlights the courage and contributions of thousands who made a new life in Louisiana, with a special emphasis on the shared Catholic roots between New Orleans and many Vietnamese immigrants. Admission to the exhibition is free.

This commemorative program is an opportunity to reflect on a remarkable chapter of New Orleans history and to honor the Vietnamese community’s enduring impact on the city’s cultural landscape.

For more information, visit: Making It Home From Vietnam to New Orleans.

Celebrate International Jazz Day at the New Orleans Jazz Museum!

The New Orleans Jazz Museum invites the public to an evening of music, culture, and community during the International Jazz Day Festival on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at 400 Esplanade Avenue. Presented in partnership with Professor Gordon Towell, the Loyola University Music Department, Matt Bruzzi, and Young Audiences of Louisiana, this annual celebration honors jazz education and its enduring legacy.

Attendees can expect vibrant performances by student musicians from local schools and colleges, showcasing the incredible depth and diversity of New Orleans’ jazz scene. In addition to live music, guests will enjoy a variety of international cuisine, reflecting the global reach and influence of jazz as a unifying art form.

This free event offers an opportunity to connect with fellow jazz enthusiasts, support emerging talent, and experience the magic of one of the city’s most iconic cultural institutions. All are welcome to join in this joyful tribute to the universal language of jazz!

Come celebrate jazz, community, and culture at this special International Jazz Day gathering!

For more information, visit: International Jazz Day Festival.

Swing in the Oaks 2025 – Rescheduled for April 29, 2025

Mark your calendars! The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will return to the Peristyle in City Park for the beloved Swing in the Oaks concert, now rescheduled for Tuesday, April 29, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., due to anticipated inclement weather on the original date.

This free, family-friendly event invites the community to enjoy a beautiful evening of live symphonic music performed by the LPO, accompanied by special guest appearances throughout the night.

Guests are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs, and loved ones to relax and picnic under the oaks on the Great Lawn.

Swing in the Oaks 2025 is proudly presented by Raymond James.

For more information, visit: LPOmusic.com

Damon Batiste & the NOSACONN All Stars Performance

Join the Newcomb Art Museum for a powerful musical celebration as Damon Batiste & the NOSACONN All Stars take the stage for a free live concert on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.

Held inside the stunning Myra Clare Rogers Memorial Chapel at 1229 Broadway on Tulane’s campus, this special performance honors the legacy of Russell Batiste and marks the kickoff to the second weekend of Jazz Fest. The event brings together artists from the New Orleans South African Connection (NOSACONN) network and around the world for an unforgettable international jam session.

The concert is presented in conjunction with the museum’s current South Africa-themed art exhibition and is made possible with support from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s Community Partnership Grant Program.

All are welcome to attend this unique musical experience celebrating cultural connection, heritage, and the enduring power of rhythm.

For more information, visit: Damon Batiste & the NOSACONN All Stars.

Applications for the FY25 Funding Cycle Open on May 1st

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy is happy to announce that applications for the 2025 Grant Funding Program open on Thursday, May 1, 2025.

For the FY25 Funding Cycle, twenty-five (25) grants of $2,000 will be awarded to individuals and organizations that are engaging in activities that promote the cultural economy through educating our youth, training our cultural producers, providing networking opportunities, creating cultural events, and other projects that align with the Office of Cultural Economy’s mission.

All applications must be fully completed (including proper format and required materials) to be considered for funding. Incomplete applications or those missing required reports from previous funding cycles will not be reviewed.

Please Note: All grants and sponsorships must acknowledge support from the Mayor's Office of Cultural Economy through use of our logo and written/verbal acknowledgment.

For more information, visit OCE FY25 Funding Cycle Open on May 1st..

NOTCF Announces 2025 Grants Program Application Opening May 1

The New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF) is pleased to announce that applications for all grant levels will officially open on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Since its founding, NOTCF has awarded over $15 million in funding to support artists, traditional culture bearers, festivals, and cultural organizations across all six cultural arts sectors.

As part of its commitment to equity, fairness, and accessibility, NOTCF will implement an automated lottery-based system for its Grants Program beginning January 2025.

The grant portal will be open for 24 hours only on intake days, from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM. NOTCF encourages all eligible applicants to prepare early and apply on time.

For more information, visit NOTCF Grant Applications Open at 12 AM on Thursday, May 1!

Nous Foundation Gala Celebrates New Cultural Space and Musical Exhibition in the French Quarter

The Nous Foundation proudly announces its upcoming gala on May 7, 2025, marking the official launch of a vibrant new cultural collaboration with The Historic New Orleans Collection and the grand opening of a dedicated space at 602 Toulouse Street in the heart of the French Quarter.

Inaugurating this cultural venue is the premiere of Musique(s)!, an original and interactive exhibition honoring Louisiana’s rich musical heritage in French and Creole. Running from May 7 to June 30, 2025, the exhibit will be accompanied by the release of a custom book and vinyl, made possible with support from the Library of Congress.

This inaugural gala will be held at 520 Royal Street from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Guests will enjoy French fare, made-to-order Belgian waffles, desserts by Brennan’s, champagne, and live performances by Grammy-winner Louis Michot, Sam Craft & Alexis Marceaux of Sweet Crude, and the Les Cenelles ensemble.

For more information, visit: Nous. Le Gala

BlackAmericana Fest Presents: The Mothers of Americana Gala

Honoring the Legacy of Black Women in Roots Music

BlackAmericana Fest officially kicks off with the inaugural Mothers of Americana Gala, a soul-stirring celebration dedicated to the powerful legacy and ongoing influence of Black women in Americana and roots music. Taking place on Friday, May 9, this 21+ fundraising event invites guests to an unforgettable evening of artistry, storytelling, and cultural pride.

Hosted at the historic BK House & Gardens (1113 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA), the gala runs from 7–10 PM CDT, with doors opening at 6:30 PM. The night features dazzling live performances by three dynamic women in music, Charmaine Neville, Lilli Lewis, and Amethyst Starr, each known for their commanding presence, lyrical depth, and genre-defying sound.

For more information, visit: BlackAmericana Fest Presents: Mothers of Americana Gala.

Film New Orleans

Film New Orleans is the official permitting agency for filming in the city. If you plan to film in Orleans Parish, please go to www.filmneworleans.org to learn more and to submit an application.

If you’re interested in working on film productions as a crew member, Film New Orleans in partnership with IATSE 478 sponsors Workforce Training Programs with NOVAC. Head to novacvideo.org to sign up for remote

lectures, seminars, and workshops dedicated to teaching the art of filmmaking.

New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund

The mission of the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF) is to support cultural industries and culture bearers of the City of New Orleans through partnerships, grants, and programs to advance sustainable tourism.

Individuals and organizations who align with this mission may be eligible for funding.

Visit notcf.com for more info.

Resources

City Resources

Office of Cultural Economy

Film New Orleans

New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund

Local Organizations

Arts Council of New Orleans

New Orleans Video Access Center

Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities

Other Resources

Small Business Administration

USBG Foundation

Louisiana Hospitality Foundation