In 1970, New Orleans Mayor Moon Landrieu established the Cultural Resources Committee (“Arts Council of New Orleans,” Arts Council of New Orleans. http://www.artscouncilofneworleans.org (accessed October 27, 2012)). Five years later, the group became the Arts Council of Greater New Orleans and was designated as the official arts agency for the city. Over the next few years, the city government initiated a task force on arts policy as well as a committee for arts and cultural development. In 1981, it became clear that more than city funds were needed to keep these programs going. This is when the Arts Council became what it is today through the merging of these two groups allowing for both private and government funding. The Arts Council is now a partnership City of New Orleans, community groups, local, state and national governmental agencies, and other non-profit arts organizations (Glatz, Lindsay, “Arts Council Of New Orleans Receives National Endowment for the Arts Recovery Grant”, blog.nola.com, July 20, 2009). This private non-profit is now the eighth regional distributing agency for state art funds comprised of a board of 32 members working to provide the community of New Orleans with support of the arts. As of 2012, funding for the Arts Council from the city government is expected to decrease (Eggler, Bruce, “Mayor Landrieu calls for cuts in many city departments’ 2013 budgets, put police budget would grow”, The Times-Picayune, October 29, 2012).
Mission and Vision
“Still Standing”, a piece of art created by Shannon Landis Hansen with the Arts Council. Photo by Mark Folse.
The mission statement provided on the Arts Council of New Orleans website is, “to support and to expand the opportunities for diverse artistic expression and to bring the community together in celebration of our rich multicultural heritage.”
The Arts Council provides programs and support for the New Orleans community. New Orleans is already one of the most diverse and unique cities in the entire country and it is fully displayed in its array of art ranging from street artists to world famous jazz bands. The Council visions a community in which creativity is allowed to flourish and enrich the lives of all exposed to it. Through providing cultural planning, advocacy, public art, economic development, arts education, marketing, and grant and service initiatives to the New Orleans community and its artists, the Council hopes to make New Orleans a flourishing international center for arts and culture (“Arts Council of New Orleans,” Arts Council of New Orleans. http://www.artscouncilofneworleans.org (accessed October 27, 2012)).
Programs
The Arts Council provides various programs designed to benefit artists, art business and organizations, and the rest of the New Orleans community. Programs include the Community Arts Awards, New Orleans Percent for Art, the arts business program, the Arts Market as well as general information on grants and how to apply for them (“Arts Council of New Orleans,” Arts Council of New Orleans. http://www.artscouncilofneworleans.org (accessed October 27, 2012)). The Arts Council makes many of the art festivals and events possible through their allocation of money through government grants for the arts (TWFest,” Tennessee Williams/ New Orleans Literary Festival, http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/arts-council-of-new-orleans-2, (accessed November 2, 2012)). The council even goes as far to hold auditions and calls for artists, exhibitions and festivals to provide them with job opportunities, funding, workshops and performance spaces (Arts Council of New Orleans,” Arts Council of New Orleans. http://www.artscouncilofneworleans.org (accessed October 27, 2012)). The Community Arts Awards recognizes individuals that have benefited the arts community of New Orleans, rather they be artists themselves or supporters of the arts. The New Orleans Percent for Art program focuses on engaging local artists to produce public art to benefit the community every day and link cultural traditions through hiring for site specific work, purchasing existing work, community outreach and education. The arts business program is a source of business assistance for artists as well as arts organizations and businesses. On the last Saturday of every month, the Council puts on an Arts Market at Palmer Park.
Economic and Cultural Impact of Organization
In 2009, the Arts Council of New Orleans received a $250,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Glatz, Lindsay, “Arts Council Of New Orleans Receives National Endowment for the Arts Recovery Grant”, blog.nola.com, July 20, 2009). This one time grant is one of the many ways in which the Arts Council has preserved jobs in the nonprofit arts sector that have been in danger since the economic downturn. The money provided by grants is going to the salaries of various jobs in the arts business throughout the city. Without the money they allocate, New Orleans would by higher in unemployment as well as a lack of support for its unique culture. By supporting this huge part of New Orleans Culture, the Arts Council is also ensuring the future of New Orleans tourism, a major source of income for the city government.
By re-granting regional arts and cultural organizations, the Arts Council is working to preserve on the biggest parts of New Orleans Culture, the arts. People from all over the world come to New Orleans to walk down the streets and listen to live jazz and blues while enjoying the local street artists. The Arts Council is working to keep this major part of the city’s life as vibrant and vast as it possibly can be.
