The New Orleans Tourism and Culture Fund (NOTCF) honored several local culture bearers and artists at their inaugural gala Saturday evening, January 14. The honorees were selected by popular community vote for various categories.

Aaron “Flagboy Giz” Hartley earned the award for Emerging Artist. Hartley has deep roots within the local hip-hop and Mardi Gras Indian communities in New Orleans. He is a part of the Wild Tchoupitoulas and released his sophomore album last year, I Got Indian In My Family, which blends the two genres.

NOTCF awarded Beverly Stanton McKenna the Lifetime Achievement award. Co-founder, publisher and editor of the New Orleans Tribune, as well as co-founder with her husband, physician Dr. Dwight McKenna of the Musée de f.p.c., McKenna was awarded for her work in publishing, museums and as a pioneering woman in the field.

Six honors to local artists were awarded in the Established Artists category. Edgar “Dooky” Chase IV of Chase Concessions and the famed restaurant Dooky Chase’s, won the Culinary Arts honor. Barry Kern, president and CEO of the New Orleans Mardi Gras float company Kern Studios, received the Design honor. Adonis Rose, Grammy-winning percussionist and current Artistic Director of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, received the honor for Entertainment. Vera Warren, owner of the Community Book Center, received the Literary Arts and Humanities honor. Raymond Manning, founder and CEO of Manning Architects, was awarded the Preservation honor. Ayo Scott, a native New Orleans visual artist earned the Visual Arts and Crafts honor.

For more information on the New Orleans Tourism and Culture Fund honors awarded to local artists, visit their website.