Local legend George Porter, Jr. helped curate the music for New Orleans’ first experiential pop-up called JAMNOLA (Joy-Art-Music New Orleans). JAMNOLA was founded by Jonny Liss and Chad Smith in collaboration with New Orleans arts collective Where Y’art. This 5,400 square-feet space in the Marigny and Bywater area will be a place to celebrate the joy of art and music while raising money for charity partners like Trombone Shorty Foundation and Feed the Second Line. JAMNOLA is a topsy-turvy 12-room installation set to open August 1 at 2832 Royal Street. 

Co-founder Johnny Liss said, “I wanted to create a tribute to the city’s people and invest in the culture. Teaming with Where Y’Art is what made it come together. JAMNOLA is a love letter to New Orleans—her joy, her beauty and grit, her resilience. We can’t wait to share it with tourists and especially locals. The experience is really indescribable.” It features 12 rooms for guests to explore, all of which were “reviewed and reimagined” to meet new health and safety requirements.

Some of JAMNOLA’s experiential rooms, lead artists, and contributors include Who Dot? by photographer Erika Goldring with Flavor Paper by Jon Sherman; George Porter Jr. portrait by Carl Joe Williams; Feather Forest by Julianne Lagniappe; “All on a Mardi Gras Day (2003),” a video immersion honoring the memory of documentary filmmaker Royce Osborn edited by Alexander Glustrom; plus music by 79rs Gang, Lakou Mizik, and Cumbancha with a portrait by Jessica Strahan. 

Beginning August 1, JAMNOLA’s hours of operation are Sunday-Monday and Wednesday-Thursday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m. The venue is closed on Tuesdays. Tickets are $29.00 and can be purchased online at JAMNOLA.com for tours with special discounts available to students, military, and New Orleans Parish residents on Mondays and Wednesdays.