The New Orleans Business Alliance, French Quarter Festivals Inc. and WWL-TV have partnered to present April 4’s “Live From the Porch,” a virtual concert to provide support to local gig and cultural economy workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Comprised of a series of “at-home performances from iconic New Orleans musicians,” Live From the Porch features Shamarr Allen, Robin Barnes and Pat Casey, Susan Cowsill, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, DJ Raj Smoove and more. The event will air on Facebook and Instagram via the social-media pages of the New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA) and French Quarter Festivals Inc. 

As previously reported by OffBeat.com, NOLABA helped launch the Gig Economy Relief Fund, committing $100,000 to jumpstart the efforts in hopes of ultimately reaching $500,000. Notable donations from Gayle Benson and others helped double the Fund’s holdings within the first week and it now stands at over $380,000.

A primary goal of Live From the Porch, say organizers, is to raise additional money for the Fund, to which more than 1,2000 workers have applied.

“We’re incredibly excited for this event, which will provide a little bit of light during this unprecedented period,” said NOLABA President & CEO Quentin Messer, Jr. “The generosity we’ve seen in support of this relief fund has been truly overwhelming and indicative of the compassion, strength and resiliency of the New Orleans community. We’re encouraging everyone to tune in to Live from the Porch to enjoy quality entertainment from some of our city’s most beloved musicians. Listen in and contribute to assist even more of our local gig workers as we continue to address and overcome the challenges of COVID-19 together.”

“The non-profit FQFI is proud to support this event,” said Emily Madero, President and CEO of French Quarter Festivals, Inc. “The decision to postpone French Quarter Festival was a heavy one, particularly because of the impact we knew it would have on the artists, musicians, and hospitality workers that count on our event for their livelihood. Live from the Porch is aligned with our mission to showcase local talent and support the economic well-being of the community. The gig economy relief fund will provide much-needed resources to those on the front lines of our cultural economy.”

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