LA Fête, the Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation’s second fundraiser in New Orleans, is set for this Friday, November 2 at the Joan Mitchell Center (2275 Bayou Road). Billed as “A Celebration of Culture,” the event celebrates the state’s diverse cultural industries and the people responsible for it — chefs, musicians, filmmakers, craft artists, visual artists, preservationists and other creatives.
The evening begins at 7 with a Patron Party, and the presentation of the LCEF Lifetime Cultural Economy Leadership Award, Hero Award, and Cultural Entrepreneur Award.
The Original Pinettes Brass Band will perform at Friday's LA Fete. Photo: Elsa Hahne.
A Cultural Showcase continues from 8 to 11 p.m., with performances from the Original Pinettes Brass Band, Clint Maedgen, Reese Johanson Performance Collaborative, United Praise Singers, and Africa Brass. The fundraiser, which will support LCEF‘s operations and programs that serve cultural industries statewide, also includes a silent auction. Tickets are $75.
This year’s recipient of the Lifetime Cultural Economy Leadership Award is Mayor Mitch Landrieu, whose career efforts have brought the importance of the cultural economy in the state to the forefront.
During his tenure as Lieutenant Governor, Landrieu launched a Cultural Economy Initiative to grow jobs throughout the culture, music, food, film and other arts. In 2004, he commissioned the report, “Louisiana: Where Culture Means Business,” which prompted the creation of the nonprofit Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation the following year. In 2008, Landrieu launched the Louisiana Cultural Districts Initiative, which provides tax breaks to art gallery operators and owners of historic buildings in the districts.
As Mayor of New Orleans, Landrieu created the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy and introduced the annual New Orleans Cultural Economy Snapshot, an in-depth analysis of the value of the City’s cultural economy.
Landrieu is also responsible for the development of the World Cultural Economic Forum (WCEF), an annual event held in New Orleans that draws leaders worldwide to shape the international discussion on culture and its economic impact.
Other LA Fête honorees include Cultural Innovation Award winner Sarah Dunn (visual arts/mixed media); Economic Impact Award winner Chef Reese Williams (culinary arts); Cultural Impact Award winner Cherice Harrison-Nelson (Traditional Culture Bearer/Mardi Gras Indian); and Entrepreneurial Spirit Award winner Shreveport Regional Arts Council (multi-disciplinary nonprofit organization).
LCEF was established as a 501(c)3 organization in 2005 to support the development and enhancement of the distinct cultural industries of Louisiana by promoting the economic health and quality of life of the cultural economy workforce. Click here for more information on Friday’s LA Fête and to purchase tickets.
