The Mayor's Office of Cultural Economy presents "Embrace the Culture," its virtual series to showcase and support local expressions of art via visual arts, literary arts, film, music, crafts, fashion, and the culinary world and from a collaborative diverse group of artists. Please visit us on Instagram and Facebook for more!
Embrace the Culture was originally launched by the Mayor's Office of Cultural Economy to give a platform to artists in the pandemic and help them reach wider audiences and earn revenue when traditional venues and businesses were unavailable. Digital cultural infrastructure; the websites, social media, and online marketplaces where culture is consumed, purchased, archived, discussed, and created, are more important than ever before.
The program has multiple components. Geaux Live NOLA is a weekly virtual concert streamed from the city’s iconic venues such as the House of Blues and historic Gallier Hall’s Ty Tracy Theater and showcases local artists playing blues, jazz, funk, bounce, and more. Hispanola features musical artists from the Latin community. Wellness Wednesdays brings yoga, meditation, and mindfulness sessions to ease stress caused by the pandemic and everyday frustrations. Kids’ Corner presents virtual shows to children sheltered at home and includes storytelling and children’s plays by local groups such as the Princess and the Frog. Inspirational Mondays highlight the city’s praise and gospel culture. Local filmmakers streamed their works, including the Black Film Festival and NOLA with Love from the Film Society. The series also includes readings by local authors, cooking demonstrations by local chefs, and virtual visual art shows.
The program prioritizes finding diverse talent that truly represents the people of New Orleans. That is why the series features every kind of music, cuisine, art, and literature, presented from our African American, Hispanic, Creole, French, and Vietnamese communities.
Embrace the Culture is not ending when the pandemic ends. It is the goal of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy to continue to strengthen our cultural digital infrastructure through this series, get more artists online, strengthen their revenue streams, and bring more diverse culture into the homes and hands of our residents, the nation, and the world.