NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — On Wednesday afternoon, New Orleans Mayor Cantrell held a press conference to address economic growth and sustainability in the city. Local cultural organizations joined the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy to recognize the partnerships that support the mission to create opportunities and systems to “enable true economic activity.”
During the press conference, Mayor Cantrell emphasized the importance of preserving New Orleans culture and investing in the cultural community. “You can’t choose which part of the culture you want to support, we want to support all of it,” Cantrell said.
The mayor’s office for cultural industries wants to create growth for those involved in cultural industries and for the general public. The Embraces the Culture mission showcases local expressions of art, literature, film, music, handicrafts, fashion and cuisine.
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Lisa Alexis, director of the Cultural Business Office, said this year’s cultural events were a success, particularly the French Quarter Fest, which drew record numbers. Alexis added that the Final Four is an “economic win” for the city of New Orleans. At the ESSENCE Fest, over 25 local vendors sold out their products and wares, which is also a “win” for the community.
Alongside the success, Carroll Morton, Director of Film New Orleans, announced some good news for the film industry. Morton said, “The film industry continues to boom in the city of New Orleans.” She added that $831 million has been spent on the production to date. New Orleans is the fourth largest manufacturing center in the United States. Infrastructure and crew attract many productions filmed in the city. The productions offer many opportunities for locals to gain a foothold in the industry. Morton said if you’re 18 and willing to work hard, this is a great way to get your foot in the door.
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This year, 4 further training programs were offered to interested parties. The training is provided by NOVAC, which is working towards diversifying the workforce by bringing more women into the industry.
Morton said 10 productions are currently filming in the New Orleans area, including the surrounding communities. She said two AMC television series are underway along with three Disney projects, Universal Studios projects and a Netflix show. Some of the films are The Crossover, Queer Eye and Interview with a Vampire.
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