NOTCF Accepting Nominations for its Honors Gala

The call is out for New Orleans’ artists, cultural leaders and organizations making a lasting impact on the city’s cultural landscape.

Nominations are now open for the 2027 New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Foundation (NOTCF) Honors Gala, an annual celebration recognizing the individuals and organizations whose creativity, dedication and commitment help preserve and advance the traditions that make New Orleans unlike any other city in the world. Nominations will be accepted through July 31 at midnight.

Now in its fifth year, the NOTCF Honors Gala will recognize honorees across nine categories: Emerging Artist, Culinary Arts, Design, Entertainment, Literary Arts & Humanities, Preservation, Visual Arts & Crafts, Cultural Organization and Lifetime Achievement. The awards spotlight both established culture bearers whose work has shaped generations and emerging talents who represent the future of New Orleans’ creative community.

The gala is more than an awards ceremony. It is a celebration of the people who keep New Orleans culture alive — from chefs and musicians to designers, writers, historians, artists, educators and community organizations. Through their work, these culture bearers preserve traditions, create new expressions of the city’s identity and contribute to the cultural economy that helps define New Orleans locally and around the world.

The New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Foundation was created to support the city’s cultural industries and culture bearers through partnerships, grants and programs designed to advance sustainable tourism. The organization recognizes that New Orleans’ greatest asset is its culture and that those who create, preserve and share that culture need resources and support to continue their work.

NOTCF’s work extends beyond recognition. The organization provides funding opportunities for cultural nonprofits, community organizations, businesses and individuals working to strengthen New Orleans’ cultural ecosystem. Supported projects have included cultural events, educational initiatives, workshops, trainings and programs that build capacity among artists and cultural organizations.

Among its initiatives is support for cultural arts education, including grants designed to expand cultural programming in local schools and provide students with opportunities to engage with the city’s artistic traditions.

The Honors Gala serves as a reminder that New Orleans culture is not created only on festival stages or in historic landmarks. It is created every day by people whose work often happens behind the scenes — the preservationists protecting neighborhood history, the cooks carrying forward family recipes, the artists pushing creative boundaries and the organizations building pathways for future generations.

This year’s gala will also include recognition of a Cultural Organization Honor, highlighting an organization whose programming, partnerships, advocacy and community impact demonstrate a commitment to sustaining New Orleans culture.

Residents are encouraged to nominate individuals and organizations whose work reflects the creativity, resilience and spirit of New Orleans. To submit a nomination, visit notcf.com/honors-gala and select “Submit Nominations.”