We’re counting down to the 2016 ESSENCE Festival, taking place June 30-July 3 in New Orleans. While Mariah Carey, Maxwell and Kendrick Lamar will headline this year’s event, it’s not all about the music stars. There is an entire community of artists, chefs, entrepreneurs and organizations who come to ESSENCE Fest as vendors to showcase their businesses. This week we’re putting the spotlight on the Preservation Hall Foundation.
How many times have you been to Essence Fest?
This is the first time the Preservation Hall Foundation will be part of the Community Corner at Essence Festival.
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What should crowds expect?
Crowds should not only expect to be entertained by the incredible musical performances, but they should expect to be inspired by the incredible initiatives featured in the Community Corner. ESSENCE Festival brings so many people together.
Describe ESSENCE Fest in one word.
Inspirational.
Tell us about how your business started.
New Orleans’ Preservation Hall was established in 1961 to honor one of America’s truest art forms: traditional New Orleans jazz. Operating as a music venue, a touring band and a non-profit organization, Preservation Hall continues its mission today as a cornerstone of New Orleans music and culture.
The Preservation Hall Foundation was launched in 2011 to protect, preserve and perpetuate the musical traditions and heritage of New Orleans. Through music education, live performances, academic research, archiving, multimedia projects, collaborations and promotional campaigns, the Preservation Hall Foundation creates greater awareness and appreciation for New Orleans music and the communities that support it.
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Why is it important for your business to be represented at one of America’s largest festivals?
It is important for us to represent our cultural heritage to a diverse audience of people. By sharing the traditions that make New Orleans so unique, we are able to sustain it worldwide.
Describe the community services provided by your organization.
We protect the future of New Orleans’ musical traditions by providing instruction and mentorship from the Preservation Hall Collective. Our education programming specifically targets high-risk students in underserved schools and neighborhoods in the Greater New Orleans Area. We preserve the history of Preservation Hall’s artistic community through oral history, digital content, community concerts and professional collaborations, so that the tradition may evolve in meaningful ways for the next generation.
How do people keep up with you until the Festival?
Fans can keep up with us on our website at www.preshallfoundation.org or through social media.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PreservationHall
Twitter: @preshall
Instagram: @preservationhall