The Idea Village Provides Over $50,000 in Grants to Local Musicians and Artists

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2005

(New Orleans) - Today The Idea Village awarded “triage” grants totaling $54,000 to over 40 New Orleans musicians and artists affected by Hurricane Katrina. The grants were allocated from The Idea Village Business Relief Fund, an emergency grant program for qualified small businesses and entrepreneurs. The lead sponsors for this round of relief grants were Leslie Jacobs and Strategic Staffing Solutions S3.

“Music is a critical piece to the rebuilding of our culture and tourism”, said Leslie Jacobs, contributor to The Idea Village Business Relief Fund and Board member. “Musicians and artist are businesses that create jobs and revenue for our community. Can anyone imagine New Orleans if we don’t bring back the music?

The musicians receiving grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 had to demonstrate that they had been playing in New Orleans for at least 5 years and that they had a future engagement planned within 5 months of receiving the grant. The Idea Village consulted with the Tipitina’s Foundation to identify candidates for the relief grants.

The recipients of The IV Business Relief grants are: Allen & Reggie Toussaint, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Bob French, Brian Cayolle, Charmaine Neville, Craig Klein, Dave Malone, Donald Harrison, Dr. Michael White, George Porter, Gregory Davis, Herlin Riley, Irma Thomas, Irvin Mayfield, Johnny Vidacovich, Keith Frazier, Kidd Jordan, Kirk Joseph, Leroy Jones, Marva Wright, Roger Lewis, Shades of Praise, Tim Green, Tommy Malone, Tricia Boutte, and Walter Washington.

Dave Malone of The Radiators and grant recipient, exclaimed, “The Radiators have been a New Orleans based band and business for almost 30 years. Our business involves brining New Orleans music and culture to the rest of the world. I deeply appreciate that The Idea Village and its sponsors recognize our needs and how important it is that musicians be included in the rebuilding process.”

Grants were also awarded to fund a New Orleans artist “road show” coordinated by local artist and gallery owner Jonathan Ferrara, where local artists will promote their works to Atlanta buyers in the absence of local customers. Artist participating are: Sandy Chism, Roberto Ortiz, Kathleen Banton, Jeffrey Pitt, Amy McKinnon , Jonathan Ferrara, Herman Leonard, Jenny Bagert, Zack Smith, Adam Farrington, Sidonie Villere, Gina LagunaMary Jane Potts, Miranda Lake and Dan Tague.

The grant will enable visual artist to be able to ship their artwork to Atlanta for “New Orleans Artists in Exile,” a traveling exhibition of displaced New Orleans artists. This is the second stop of this traveling exhibition that is designed to help New Orleans-based visual artists show and sell their work so that they can continue to live and work in New Orleans. The exhibition opens at AW/OB Lambert Gallery in Atlanta, GA on January 19, 2006.

“Artists of all sorts have lost everything; homes destroyed, studios underwater, artwork and equipment ruined beyond repair. As each artist processes their own personal loss and formulates plans to rebuild, we are helping them recover by taking their creative voices to the world, said Jonathan Ferrara, owner of Jonathan Ferrara Gallery.“ This gift gives artists hope for the future.”

Tim Williamson, President of The Idea Village, hopes that businesses and foundations across the country will follow the lead of these supporters. “More and more people are stepping up to help entrepreneurs get back on their feet in the wake of this disaster. Small businesses are the backbone of our regional economy,” said Williamson. “Right now entrepreneurs need our help in their efforts to resume normal operations. If we invest and support these pioneers now, our community will reap the rewards in the future.”

To apply for future grants, businesses may go to www.ideavillage.org and fill out the form under Katrina Update. Over $250,000 has been raised with cash grants provided to over 70 affected businesses through The Idea Village Business Relief Fund since Hurricane Katrina.

About The Idea Village
The Idea Village, an independent 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to supporting entrepreneurial ventures in the region, recently established The Idea Village Business Relief Fund, an emergency grant-making program for qualified small businesses. Companies, foundations and individuals have donated relief dollars to sponsored funds and work with The Idea Village to define criteria for the fund allocations. Since its formal inception in 2002, The Idea Village has become the primary driver for entrepreneurship in New Orleans, supported by more than 300 individuals, corporations, local foundations, Tulane University, University of New Orleans, Greater New Orleans, Inc., the City of New Orleans, and the State of Louisiana.