Heading to New Orleans

We've officially Boogalooed. It was a great Festival, and FestEvents really is the best staff. Now, it's a 20 bus ride back to New Orleans. Thanks to everyone in Norfolk for showing us a great time, buying our art, and for caring about New Orleans. From all of us, thank you!

Boogaloo Sunday

With the festival in hand, I headed to Portsmouth this morning by paddlewheel ferry. On Tanya's advice, I found a tasty brunch spot named Comfort. If you get the chance, it's worth a visit. Had a kind of Virginia Eggs Benedict, but with biscuits and Virginia Ham replacing the english muffins and Canadian Bacon, and washed down with a kicking Pimms Cup. Tasty!

Back at the boogaloo, we began wrapping up the festival with Rosie Ledet, and a finale by Cowboy Mouth, who, even though it's the same set everytime, is still a blast.

Here's a final shot of the crew on the banks of the Elizabeth River:

Saturday Wrap Up

Good day at the Boogaloo today. There are some swamp fires burning in the Dismal Swamp (yes, that's really the name), and it makes the air smell a little like cedar. Otherwise, a good time was had by all. Great shows by Trombone Shorty, the Wild Magnolias took their time bringing the Indian Funk, but when they did, they brought it well. New Birth treated the fine folks of Norfolk to a second line. What about Galactic? Well, let's just say they probably won't be back.

Photo Time!

Domenick and Linda pass a good time.

New Birth Feels Like Funkin it Up

Tanya and Randy attack some crawfish

Saturday at the Boogaloo

We were greeted at the site by the arrival of a giant cruise ship, bigger than the ones that pull into NOLA. Everyone leaving seemed rather bushed, so I don't think we'll get a lot of traffic.

But no worries! Yesterday was a big success. Sales were much better than last year, Trombone Shorty rocked, and I had my first fried twinkie.

We're Boogalooin from noon to 10:00 p.m. today, with music highlights including the Wild Magnolias, Galactic, and, for the masochists out there, the Habanero pepper eating contest. I didn't have the heart to tell them that I have to go to the Asian market on the Westbank to consistently find Habaneros in NOLA.

Speaking of which, the Louisiana food here is not half bad. There are three vendors with Louisiana roots, and the etouffee I had yesterday was actually pretty good. Honestly, I have definitely had worse etouffee in New Orleans. Today I'm going for the Fried eggplant with crawfish sauce, which is made by an old NOLA hand now plying his trade in Asheville. Looks good!

Boogaloo Fun, now with photos

Here are some shots from Thursday night's kickoff party. Thanks to all the artists who donated a piece! It means a lot to all of us at the Arts Council.

Scens from the Silent Auction



Michelle, Shirley, Joanna, and Carolyn listening to the Jazz Vipers


Darrin celebrates a successful night Red Auerbach style.

Article in Virginian Pilot

Great article by Teresa Annas in the Virginian Pilot on the artist trip. If you follow the link, you also get a video of Jazz Vipers from Thursday night's soiree. Thanks, Teresa!

In Norfolk

After a fun, but long bus ride, we arrived in Norfolk yesterday afternoon about 3:30. I have some fun and lovely photos I'd like to share, but campus housing at Old Dominion has decided that giving us web access will require a wax sealed note from the Governor of Virginia, so I'm typing from the FestEvents office, and can't download our photos.

Anyway, great time last night at the ball. Great crowd, the Jazz Vipers were great as usual, and the auction raised about $4500! Who-hoo! Once again, bravo, FestEvents. You guys rock!

Today is set up, and the Festival starts in earnest tonight at 5:00. Here's the line-up . We're right next to the Missing Kidney stage, so we'll be enjoying a little Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue.

The Boogaloo Crew

Looking for a great run down of the NOLA artists showing at this year's Bayou Boogaloo? Look no further.

Gus, meet Bus.

We left NOLA Wednesday night about 6:30, and drove through the night under a Hoodoo moon through Missisippi and into Atlanta. We arrived in Norfolk about 3:30 Thursday night, and went right to the site. Local NBC channel WAVY was there to meet us. And, yes, I probably didn't look my best after 21 hours on the bus, but, it's TV right?

The preview party with silent auction is tonight, and the NOLA artists are the guests of honor. Not a bad life, sometimes...

Boogaloo Load In

We've loaded up the art to head to Norfolk. We leave on the bus Wednesday night, 6:30 from the Arts Council offices. This is a good opportunity to give thanks to the Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation, which is helping with funding for the trip, and of course, HUGE thanks to Domenick Fini and the crew at FestEvents. We're forever in your debt.

Hampton By The Sea Getting On the Bus

Gina Harris from Hampton By the Sea Magazine has taken us up on our offer, and is flying to New Orleans tonight to right up there with us on the bus to Norfolk. A 20 hour bus ride with 25 artists? Gina's a brave woman.

Boogaloo Definition

Anyone else wonder what Boogaloo means? Here's the answer.

Kicking off the Boogaloo

Local artists and roughly 1,000 pieces of their artwork will be heading for Norfolk, Virginia for the 19th Annual Bayou Boogaloo and Cajun Food Festival to be held June 20 - 22, 2008. This event will showcase handmade original New Orleans’ art and provide needed sales to local artists. The result of many months of planning and coordinating between the Arts Council of New Orleans and Norfolk Festevents, this “take-the-show-on-the-road” trip is part of the Arts Council’s aggressive strategy for promoting the cultural economy of New Orleans while providing viable avenues for artists to bring their creative works to the marketplace.

To follow along as we head to Norfolk, check this page out frequently.

Copyright in the 21st Century

Good article on copyright from Cato Institute. As always, read it with a filter of their libertarian bent, but it really does explain the challenges facing the music industry, and the coming futility of copyright enforcement.

Charitable Exemptions

We've sporadically followed the question of Harvard's endowment remaining tax free, but this NYT article really should be read by all non profit managers regarding tax exempt activities and the govenment cracking down. This gives me the excuse to link to the IRS Stay Exempt tutorial, which, if you can put up with the goofy characters, actually has some really good info.

Southern Food and Beverage Museum Opens

Congrats to the Southern Food & Beverage Museum on their grand opening this weekend. Here's an interview with museum curator and friend of the Arts Council Elizabeth Pearce. Spin by the Riverwalk and show them some love.

Irvin Mayfield on CBS News

It's about 4 weeks old, but check out this segment with NOLA jazz great (and Arts Council board member) Irvin Mayfield on the CBS Evening News.

Obama on the Arts

Seems like a good day to link to Barack Obama's arts policy. Here's one point worth highlighting:

Create an Artist Corps: Barack Obama supports the creation of an “Artists Corps” of young artists trained to work in low-income schools and their communities. Studies in Chicago have demonstrated that test scores improved faster for students enrolled in low-income schools that link arts across the curriculum than scores for students in schools lacking such programs.

And another, especially relevant for New Orleans artists, who've so often found themselves more loved in Stuttgart than in Scarsdale...

Promote Cultural Diplomacy: American artists, performers and thinkers – representing our values and ideals – can inspire people both at home and all over the world. Through efforts like that of the United States Information Agency, America’s cultural leaders were deployed around the world during the Cold War as artistic ambassadors and helped win the war of ideas by demonstrating to the world the promise of America. Artists can be utilized again to help us win the war of ideas against Islamic extremism. Unfortunately, our resources for cultural diplomacy are at their lowest level in a decade. Barack Obama will work to reverse this trend and improve and expand public-private partnerships to expand cultural and arts exchanges throughout the world.

Atlantic divide, only less so.

Good NYT article on changes to arts funding in Germany, and how it stacks up to the American model.