NEW ORLEANS (press release) – The Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) announced a new collaboration with the New Orleans Foundation for Francophone Cultures (Nous) to establish an innovative cultural space at 602 Toulouse St. in the French Quarter. It’s noted that this collaboration reflects HNOC’s commitment to utilizing its extensive real estate holdings in the French Quarter to further its mission of preserving and celebrating Louisiana’s rich history.
“As a major holder of real estate in the French Quarter, the Historic New Orleans Collection has a responsibility to create an environment that serves both the area’s millions of visitors as well as our city’s residents and the people who work in the French Quarter,” said Daniel Hammer, HNOC president and CEO. “As the world’s largest holder of materials relating to the history and culture of New Orleans, it’s important to remember that our buildings are a foundational part of that collection.”
The new cultural center will be located within HNOC’s French Quarter campus, which comprises 15 historic buildings in a three-block radius. The space will act as an information center, art gallery and concept store dedicated to showcasing Louisiana’s French and Creole cultures. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore interactive exhibits, attend cultural programs and access a curated selection of French-language books—the only dedicated space for such offerings in Louisiana.
Nous’s co-founders, Scott Tilton and Rudy Bazenet, met in Paris where they had the opportunity to launch and spearhead the initiative that saw Louisiana become the first U.S. state to join the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie in 2018. Building on this success, they launched the foundation in 2020 as a cultural institution aiming to support the revitalization of Louisiana’s heritage cultures, with a focus on Creole, Cadien and Indigenous communities. The new space at 602 Toulouse St. will complement their programming collaboration with the Historic BK House & Gardens.
“We are proud to be bringing French back to the French Quarter. This new ‘boutique museum’ will be a fantastic community space for the historic neighborhood and offer the 20 million visitors who visit each year a deep dive into the vibrant history and present of Louisiana’s Francophone cultures. We are fortunate to be partnering with HNOC to bring this innovative space to life,” said Rudy Bazenet and Scott Tilton, Nous’s cofounders.
The space is expected to open in two phases: in May, with a special exhibit dedicated to Louisiana roots music sung in French and Creole; and in late summer, with plans to progressively scale operations from three to four days per week. As part of the collaboration, Nous will support HNOC’s initiatives to translate communication materials, archives, exhibition content and publications as well as ‘in-house’ French classes for HNOC staff.
For more information on HNOC visit hnoc.org. To learn more about Nous visit nous-foundation.org.
