Filmmaking often requires the efforts of a small army, from the actors and director to the lighting and sound crew. With Louisiana’s film industry booming once again, there’s a local nonprofit that’s creating a pipeline of young talent as well. Kirby Voss, Executive Director of The COOL Cooperative, joins NolaVie’s Brian Friedman to explain the story behind his organization. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Brian Friedman.

In a city so culturally invested in creativity, New Orleans artists are often faced with a lack of financial investment in their creations. That was part of the impetus behind the Lucky Art Fair, a showcase for underrepresented artists that made its debut earlier this year. NolaVie’s David Benedetto invited co-founders Rosalie Smith and Regina Parkinson into the studio to hear about the project. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by David Benedetto.

New Orleans is getting a lot more colorful lately. Local and national artists are turning blank brick and concrete walls into massive outdoor artworks, including five new murals that were recently unveiled on downtown buildings. NolaVie’s Renée Peck speaks to Arts Council Director Heidi Schmalbach about new movements in public art and how it can transform the local community. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Renée Peck.

John Pope has built a reputation in New Orleans by writing about local luminaries and unsung heroes after their deaths. In this second and final installment of NolaVie’s profile of New Orleans’ pre-eminent obituary writer, Brian Friedman and John Pope discuss the life lessons that can be gleaned from writing about the dearly departed. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Brian Friedman.

John Pope covered several different beats over more than 4 decades at the Times-Picayune . But he’s best-known as the city’s pre-eminent writer of obituaries. In this first installment of a two-part conversation, NolaVie’s Brian Friedman and John Pope discuss life, death, and the art of the obituary. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Brian Friedman.

The road to Angola, the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is long and isolated. It sets the plantation-turned-prison back from lush and hilly West Feliciana Parish, an otherwise picturesque corner of the state.

We’re deep in the dog days of summer, and only in New Orleans would that be an excuse for a party. On the first Saturday in August, some 30,000 people will deck themselves in white attire and hit Julia Street for the 25 th annual White Linen Night . It’s a block party to end all block parties, and NolaVie’s Renée Peck invited Laura Tennyson, Associate Director of External Affairs at the Contemporary Arts Center, to WWNO for a preview. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Renée Peck.

Take a walk through the Treme on any day and you might find a slice of history and something new to learn. It might be on Governor Nicholls Street, where Treme’s Petit Jazz Museum is located. NolaVie’s David Benedetto paid a visit and caught up with the museum’s founder, who offered a lesson in jazz history for the eyes and the ears. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by David Benedetto.

Immersive theater has found a new stage on the streets of the French Quarter. Escape My Room is presenting an original performance called Saintsbone , where participants will meet ghosts, solve puzzles, and ultimately decide their fate. NolaVie’s Kelley Crawford invited Andrew Preble into the studio to describe this immersive experience. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Kelley Crawford.

Gallier House is hosting an educational evening on Wednesday, July 10, featuring artist and writer Cree McCree. Her presentation is called “Louisiana Swamp Rats: Our Love/Hate Relationship with Nutria” and she joins NolaVie’s Brian Friedman in the studio to give a preview. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Brian Friedman.

As many New Orleans restaurants move towards a farm-to-table model, some establishments are cutting out the middleman and going back to the land. One example is Suis Generis in the Bywater. NolaVie’s Kelley Crawford stopped by the restaurant to learn more. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Kelley Crawford.

NolaVie’s Listening to Locals series spotlights under-the-radar New Orleans musicians. This week, David Benedetto invited cellist and songwriter Spirit McIntyre into the studio for a conversation about influence and inspiration. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by David Benedetto.

The slow food movement pervades New Orleans restaurants and markets, and one of the latest local purveyors of this kind is Piety & Desire Chocolate , a bean to bar chocolate maker that has found a home on South Broad Street. NolaVie’s David Benedetto invited founder Christopher Nobles into the studio to hear more about his slow food-inspired confectionery. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by David Benedetto.

As part of the grand opening of their new exhibition center, the Historic New Orleans Collection is hosting a series of informal gallery talks called “Stoop Stories.” NolaVie’s Kelley Crawford joins artist James Michalopoulos on the stoop to talk about his expressionistic New Orleans-centered artwork. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Kelley Crawford.

Since 1972, a handful of New Orleanians have been celebrating and practicing bonsai, the Japanese art of cultivating miniature trees. The Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society has translated this ancient art form to our present-day gardens, hosting regular classes for beginners and experts alike. NolaVie’s Brian Friedman invited Masters Program Director Jim Osborne into the studio to talk about all things bonsai. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Brian Friedman.

Last week, NolaVie’s Kelley Crawford introduced us to local poet and translator Elizabeth Gross, whose latest book is called this body/that lightning show . Today, Kelley resumes this two-part installment of the series, Conversations with Artists, with a discussion of mythology and the heroine’s journey in Elizabeth’s work. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Kelley Crawford.

Elizabeth Gross is a local poet, professor, and Ancient Greek translator whose writing has been described as both subtle and hypnotic. Her latest book is called this body/that lightning show . For this installment of NolaVie’s series, Conversations with Artists , Kelley Crawford invites Elizabeth into the studio to talk about her work, the human condition, and the cosmos. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Kelley Crawford.

The Peabody Hotel in Memphis may have its ducks, but Brennan’s in New Orleans can match the attraction. The French Quarter restaurant has its own resident family of turtles. Since the spring of 2015, 10 of them have inhabited the fountain pool in the French Quarter restaurant’s lush courtyard. NolaVie’s Renée Peck spoke with Brennan’s General Manager Christian Pendleton about the resident turtles, and the annual parade that honors them – surely the slowest second line on Earth. Visit ViaNolaVie

Tulane’s School of Public Health is hosting its first ever film festival , from May 10th through the 12th. The festival lineup covers a variety of public health-related topics that are relevant to our area, including water issues, gun violence, and veterans’ health. NolaVie’s David Benedetto invited organizer David Roston into the studio for a preview. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by David Benedetto.

Each Friday, NolaVie brings us brief conversations with local artists and culture bearers. For their new monthly series, Conversations with Artists, Managing Editor Kelley Crawford will invite local artists to discuss what it means to be human through the wisdom of creative practice. Today, she welcomes Travis Bird of Shotgun Cinema into the studio. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Kelley Crawford.

When the Leidenheimer Baking Company decided to expand operations, they faced an obstacle in the form of an 1895 single shotgun house on their property. Rather than have it demolished, they approached The Preservation Resource Center for an alternative. NolaVie’s Brian Friedman invites Danielle Del Sol, Executive Director of the PRC, to pick up the story. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Brian Friedman.

New Orleans’ Mexican Cultural Institute plays host to artists across a diversity of geographies and mediums . Their current exhibition comes from visual artist Carmen Mariscal. Carmen’s art explores themes of memory, family history, fragility, and confinement. NolaVie’s David Benedetto welcomed Carmen into the studio to hear more. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by David Benedetto.

Festival season is upon us, and with the first weekend in April comes the Freret Street Festival . This year, the event is operating under the leadership of the Rotary Club of New Orleans Riverbend, a group firmly focused on community engagement. Reverend Dr. Andrew Ward joins NolaVie’s David Benedetto at WWNO to discuss some festival highlights. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by David Benedetto.

Nola to Angola is known for its 170-mile bike ride from New Orleans to Angola prison to raise funds for a bus service that keeps families connected. On Saturday, April 6, the group will host its second annual social ride, called Spring Brake. The local ride will visit and raise money for 4 organizations that focus on youth justice throughout the city. NolaVie’s Kelley Crawford welcomes organizer Nicky Gillies to the studio for a preview. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related article written by Kelley

Simply the word gentrification is enough to spark heated debate, especially in a city as steeped in history and as fiercely loyal to its neighborhoods as New Orleans. A young dance troupe is addressing the issue in a singular way. NolaVie’s Brian Friedman invited Jeremy Guyton, youth program director for Dancing Grounds , as well as Akelah Sabreen, a student in the program, into the studio to discuss their upcoming festival, which is called Dance for Social Change. Visit ViaNolaVie for a related