Music and Culture Coalition of New Orleans

05/26/2026

05/21/2026

🎶 INSIDE THE MUSIC: STAGE BANDS OF NEW ORLEANS 🎶

What does it really take to lead a stage band in New Orleans?

Join us for a powerful conversation with some of the city’s working bandleaders and musicians as we go beyond the stage lights and into the real life behind the music.

From bookings and band management to keeping traditions alive while building sustainable careers, this discussion will give an honest look into the passion, pressure, creativity, and culture that fuel New Orleans music every day.

Featuring: 🎤 Margie Perez
🥁 Derrick Freeman
🎺 Hannah Kreiger-Benson
🥁 Colin Davis

Hosted by: 🎶 Danovan “Bettis” Calhoun-Bettis
Musician • Bandleader • Cultural Advocate • MaCCNO

📍 Nora Navra Library
1902 St. Bernard Ave
📅 Thursday, May 28
⏰ 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

We’ll talk about: • What audiences see vs. what really happens behind the scenes
• The business, bookings & the grind
• Keeping music authentic and relevant
• Challenges, wins & lessons learned
• Advice for the next generation
• Open Q&A and community conversation

Presented by MaCCNO in partnership with the New Orleans Public Library.

Real bands. Real stories. Real New Orleans.

NewOrleansCulture BandLeader LiveMusic MusicCulture KeepTheMusicPlaying

05/07/2026

To the 58 people who chose MaCCNO this Give NOLA Day—

Thank you.

Because of your support, we raised $4,521 to continue protecting, supporting, and advocating for New Orleans musicians, culture bearers, and artists.

Every donation mattered.
Every share mattered.
Every person who believed in this work mattered.

At MaCCNO, we’re fighting for the people who keep New Orleans culture alive every single day—and your support helps us continue that mission.

This is bigger than a fundraiser.
This is community.
This is culture.
This is investment in the future of New Orleans.

If you missed out, its NEVER TO LATE!!!
Visit MaCCNO.com to make a donation or become a sponsor!

From all of us at MaCCNO:
Thank you for choosing us. 💛

NOLAMusic

05/05/2026

This city is built on music.
On culture.
On people who show up every day and give New Orleans its soul.

At MaCCNO, we stand with those people.
We advocate.
We support.

We show up when it matters most.
Programs like Makin’ Groceries exist because our community needs real support—not just recognition.

Give NOLA Day IS TODAY , you have a chance to give back to the culture that gives so much.

If you’ve ever felt the music,
enjoyed the streets,
or experienced New Orleans at its best—

This is your moment to support it.


🔗 GiveNOLA.org
🔗 Support MaCCNO

SupportLocalArtists CultureMatters

05/01/2026

New Orleans doesn’t exist without its culture.

And culture doesn’t exist without the people.

On May 5 — Give NOLA Day, we’re asking you to invest in something real.

At MaCCNO, we’re doing the work:

– Fighting for fair pay for musicians
– Protecting street performers’ rights
– Supporting culture bearers in real time
– Building programs that meet real needs

This isn’t a moment.

This is infrastructure.

We’re not here to play small.

We’re building systems that sustain New Orleans culture for generations—and that requires real support.

Every donation matters.

Every share matters.

Every person who chooses to stand with culture matters.

🔗 Donate on Give NOLA Day
🔗 Support MaCCNO

Go to - https://bit.ly/MaCCNOGND26
Look up ------ MACCNOGDN26

Let’s build something that lasts.






NOLAMusic
ProtectTheCulture
InvestInCulture
NOLAArtists
CulturalEconomy
ForTheCulture

04/29/2026

In January of this year, we were given an opportunity to work with musician and culture bearer Arsène DeLay and restart the pandemic era Makin' Groceries program, which provides weekly fresh food to elders in the cultural community. We currently deliver to roughly 40 households and are actively seeking funding to continue and expand the program.

Launched during the pandemic in 2020, the program delivers weekly care packages filled with nutritious groceries, prepared meals and other essentials to recipients

11/21/2025

"MaCCNO Executive Director Ethan Ellestad said he was glad to see several ideas in the plan, like a cultural land trust. But he also said he would have liked to have seen the report talk about equity, which isn’t mentioned.

“All these things could happen, but if they aren’t done correctly, it could actually increase that gap … whether that be differences between Black-owned venues and white-owned venues, men-owned businesses and women-owned businesses,” he said. “Access to opportunity can be stark.”

New Orleans nightlife is one of the city’s biggest economic drivers. The bars, restaurants and entertainment venues that make up the nightlife industry — and all of the music, arts

11/06/2025

It’s officially MaCCNOvember.
Our annual month-long campaign to support the artists, musicians, culture workers, and street performers who make New Orleans New Orleans.

Culture doesn’t survive by accident — it survives because we show up for each other.

This year, an anonymous donor has offered a $10,000 challenge gift — and we’re asking the community to help us match it.

There are 4 ways to join the Second Line of Support:

⚜️In the Number — Give what feels meaningful to you.
⚜️Community Sustainers — Businesses & partners contributing or sharing proceeds.
⚜️Culture Keepers — Individuals contributing financally
⚜️Good Neighbors — Folks who spread the word, share the link, and bring others in.

Every role matters. Every gift matters. Every share matters.
Because culture is community work.

➡️ Donate or learn more:
bit.ly/MaCCNOvember
(Or tap the link in bio)

Thank you for helping us protect what makes this city who we are. 💛
We’re grateful for you.

10/12/2025

Frenchmen Notes was created in 2020 under the MaCCNO umbrella by musician/advocate Hannah Kreiger-Benson and writer/bartender/archaeologist Laura DeFazio.

Prior to their collaboration, the two had been working on separate Frenchmen Street projects: Laura’s work was ethnographical, and Hannah’s focused on cultural economy, zoning, and legal history.

Frenchmen Notes brings all of these elements together and continues to grow, thanks to the indispensable work of Jessica Dauterive, Denise Frazier, and Bryce Jenkins.