HNOC and Nous Foundation Team Up to Open Cultural Center in French Quarter Dedicated to Louisiana’s French Heritage

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.

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About the Historic New Orleans Collection

The Historic New Orleans Collection is a nonprofit institution dedicated to preserving the distinctive history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. Founded in 1966 through the Kemper and Leila Williams Foundation, HNOC operates as a free museum, research center and publisher spanning more than 15 historic buildings in the heart of the French Quarter. Learn more about HNOC.

About the New Orleans Foundation for Francophone Cultures

Founded in June 2020, the New Orleans Foundation for Francophone Cultures is an institute dedicated to preserving and promoting French and Creole in Louisiana and the United States. The foundation’s actions center around three priorities: organizing cultural events, creating original content, and launching innovative programs (based on an incubator model to promote language transmission). Through an initiative launched and spearheaded by the Nous Foundation’s co-founders, Rudy Bazenet and Scott Tilton, Louisiana became the first state to join the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) in 2018. The OIF brings together 93 countries and regions, 16% of the global economy, and over 1 billion people. Learn more about the Nous Foundation.Opens in new tab