Historic New Orleans Collection and Nous Foundation team up to open cultural center in French Quarter dedicated to Louisiana’s French heritage

Written By Alicia Vial

New cultural space to serve as a hub for Francophone Arts, Literature and History

NEW ORLEANS – The Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) announced today 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. 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.

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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. For more information visit hnoc.org.

About the New Orleans Foundation for Francophone Cultures
Founded in June 2020,theNew Orleans Foundation for Francophone Cultures (www.nous-foundation.org) 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.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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