New Orleans Cultural Arts

From majestic performances to simple productions, New Orleans culture scene dazzles and delights

Theater and drama are everyday occurrences in New Orleans, a city where costume closets are a must and dressing up happens on a myriad of occasions. When it comes to more serious theatrical arts, New Orleans boasts impressive firsts, from the first documented performance of opera in America, back in 1796 to the first-ever commercial movie theater, which opened 100 years later on Canal Street.The birthplace of jazz is also home to a world-class philharmonic orchestra, ballet and other dance companies, both touring and locally-produced theater, and a rich array of museums and art exhibitions.

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Theater

New Orleans is home to theater companies big and small, all offering an array of choices all year long.
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Opera

Opera has robust presence in New Orleans with traditional shows and modern twists.
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Symphony Orchestra

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, based in New Orleans and performing throughout the South, carries the torch for live orchestral music in a city long enamored with the musical arts.
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Dance & Ballet

Dance, from ballet to burlesque, is performed at venues all over New Orleans. Lovers of classic artful adagio can take in ballet presented by the New Orleans Ballet Association, the New Orleans...
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Literature

From Faulkner whose house is now a bookstore, to Mark Twain and many, many more, New Orleans inspires
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Museums

From Southern Art to World War II to Mardi Gras Indian Culture, New Orleans has some of the most unique museums in the country. Some places take days to explore while others are perfect for an...
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America's First City of Opera

“Sylvain" was the city’s first opera performance, and New Orleans still has an Opera presence today. Click here to learn about the history of Opera.
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Art Galleries

New Orleans is a magnet for artists: painter, sculptors, weavers & ceramicists. Shop their works on Julia Street in the Warehouse District or Royal Street in the French Quarter!
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Art Markets

Art markets can be found all throughout New Orleans, from the fence surrounding Jackson Square to the co-op markets along Decatur Street. Click here to find dates and locations!
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New Orleans Performing Arts Organizations

A broad spectrum of the performing arts thrive in New Orleans, long considered a cultural mecca with artistic roots dating back to its French founding in 1718. These nonprofits, some small and others...
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Theaters and Performance Spaces

From grand restored Victorian wedding cake theaters such as the Orpheum and the Civic to outdoor spaces like Music Box Village, where interactive music making is the order of the day, the spaces where...
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Upcoming Performances

10/03/2024 - "A Vanishing Bounty: Louisiana’s Coastal Environment and Culture"

10/03/2024 - "Envisioning Japan: Transformational Gifts from Kurt A. Gitter, M.D. and Alice Yelen Gitter"

10/03/2024 - "Louisiana Contemporary 2024"

10/03/2024 - "Rebellious Spirits: Prohibition and Resistance in the South"

10/03/2024 - "Sand, Ash, Heat: Glass at the New Orleans Museum of Art"

10/03/2024 - NOLAxNOLA Talks: Culture, Music & Business

10/04/2024 - Feel Good Friday

10/04/2024 - Introduction to Knife Making: Blacksmith’s Knife

10/04/2024 - Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Mozart, Haydn, and Strauss

10/05/2024 - "Baldwin Lee"

10/05/2024 - Art for Art's Sake

10/06/2024 - Renaissance NOLA artists network

10/09/2024 - Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Haydn's "The Clock" Symphony

10/10/2024 - James Beard Foundation’s Taste America New Orleans

10/12/2024 - Beading Class With Chief Shaka Zulu - New Orleans Indigenous Masking Tradition

10/12/2024 - Pick Your Poison: The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum's Annual Fundraiser

10/15/2024 - "Girl from the North Country"

10/15/2024 - Sip and Paint at The Crystal Shoppe on Oak

10/16/2024 - Let's Art! With Lefty Lucy (Postponed)

10/23/2024 - Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Pines of Rome

10/25/2024 - Off the Grid (Postponed)

10/26/2024 - Dracula - New Orleans Ballet Theatre

10/26/2024 - Easterseals Louisiana Chartwell Center’s 2024 Art for Autism

10/26/2024 - Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents the Halloween Spooktacular Family Concert

10/27/2024 - NOLA Mural Fest 2023

11/02/2024 - Prospect.6 the future is present, the harbinger is home

11/06/2024 - Burlesque Bingo with Lefty Lucy (Postponed)

11/08/2024 - Samson & Delilah in Concert

11/12/2024 - “Beetlejuice”

11/13/2024 - "Museum of the Soon to Depart" Book Signing and Poetry Reading with author Andy Young

11/15/2024 - Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Gustav Holst's The Planets

11/16/2024 - Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents the Adventures in Space Family Concert

12/03/2024 - "Elf"

12/05/2024 - A Christmas Carol

12/05/2024 - Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Classical Christmas featuring Handel's Messiah

12/13/2024 - New Orleans Ballet Theatre presents The Nutcracker

12/17/2024 - "The Cher Show"

12/19/2024 - Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Holiday Spectacular featuring Doreen Ketchens, Robin Barnes, and Mark Romig

01/09/2025 - Good Night, Oscar

01/14/2025 - "& Juliet"

02/05/2025 - Opera on the Bayou: Voices of New Orleans

02/11/2025 - "Mamma Mia"

03/11/2025 - "Funny Girl"

04/03/2025 - Overlook Film Festival

04/04/2025 - Elixir of Love

04/05/2025 - "Hamilton"

05/01/2025 - Doubt, a parable

05/10/2025 - Giselle

05/13/2025 - "The Wiz"

06/05/2025 - Ain't Misbehavin'

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