Jude Law and Music for Tomorrow to Chart New Path for Post-Katrina New Orleans to Preserve City's Cultural Heritage

Jude Law and Music for Tomorrow to Chart New Path for Post-Katrina New Orleans to Preserve City's Cultural Heritage

September 18th Concert at Tulane University to Bring Artists, Musicians, Key Stakeholders Together to Promote City's Economic Development Through Rebirth of Jazz

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Music for Tomorrow Foundation is launching a national fundraising campaign to preserve the city's most precious resource -- jazz -- as the city still tries to overcome the devastation of Hurricane Katrina on the region's creative economy. Joining the cause are actor Jude Law, acclaimed author Douglas Brinkley, and musician Wynton Marsalis with the goal of raising a million dollars to invest in grants for displaced musicians and supplement the newly proposed National Jazz Center. Critical to the rebuilding efforts of New Orleans is the city's ability to support, sponsor, and deliver jazz programming in a state that recognizes the cultural economy as its second largest employer.

As his contribution to the fund-raising effort, on the September 18th Law will host a concert at Tulane University featuring the Irvin Mayfield Quintet. As the officially appointed Cultural Ambassador to the City of New Orleans, Mayfield has used his horn to bring attention to the viability of New Orleans' cultural sector. The concert is part of an on-going effort to combine the power of musicians, artists, and cultural organizations to leverage real change in the economic development sector.

"We have to bring passion and creativity back and that's why I was honored to be invited by the Music for Tomorrow Foundation to co-host the concert," said Law. "Music has to once again be a way of life for the people of New Orleans as it was before."

While repairing homes, water lines, levees and pumps are important priorities all agree need to be continuously addressed, the role of the artistic community in New Orleans life cannot be overlooked. New Orleans' cultural economy has perhaps taken the biggest hit because of the displacement of artists and the destruction of performance venues. Over 4,000 artists left because of damage and have yet to return and 75 percent of the city's cultural venues are still closed with some never to reopen again. This is a sharp contrast to the year 2003 when the non-profit cultural economy generated tens of millions in city and state and tax revenues and received upwards of $259 million in arts audience spending.

A $715 million plan was recently unveiled which would rebuild city hall and open a jazz park downtown. The Foundation is comprised of community leaders and visionaries laboring together towards a solution for the economic upturn and survival of New Orleans. Sponsors of the event on September 18 include Cox New Orleans and Strategic Hotels and Resorts.

Contact: Calvin Fortenberry, 914-316-8952

Source: Music for Tomorrow Foundation

CONTACT: Calvin Fortenberry, +1-914-316-8952, for Music for Tomorrow
Foundation

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