Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Trial and Error: Tipitina's Foundation Executive Director Bill Taylor discusses the foundation's role in the music community since Katrina.

After Hurricane Katrina, the Tipitina's Foundation sought to expand its mission to address the needs of New Orleans musicians with a variety of new programs. From hosting open meetings for the New Orleans music community to discuss the challenges the faced to opening their second floor Music Co-Op for workshops and Internet access during business hours to trying a free hot lunch program, Tip's experimented, to see what would best serve New Orleans music.


Ultimately, after raising record amounts of money, the Foundation elected to focus on programs like their longstanding Instruments-A-Comin', which donates instruments to New Orleans public schools, the Tipitina's Internship Program, and brand-new efforts to address the increasing housing problem.

Executive Director Bill Taylor discusses what worked, what didn't, and where the foundation is directing their efforts in the near future.