Cultural Districts

In 2007, the Louisiana Legislature passed Act 298, creating the state’s Cultural Districts program. It provides tax incentives to spark community revitalization based on cultural activity. As a result of this legislation, within designated Cultural Districts, sales of original, one-of-a-kind works of art are exempt from both state and local sales and use taxes. Also income and corporate franchise tax credits are allowed for eligible expenses for rehabilitation of owner-occupied or revenue generating structures in a Cultural District.

Friends of Lafitte Greenway applied in July, 2008 for Cultural District status for the Lafitte Corridor because we believe that commerce based upon the creation and appreciation of art and of our cultural heritage is consistent with the vision of what the Lafitte Greenway should bring to the City of New Orleans. When the list of approved Cultural Districts were announced by the State in November, 2008, we learned that the entire Greenway is included in two of the 17 Cultural Districts declared within New Orleans. One of these districts is the City Park-N.O. Museum of Art Cultural District (olive green on map below); the other is the Lafitte Greenway Cultural District (dark purple on map).

FOLC is spreading the word about the cultural district program so that artists, merchants and renovators can take advantage of it. See maps, instructions and links to the official Cultural District site below.