For more information, questions or comments please email Kelsea McCrary at kmccrary@crt.la.gov
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Oct. 1, 2020: The Office of the Lt. Governor and the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism are pleased to announce certification of 9 new Cultural Districts. This brings the total number of Cultural District to 115, in 71 towns and 41 parishes in all corners of Louisiana, evidence that this is a successful initiative embraced by local governments and cultural stakeholders throughout the state.
The new districts certified in 2020 are:
New Application Dates! Applications will open May 15th, 2021 and close August 1st, 2021 for all new applications to the Cultural Districts program. Boundary Expansion applications will open May 15th, 2021 and close August 1st, 2021. Both will only be available through the new Cultural Districts portal, louisianaculturaldistricts.org. These dates are subject to change.
Recent legislative action to address the fiscal crisis during the most recent special session eliminated the state tax exemption for original art sold in a Cultural District. The state sales tax was set at 4.45% until 2025. The result for our art sellers is that they must now charge the full Louisiana state sales tax, 4.45% on all works of original art.
Note: They may still exempt the local tax, but they must report those tax exempt sales to the parish sales tax office.
For more information, head over to the Resources tab underneath the Cultural Districts drop down on the navigation menu.
Click here for Cultural Districts Guidelines and Applications.
QUICK LINKS
Check out how our Districts are performing by viewing our Annual Reports.
2018 ANNUAL REPORT: The Executive Summary of the 2019 Annual Report features the highlights of the full report which is a compilation of the individual reports submitted from cultural districts in existence in 2018.
Previous Annual ReportsCULTURAL DISTRICTS IN THE NEWS
Cultural Districts En Plein Air | April 2017 | Click to Read |
Making Places Better - Preservation in Print | Sept 2016 | Click to Read |
Business of Culture and Art - Shreveport | Jan 2016 | Click to Read |
Culture Important to Parish | Nov 2015 | Click to Read |
Profitable Artists - BR Business Report | June 2015 | Click to Read |
Small is Beautiful by Anne Gadwa | July 2014 | Click to Read |
Hammond Celebrates Art and Culture | April 2014 | Click to Read |
Sen. Landrieu in Arnaudville | August 2013 | Click to Read |
Leeville Fishing Village-Dardenne | Sept 2013 | Click to Read |
Shreveport Preservation Commission could save homes | Sept 2013 | Click to Read |
Redevelopment of Freret Street | August 2013 | Click to Read |
Rivertown Kenner | July 2013 | Click to Read |
St Claude Main Street Arts-Culture Program | March 2013 | Click to Read |
Cultural district will help university | November 29, 2012 | Click to Read |
Official: Growing cultural district good for economy | August 23, 2012 | Click to Read |
Need community development? Put your money on the arts by Anne Gadwa | September, 2011 | Click to Read |
Historic factory renovation in S. Broad Street CD | April, 2011 | Click to Read |
LSU Minden Main Street Workshop | January, 2011 | Click to Read |
Lafayette Announces Tax Free Designation Lafayette | March 10, 2010 | Click to Read |
Lake Charles Cottage Shops Recognized as Cultural District Lake Charles | March 5, 2010 | Click to Read |
New Mid City Cultural District in Baton Rouge Baton Rouge | February 22, 2010 | Click to Read |
Jimmy Robinson: Musician, Incubator and Advocate- New Orleans | November 2, 2009 | Click to Read |
Tax incentives hope to stimulate local art world- New Orleans | October 4, 2009 | Click to Read |
Slidell Announces 2009-10 Cultural Season- Slidell | October, 2009 | Click to Read |
Marigny Chosen as Great Neighborhood by APA New Orleans | September 2009 | Click to Read |
District aim to boost arts, cultural commerce- Shreveport | June 7, 2009 | Click to Read |
Byawater Art Lofts New Orleans | June 2, 2009 | Click to Read |
Houma | Jan 28, 2009 | Click to Read |
Cooltown Studios | Jan. 9, 2009 | Click to Read |
Times Picayune | Dec. 4, 2008 | Click to Read |
Preservation in Print — Page 16 | Summer 2008 | Click to Read |
Cultural Economy Tax Initiatives Package | June 2007 | Click to Read |
For a complete list of Cultural Districts and maps of each district click here.