NEW ORLEANS — Two City of New Orleans initiatives have been named finalists for the 2026 Music Cities Awards, an international program recognizing cities that are using music to drive economic development, strengthen communities, and support cultural ecosystems. New Orleans is among the top four finalists globally in two categories:
- Nightlife and Safe Space in Music – for the Tune-Up Grant Program, a city-led initiative that pairs live music venues with audio engineering students from Loyola University New Orleans to assess sound and operational needs, while providing funding for targeted improvements. The program simultaneously supports venue sustainability and builds a local workforce pipeline for live sound and production.
- Music Cities Policy – for the New Orleans Nighttime Economy Strategic Plan, the City’s first comprehensive framework for supporting the nighttime economy through five key categories, including music industry development.
“These nominations reflect the depth of work happening in New Orleans to support our music ecosystem through both policy and on-the-ground programs,” said Julia Heath, Policy & Outreach Manager in the New Orleans Office of Nighttime Economy. “It is meaningful to see this work recognized alongside leading efforts from cities across the globe.”
“The New Orleans Office of Nighttime Economy is grateful for Mayor Helena Moreno’s continued support – from her time as Councilmember-at-Large to now as Mayor – which has been instrumental in advancing this work. Her leadership reflects a clear understanding that New Orleans’ nighttime economy should be at the forefront of innovation, and we are proud to have that support as we continue building a stronger, more sustainable ecosystem,” said Michael Ince, Director for the Mayor’s Office of Nighttime Economy.
Finalists for the 2026 awards represent cities and organizations from around the world, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Colombia, South Africa, and Brazil, underscoring the global competitiveness and significance of this recognition. Only two other United States-based programs are among this year’s finalists.
The awards will be presented at the 2026 Music Cities Convention, taking place June 9–11 in Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom.
For more information, email Julia Heath, Office of Nighttime Economy, at julia.heath@nola.gov.