New Orleans is a city filled with passionate, diverse citizens; our love for our city unites us. Recently we sat down with one our fellow New Orleanians to get to know more about how art and tourism affect the lives of citizens from all different industries and areas in our creative city.
Jennifer Beaver is Senior Regional Marketing Specialist of Whitney Bank in New Orleans, and this is a busy time for her as Whitney Bank gears up for Whitney White Linen Night this Saturday, August 2 along Julia Street. Jennifer talked with us about her work, the event, and the importance of tourism in New Orleans.
How long have you lived in New Orleans?
Originally from Houston TX, I moved to New Orleans in the fall of 2006 after graduating from college, so a little less than 8 years. Many locals call me a transplant because I love the city so much, but I am not a native.
Tell us about the work that you do.
I work within the corporate marketing department at Hancock Holding Company, under the Whitney Bank brand handling requests from Retail, Commercial and Wealth lines of business for the organization regionally. I am responsible for advertising, PR, branding, and sponsorship activation.
What do you love most about your work?
I am passionate about writing and creatively communicating to promote the Whitney brand. It’s a brand that has been around for 131 years and is historically tied to the city of New Orleans’ rich history. As a young professional, I enjoy relating the brand to future generations regionally, to continue its legacy of helping individuals achieve their financial goals and dreams.
Why do you think it’s important to celebrate art in New Orleans?
New Orleans has a unique culture and the arts are reflective of the human experience of living here. The arts draw restaurants, retailers and new residents, stabilizing neighborhoods and creating bright futures for generations of New Orleanians. Visitors come to New Orleans to experience the regional flavor and nothing is more reflective of the diverse landscape than its arts community.
How does an event like Whitney White Linen Night benefit our city?
Whitney White Linen Night is an event conceived to drive tourism in the hot summer months. Its blend of art and culture as well as accessibility (attendance is free) provides the community a way to enjoy art but also be a part of the experience that is New Orleans. Here we love to celebrate anything, and the arts are no exception.
Why do you think New Orleans is such a creative city?
New Orleans is a city that continues to innovate in all creative fields like music, cuisine, fashion and art while still grasping the traditions that are centuries old. Between Carnival and the many annual festivals, there is always something to do and experience, which makes New Orleans an attractive place to live and visit. I believe it is a city that evokes the creativity out of individuals, changing them forever.
How does our thriving tourism industry affect the art community in our city?
The thriving tourism industry facilitates economic growth for New Orleans. The arts not only spur trade and industry development, but also shape our local consciousness. They influence the collective attitude and inspire and remake behavior.
What do you think New Orleans and the art scene would be like without tourism?
That’s a hard question to answer; I cannot image New Orleans without tourism. The city itself is designed for people to visit and appreciate its Southern charm and vibrant history. Every neighborhood has a unique story, and the art that is generated for the different burrows of New Orleans tells those stories.
What would you like to see New Orleans accomplish in the future?
I think technology as an industry needs to grow in New Orleans, with all the developments this city has seen in the past nine years I find there is a reluctance to go digital. With the influx of young professionals moving to New Orleans we should see a change. Hopefully newcomers recognize the need to hold on to century old traditions and translate that to a technical world.
What do you love most about this city?
The music — I love that any night of the week I can see talented musicians drumming out beats in almost every local venue. There are events like Jazz Fest where every year I cross off musical artists from my bucket list.
NEW ORLEANS WILL…
continue to be a place people want to live, invest in and thrive.