Louisiana Heritage Tourism Corridor
Summary
In 2024, Blanchard House Institute (BHI) committed to transform underinvested communities in Louisiana over the next two years by leveraging the film and entertainment industry’s economic potential. BHI will create educational programs to support 500 students, develop professional job training opportunities for 300 people, and lead cultural preservation initiatives to stimulate local investment, counter brain drain, and foster sustainable economic growth. Collaborating with partners such as Film Louisiana, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) , UNESCO, and local educational institutions, BHI will strengthen their training programs, support local entrepreneurship, and facilitate film productions that highlight local heritage. BHI’s approach to facilitating public-private-philanthropic partnerships will create 240 green economy jobs and lead to $1 million in investments to support innovation and entrepreneurship regionally. This work will contribute to the direct economic uplift of 2,000 people by promoting Louisiana’s rich cultural history and driving a regional cultural and economic renaissance.
Approach
Blanchard House Institute (BHI) commits to leveraging the economic potential of the film and entertainment industry to stimulate job creation, foster local investment, and counter brain drain in rural and underinvested communities throughout Louisiana. By launching a series of targeted initiatives spanning two years, BHI will support the development of educational programs, create professional opportunities, and enhance cultural preservation, to support heritage tourism in the Louisiana Heritage Tourism Corridor.
BHI is uniquely positioned to tackle this challenge in Louisiana due to its track record as an effective hub and narrative change platform and cross-sector coalition builder that incubates community-led projects from early-stage to well-established initiatives requiring support.
First focusing on educational programs, BHI has developed multiple partnerships to drive the following collaborative educational programs: International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) to develop comprehensive training offerings that expand film and media curricula, providing 500 students and 300 adults with the skills necessary to pursue careers in the film industry; Operation HOPE’s One Million Black Businesses (1MBB) Initiative, to support to 75 local entrepreneurs to supply the goods and services needed by the film and entertainment industry; the Louisiana Home Builders Association to facilitate workforce development in historic preservation and construction trades; and with Women in Film & Television Louisiana to maximize the cultivation and utilization of local talent.
Beyond education, BHI will also support professional opportunities for those in the community by creating 100 internships and apprenticeship programs that offer hands-on experience and job placements. Additionally, BHI will assist the residents of St. John the Baptist Parish to develop a viable downtown business district to enhance cultural preservation and promote economic development. This preservation work will facilitate the production of films that highlight local stories and heritage, thereby boosting tourism and generating economic activity. Over two years, this collective work will contribute to the direct economic uplift of 2,000 people.
Action Plan
Year 1, Q1/Q2:
Heritage tourism: Launch the community-informed economic and cultural master plan process for the Louisiana Heritage Tourism Corridor (LHTC) , focusing on an 18-mile corridor along the Mississippi River in St. John the Baptist Parish. ; acquire additional properties required to establish the corridor in its entirety.
Education: Collaborate with local educational and industry leaders, working with entertainment unions; design curriculum based on the workforce training requirements for each career in the film and entertainment industry.
Year 1, Q3/Q4:
Economic development: Create a satellite office for Operation HOPE to support local business development to supply the goods and services required by the film industry.
Heritage tourism: Achieve UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for the LHTC; establish a car ferry service to connect the community and boost local business support from residents and visitors alike
Film engagement: Establish a timeline for the production of the “The Womb Rebellion.” The book, “The Womb Rebellion,” was highlighted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival Shoot the Book! Juried Event for film adaptation. During Cannes, the optioning of rights to a French-Louisianan film producer was negotiated, with the intent that the project be produced at a site located in the LHTC.
Youth engagement: Activate local youth partners to support community storytelling and workforce development training opportunities; promote project work at the New Orleans Film Festival and other high profile events.
Year 2, Q1/Q2:
Education: Launch educational programs with collaborative partners; identify local storytellers and cultural projects.
Economic development: BHI will also establish a CDFI and direct CRA funding toward the economic revitalization of the LHTC.
Year 2, Q3/Q4:
Education: Scale up entrepreneurship programs, facilitate professional development through internships and apprenticeships, provide hands-on experience and job placements; organize community events to showcase outcomes and regional heritage.
Evaluation: Evaluate program impacts; release a comprehensive report to document outcomes and ensure sustainability and continuation of the initiatives.
Background
There is a pervasive lack of awareness about the significant contributions of the film and television industry to local economies, particularly in rural and underinvested communities throughout Louisiana, the birthplace of the first indoor seated movie theater in the country. Growth of these industries leads to the strategic cultivation of local entrepreneurship; however, despite the industry’s proven impact on job creation, local investment, and state revenues, there remains a critical gap in understanding and appreciation of these positive impacts among community leaders and legislators. This gap leads to missed opportunities for economic growth, cultural and historical preservation, and educational development.
Empirical data collected by Blanchard House Institute’s partners highlights the film industry’s role in countering brain drain across Louisiana by providing educational and professional opportunities that encourage local talent to remain in the state. For instance, the film industry in Louisiana supports over 10,000 jobs and generates nearly $1 billion in local sales to businesses, alongside $350 million in resident payroll annually. Despite these substantial contributions, rural and historically underinvested areas often do not benefit equally from the industry’s potential. This can be attributed to the lack of focus on creating educational pipelines for meeting the skilled workforce needs of the film and entertainment industry in local schools and nurturing local businesses to serve as lasting business infrastructure to support the sustainability and growth of the film industry in Louisiana.
Blanchard House Institute has a track record of supporting legislation and directing funding to support ‘heritage tourism’ focused on spurring economic development and attracting visitors based on a region’s history and culture. Within this framework of heritage tourism lies a tremendous opportunity to leverage the development of Louisiana’s film and entertainment industry as a major economic driver for the state and its residents. With its rich culture, historic communities and architecture, its natural environments, and its tax incentives for the entertainment industry, Louisiana is the perfect state to nurture film and entertainment careers.
Progress Update
Partnership Opportunities
To successfully complete and scale this commitment, Blanchard House Institute is seeking various resources and services. They could learn from the best practices of others who have successfully implemented educational and professional development programs. Financial resources are also essential to support these initiatives. Further they are seeking implementing partners who can collaborate with them, including local educational institutions, industry leaders, and community organizations. Media support is needed to highlight their efforts and outcomes, helping to raise awareness and attract additional support. Lastly, they require topic expertise in cultural preservation and economic development to ensure their programs are effective and sustainable. These resources and services will enable Blanchard House Institute to maximize the impact of their commitment, driving significant economic and cultural growth in underinvested communities throughout Louisiana., As part of this commitment, Blanchard House Institute is offering a variety of resources and services to their commitment partners. They will share best practices and successful models for educational and professional development programs in the film industry. They will convene new partners to support this work, with an emphasis on heritage tourism and workforce development. They also have expertise in establishing community-based business support counseling and financial education to support and grow local businesses. They will collaborate with local educational institutions, industry leaders, and community organizations as implementing partners. Additionally, they provide extensive topic expertise in cultural preservation and economic development within the film industry. BHI will incorporate these initiatives into the framework of the Economic and Cultural Masterplan for the LHTC. By helping steward the Masterplan, they will also help identify new streams of funding and partnerships to ensure the sustainability and expansion of these initiatives.