Jordan Koppens is the Marketing Director and Arts Market Producer at Arts New Orleans, and she’s been quietly shaping the creative ecosystem of this city for years. We talk about her journey from growing up between Louisiana and Mississippi to coming back to New Orleans in 2010 to dive into the music scene, curate shows, and build spaces where artists could experiment and grow. Jordan shares how New Orleans has changed post-Katrina, what gentrification and corporate ownership have meant for native musicians, and why she calls this city “the biggest art class with no teacher.”

We dig into how Arts New Orleans and the Arts Market of New Orleans give artists real opportunities to build sustainable creative businesses through open-air markets, public art, and youth programming. Jordan breaks down how the juried art market works, how they support over 300 Gulf South artists, and how programs like LUNA Fête, the Young Artist Movement, and the Percent for Art initiative are investing directly in local creators, from youth muralists to artists whose work now hangs in city buildings. We also get into the behind-the-scenes challenges of producing outdoor markets—from permits and tax bonds to unpredictable weather—and why supporting these spaces is essential to keeping New Orleans culture alive and in the hands of the people who create it.

Our show's host, David Adams, founded Elation Entertainment, a New Orleans-based multi-media entertainment company. With a solid foundation of 8 years working in the Los Angeles music scene conducting multiple music camps with Grammy Associates, Musicians, and Producers, David brings a wealth of expertise to the table. His experiences have taught him valuable lessons, encouraging him to bring the entertainment industry standards and creative spaces to New Orleans, a place he calls home. 

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