What We Fund

One generation of artists inspires the next.

The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) Artist-in-Residence program (AIR) is based on the master-apprentice approach to education and is a fundamental training tool, and because of The Helis Foundation NOCCA faculty bring in 75 – 100 master artists annually.  

Guest artists primarily work in the classroom with students over one-day to two-week residencies. Some also are presented in public performance through the Institute’s Center Stage, Creative Reading and Gallery Series.  

Artists from across the region and country are selected by faculty to enhance the curricula, expose students to real-world professional experiences, and show students a broad range of artistic techniques and aesthetic principles that may not be the expertise of regular faculty. Residencies also keep NOCCA faculty connected to the latest technologies and innovations in their fields.  

Visiting master artists help students understand the artistic lineage they’re a part of while forming a learning environment that is engaging and ever-changing. This interaction inspires young artists to further explore, innovate, and create.