New Orleans Center for Creative Arts

What New Orleans Center for Creative Arts does

NOCCA (New Orleans Center for Creative Arts) is a regional public, pre-professional arts training center located at 2800 Chartres Street along the New Orleans riverfront, operating as a state agency within the Louisiana Department of Education since 2000. Founded in 1973 by a coalition of artists, educators, business leaders, and community activists, the institution delivers tuition-free, audition-only arts training to approximately 600 high school students drawn from across Louisiana. NOCCA offers intensive instruction across 10 arts disciplines (Classical Instrumental, Creative Writing, Culinary Arts, Dance, Entertainment Production Design, Jazz, Media Arts, Theatre Arts, Visual Arts, and Vocal Music) through three enrollment models: Half-Day Instruction (students remain enrolled at sending high schools), the full-day Academic Studio (approximately 250 students in a TOPS-aligned college-preparatory program), and Experience NOCCA after-school workshops for 7th-9th graders. Graduates achieve 95-98% college and conservatory placement, with approximately 80% receiving scholarships; the Class of 2025 alone received $46 million in scholarship offers.

The institution's technical infrastructure includes a professional recording studio with green screen and professional lighting, two Apple-based computer labs, professional-grade DSLR and cinema cameras, lighting rigs, and portable audio recording equipment, supported by industry-standard software across media and culinary disciplines. The Culinary Arts curriculum was developed in collaboration with the Emeril Lagasse Foundation as a first-of-its-kind high school program. Faculty includes internationally acclaimed artists such as Jazz Department Chair Victor Goines (formerly of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis Septet) and Jason Marsalis. NOCCA has produced a remarkable alumni roster including Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., Terence Blanchard, Anthony Mackie, and Jon Batiste.

NOCCA operates a public funding model in which all programs are tuition-free to students. Revenue derives from Louisiana Department of Education state appropriations, foundation grants, and private philanthropy from supporters including the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Chevron, Hancock Whitney Bank, and the Freeport McMoRan Foundation. Go-to-market is event-driven and audition-based: prospective students apply through the Acceptd platform each fall for the following school year, with auditions conducted in spring and admission granted solely on artistic merit. Community Outreach programs extend the institution's reach through partnerships with 12+ Louisiana arts organizations, professional development for arts educators, and summer intensives spanning multiple cities across the state.

Name

New Orleans Center for Creative Arts

Legal name

New Orleans Center for Creative Arts

Website

https://nocca.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Short description

NOCCA is a tuition-free, audition-based public arts conservatory and Louisiana state agency delivering pre-professional training across 10 disciplines to approximately 600 high school students, with 95-98% college placement and 80% scholarship rates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pre-Professional Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College) (EDAMANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Charter Arts & Performing Arts Schools (EDAJACAH), Visual Arts & Media Arts Programs (Art Club, Photography, Film) (EDAJAJAF), Professional Culinary Arts (Chef Training) (EDAOAKAA)

Keywords

• Pre-professional arts training
• Arts conservatory education
• High school arts programs
• Tuition-free arts education
• Creative arts instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: NOCCA operates as a regional public, pre-professional arts training center. It is a state agency within the Louisiana Department of Education. Revenue comes from public educational funding mechanisms including state allocations and potentially federal education funding.
2. Tuition-Free Programs: NOCCA's programs are tuition-free for all students. The institution covers operational costs through public funding rather than student tuition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NOCCA provides tuition-free, audition-based pre-professional arts training to Louisiana high school students across 10 disciplines including culinary arts, dance, media arts, music (classical, jazz, vocal), theatre arts, visual arts, and creative writing. The institution offers both Half-Day Instruction (where students remain enrolled at their sending high school) and the Academic Studio full-day program combining intensive arts training with college-preparatory academics accredited by the State of Louisiana.

Product overview

NOCCA (New Orleans Center for Creative Arts) is a regional public, pre-professional arts training center offering 11 distinct arts disciplines including Classical Instrumental, Creative Writing, Culinary Arts, Dance, Entertainment Production Design, Jazz Instrumental, Media Arts, Theatre Arts, Visual Arts, and Vocal Music. The institution operates two instructional models: the Half-Day Instruction program where students train at NOCCA while remaining enrolled at their sending high school, and the Academic Studio full-day program combining arts training with a college-preparatory academic curriculum. Additional offerings include Experience NOCCA after-school workshops for middle school students and Community Outreach programs supporting arts education throughout Louisiana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Classical Instrumental Pre-professional training in piano, strings, brass, winds, and guitar with focus on standard repertoire, chamber music, theory, musicianship, scales, etudes, and accompaniment for high school students.
• Creative Writing Program for curious, imaginative students who love language and are willing to work hard to develop their craft through reading, writing, discussion, and critique.
• Culinary Arts Four-year culinary course of study developed in collaboration with the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, featuring hands-on training, technique classes, and mentorship from industry-leading chefs; a first-of-its-kind curriculum for high school students.
• Dance Comprehensive pre-professional dance education including classical ballet, pointe, modern, contemporary, jazz, tap, African Diasporic Dance forms, dance conditioning, anatomy, nutrition, history, and improvisation.
• Entertainment Production Design Training for theatrical designers and stage technicians covering stage lighting, sound design, costuming, make-up, hair, set construction, and stage management.
• Jazz Instrumental Jazz music program teaching scales, chords, fundamental stylistic elements of jazz through repertoire, combo performance, music theory, and classical music study.
• Media Arts Foundational framework for film, animation, audio arts, and immersive media including filmmaking from script to screen, stop motion, motion graphics, 3-D modeling, sound design, and audio engineering, supported by professional recording studios with industry-standard software.
• Theatre Arts Training in drama and musical theatre with conservatory-style preparation including voice, acting, dance, theatrical skills, text analysis, and directing.
• Visual Arts Supportive and challenging arts environment for developing discipline, knowledge and dedication required to excel in visual arts through contemporary and historical art study.
• Vocal Music Vocal training program developing vocal technique, performance skills, and musicianship through classical vocal repertoire, voice class, music theory, musicianship, piano class, opera workshop and choral ensemble.
• Academic Studio Full-day academic and arts program offering college-preparatory curriculum including Integrated Sciences, Integrated Humanities, foreign language, Health and PE, leading to Louisiana High School Diploma with TOPS qualification preparation; serves approximately 250 students.
• Half-Day Instruction Traditional instructional model where students remain enrolled at their sending high school while training at NOCCA in their chosen arts discipline, with credits transferring toward graduation requirements.
• Experience NOCCA After-school workshop series for 7th-9th grade students providing introductory experiences across 10 arts disciplines to prepare for and sample conservatory arts education.
• Community Outreach Initiatives supporting student artists and arts educators in Louisiana through workshops, summer outreach partnerships with 12+ organizations, and professional development in all 11 arts disciplines.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95-98% of NOCCA graduates go on to college and conservatory programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Lorna and CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatre Arts Intensive partnership for summer outreach program, June 8-10, 2026, serving students in Houma, LA
• Be Loud StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia Arts Intensive partnership for summer outreach program, June 1-12, serving students in New Orleans, LA
• Louis Armstrong Jazz CampcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJazz Intensive partnership for summer outreach program, June 8-26, 2026
• F.I.R.E. Expressions Performing Arts ConservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDance Intensive partnership for summer outreach program, June 15-19, 2026, serving students in Lafayette, LA
• Wonderland Performing ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusical Theatre Intensive partnership for summer outreach program, June 29-July 3, 2026
• River Oaks Square Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer arts program partnership, June 8-12, 2026, serving students in Alexandria, LA
• Teche Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDance and Media Arts Intensive partnership, July 20-24, 2026, serving students in Beaux Bridge, LA
• East Baton Rouge Fine ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic program partnership, May 26-28 and June 1-3, 2026, serving students in Baton Rouge, LA
• University of New Orleans (UNO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArticulation agreement partner allowing NOCCA students pathways to college credit and continued arts education
• Nicholls State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArticulation agreement partner providing pathways for NOCCA students to pursue continued education
• Northwestern State University (NSULA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArticulation agreement partner with NOCCA for student advancement to university programs

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Interlochen Arts Academy: Pre-college residential arts boarding school offering intensive training across music, visual arts, theatre, dance, creative writing, and film — directly comparable to NOCCA as a pre-professional arts conservatory for high school students, although Interlochen is private and tuition-based while NOCCA is tuition-free public.
• Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts: NYC public specialized high school offering audition-based pre-professional training in visual art, instrumental music, vocal music, dance, and theatre. Closest large-city analogue to NOCCA's tuition-free, audition-only model.
• Baltimore School for the Arts: Public Baltimore city high school offering audition-based pre-professional training in music, dance, theatre, visual arts, and film. Comparable to NOCCA as a tuition-free public arts conservatory serving regional high school students.
• Idyllwild Arts Academy: Residential pre-professional arts high school offering conservatory-style training across multiple disciplines. Comparable to NOCCA in mission and student age range; differs in being a private, tuition-based boarding model.
• Duke Ellington School of the Arts: Public pre-professional arts high school in Washington, D.C. offering audition-based conservatory training across music, visual arts, theatre, dance, and media — directly comparable as a tuition-free, audition-only public arts secondary school.
• New World School of the Arts: Miami-based public magnet high school and college partnership offering conservatory training across dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and film. Directly comparable as a tuition-free public arts school serving regional high school talent.
• Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA): California public pre-professional arts school serving grades 7-12 with audition-based admission across multiple conservatory-style disciplines. Comparable public-school model with similar multi-disciplinary arts scope.
• Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts: Dallas public magnet high school with audition-based admission offering conservatory training across dance, music, theatre, and visual arts. Directly comparable as a tuition-free public arts secondary school.

Broad incumbents

• The Juilliard School: Premier post-secondary conservatory offering pre-professional training in dance, drama, and music. Overlaps with NOCCA in arts pedagogy and faculty network (Victor Goines was founding Director of Jazz Studies at Juilliard), but serves college-aged rather than secondary students.
• Berklee College of Music / Berklee NYC: Post-secondary institution specializing in contemporary music, jazz, and performing arts with notable summer and pre-college programs for high school students. Comparable in pedagogical approach to music instruction, though primarily post-secondary.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/nocca
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/noccatube
• Facebookfacebook.com/NOCCA
• Instagraminstagram.com/nocca.nola

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Orleans Center for Creative Arts