Two years after Hurricane Katrina, could culture be the best engine to drive the recovery of New Orleans?
Two leading American public radio presenters, Stephen Smith from Minnesota and Nick Spitzer from New Orleans, offer a provocative cultural tour of the city’s road to renewal. From its brass bands to its renowned pianists, from its leading painters to legendary clarinet and saxophone players, the culture of New Orleans is the soul of the city and was one of its most powerful economic engines before Katrina. Could it become that again? Katrina was the worst natural disaster in US history, flooding 80% of New Orleans alone, and causing widespread devastation and loss of life. As Smith and Spitzer find out, two years on from the hurricane, there’s not much evidence yet of the reconstruction help promised by the government. Over a third of pre-Katrina residents have not returned yet. The music and culture community are particularly badly affected, as many musicians and artists lived in the poorer, worst-hit neighbourhoods. But at least in those days it was cheap to live there, now rents hav
