Media

FEE: Negotiable

QUALIFICATIONS:I have worked on both sides of the equation from seeking media to writing for the media.

ABOUT: Jay Mazza has been covering and writing about the music scene in New Orleans since 1979 and has been documenting his live music experiences for over three decades. He has written three books: “Not Just Another Thursday Night: Kermit Ruffins and Vaughan’s Lounge,” “Up Front and Center: New Orleans Music at the End of the 20th Century” and “I’ve Got the Fish in the Head: A Radiators Retrospective.” He wrote the “Jazz City” column and covered culture in the Louisiana Weekly from 1992-2005. He also has numerous other writing credits including articles in Downbeat, Blues Access, Tower Records Pulse!, the New Orleans Advocate, the Times-Picayune, OffBeat and he was the editor of Beat Street magazine from 2001-2004. He is currently the New Orleans City Editor for www.thevinyldistrict.com and publicist for Family Fish Productions.

Accounting for Artists, Working with the Media, Business of theatre, visual arts, Nonprofit management, Social Media, Visual Arts Markets and Festivals

FEE: $25-$50 per hour, but can be flexible

QUALIFICATIONS: I find no greater joy than helping artists and organizations "figure it out." From creative development, marketing, operations, management, basic accounting, event production, and more I'm wholly aware of the challenges involved and always love to help. I'm very experienced and passionate about working with artists and organizations. It's what I do for my day job!

ABOUT: Ron Rona is a Cultural Engineer, Brand Strategist, and Creative Producer based in New Orleans, LA. He currently serves as Artistic Director for New Orleans’ esteemed Preservation Hall.

With roots in music, performance art, and experience design, Ron strives to make culture more visible by telling old stories in new ways through collaboration, innovative programming, storytelling, and strategic planning.

Music Business, Social Media

FEE: $40/hr

QUALIFICATIONS: I've worked extensively as a member of the media. As a journalist and editor focused primarily on music and culture, I've learned what makes for a compelling story and the best ways to get the attention of a writer. On the other side of the same coin, I've helped musicians on the PR side of working with the media, drafting press releases and managing PR campaigns in support of a new album or venture.

ABOUT: A writer and editor with more than a decade of experience, Amanda "Bonita" Mester is also a communications director and PR strategist. From 2011 to 2014, she served as Adjunct Professor of Media Criticism at Adelphi University. She earned her Master's Degree in Communications from Fordham University. In 2017, Mester was hired as Digital Editor of OffBeat, the city’s pre-eminent music and culture publication. During her tenure, she published cover stories on PJ Morton, B-Mike, The Soul Rebels, Raj Smoove and has interviewed dozens of local musicians including Tank and the Bangas, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, 5th Ward Weebie, Trombone Shorty and Cha Wa. In 2020, she co-hosted the Band Together Benefit, a virtual New Orleans music festival. More recently, she produced a five-part Red Bull Radio series featuring New Orleans DJs and an ongoing video series featuring New Orleans hip-hop artists. She is a founding partner at Jazz Crawl Productions, a live event and digital media company devoted to promoting and supporting the cultural performers of New Orleans through documentary media, tours, workshops and more; and she co-founded The Gentilly Agency alongside Raj Smoove. She launched her independent PR and creative strategy company, Under the Sun, in 2021.

I believe that my artist’s perspective is enriched by participation in various arts communities as a published arts writer, occasional curator, fundraiser and event planner, and member of a gallery collective. I have moderated artist talks, written statements and bios for artists, creatives, and a culture bearer, composed various press releases, and manage media and communications for a church parish and a resale business here in New Orleans. I am an avid art spectator and revel in sharing the work of others.

I would be happy to compose written material in support of artists, creatives, and culture bearers or to coach them through the process of writing on their own behalf. This could include press releases, bios, statements, social media posts, essays for websites, and so on