Ellis Marsalis Center for Music

Client Overview

The Ellis Marsalis Center for Music (EMCM) is a youth music program and community arts center founded by Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick, Jr. Located in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, the Center offers world-class music education, performance, and community programming in a neighborhood that was profoundly impacted by Hurricane Katrina and remains underserved to this day.

Challenges

The Center needed a new website that could communicate its cultural mission, clearly explain its programs—including concerts, youth education, studio space, and community events—and honor the legacy of Ellis Marsalis.

Solutions

We created a fully redesigned website that puts the Center’s students and artists center stage. The new site showcases their programming through bold imagery, simplified navigation, and compelling language that highlights the cultural and social impact of their work. We also created clear user pathways so that anyone visiting the site understands how to access the relevant resources and opportunities.

Outcomes

The redesigned site has helped the Center strengthen its local presence and national visibility, positioning it as a cornerstone of New Orleans’ cultural life and music education.