Hot Art Cool Nights
Friday, May 10, 2024
6PM - 10PM
Mid-City's spring arts and culture festival!
Plan Your Experience
The festival is totally free and spans from Jefferson Highway at Goodwood Boulevard to the intersection of Government and 14th streets. Use of rideshare apps such as Uber and Lyft is encouraged the night of the event, as well as riding bikes on Mid City’s newest bike lanes. Check out the map for parking and a list of all of the participating shops and businesses along the route.
Event Map
Plan your experience across Mid City using our interactive event map
Mid City Sponsors
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Are you an artist?
Partner with a hosting business to showcase and sell your products.
Hot Art Cool Nights is an event hosted by over 40 independent businesses each spring. We encourage businesses to open their doors and parking lots to a range of visual and performing artists, including chefs, musicians, performers, dancers, and makers. While we do not place artists at individual businesses for Hot Art Cool Nights, our website serves as a resource for businesses looking for artists to sell products at its location. If you would like to join Mid City Merchants as an artist, you can be added to our public artist registry and host a catalog of your work for everyone to see.
Mid City business? Host an art hop stop!
Register your Mid City location to get on the map
* All local makers, artists and business owners without a brick and mortar store or Mid City location looking to popup at a Mid City business should sign our interest form above.
Mid City is made up of hundreds of engaged, dedicated businesses. With the help of our participating businesses, we are able to cover event fees like permitting and law enforcement, and even pay for significant print and digital advertising.
By making the commitment to be a participating business, you will benefit from our advertisements, police, insurance, and event organizing by our Mid City Merchants Board of Directors. Sponsors can have their event promoted on our social media pages and website as well.
In order to open your doors during this community event, you must be a member of Mid City Merchants and pay the participation fee below. Not a member yet? Sign up here!
Sponsorship Benefits
Mid City Sponsor: receive all of the benefits of participation, recognition on the online map, logo on the website under sponsors, and a social media post featuring your business on the Facebook event page and Instagram, which has over five thousand followers.
The Presenting Sponsor: receives all of the benefits of Mid City Sponsors, and your logo or business name featured prominently in all digital marketing, print advertisements, radio ads, printed materials, and social media posts. We will also highlight your business in several, dedicated social media posts. There can only be ONE Presenting Sponsor each year. Please email us at info@midcitymerchants.org for more information.
Make sure your business is covered.
Event permitting can be tricky. But if you’re new to events, planning to sell alcohol, or just want to make sure you’re covered, we’ve provided a cheat sheet to help you navigate the permitting process in Baton Rouge.
Not a Mid City Business? Become a community partner!
Considering sponsoring*, but you’re outside of Mid City? In addition to the pride of supporting the largest, free community event in Mid City, we highlight our sponsors throughout the event. Become a Community Partner of Mid City to support creative placemaking and community development in the heart of the city.
* All Mid City businesses should sign up to sponsor above in the business section.
Community Sponsors
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Thank you to our generous sponsors.
It takes a village. Mid City is lucky to have the best community leaders around. Without the tireless support of our sponsors, Hot Art Cool Nights and White Light Night could not be the incredible moment of art, diversity, culture, beauty, fun, and community spirit that it has become.
Mid City Sponsors
Mid City Partners
Community Partners
Interested in becoming a Mid City Merchant volunteer?
Mid City Merchants is run entirely by a volunteer board of engaged business owners and concerned citizens. With no paid staff to run and organize an event that draws nearly 5,000 people each year to our community, we are always looking for unique and novel ways to connect volunteers to action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is membership free?
Membership for businesses is $125 per year and membership for artists is $35 per year. These costs help our all-volunteer board cover our nonprofits basic costs and entitle you to a few benefits:
- Send us news or updates about your business so our volunteers can share it on our social media accounts.
- Have your events and sales listed on our website and potentially featured in our newsletter!
Just log into your account, visit our Events page, and submit your event. We'll use these submissions to help promote your business or art on our social media and to our email list.
- If you're a business, you will be able to participate in White Light Night and Hot Art Cool Nights. While those events do have separate fees that cover insurance, police, marketing, and busses, you must be a member to participate or sponsor.
- Last, but certainly not least, you help to promote public art and maintain the Mid City Arts + Culture District.
How do I make a donation?
That’s easy! If you want to make a general donation to Mid City Merchants, go here: [here]
I'm a business owner. How do I register for an event?
If you're a business, make sure you're a current and active member that is logged into their account. From their visit the event page and sign up!
Please keep in mind that registration may not be currently available because it hasn't been opened up yet. Don't worry! Event registration information will become available soon.
Some businesses choose to add event participation at the start of the year when they pay their membership. This way, they can either pay for everything all at once, or even split up their payments over several months.
If you take advantage of this feature, great! When you go to sign up to participate in the event, it will automatically credit your ticket purchase. If you experience technical difficulties or believe you were improperly charged, please email info@midcityerchants.org
I'm an artist. How do I register for an event?
Mid City Merchants does not place artists, nor do we charge artists to participate!
Individual businesses select to host artists and may or may not charge a small fee, usually between $35 and $75 per spot. In order to find participating businesses so you can ask to set up there, please visit our map of participating businesses on our event page.
How do I become a board member?
We are always looking for passionate and dedicated people to join our board!
Our organization is run entirely by volunteer board members that are local business owners or artists like yourself. If you think you'd like to be a part of our crew, email info@midcitymerchants.org
We nominate board members in December and host elections each January.
What does the participation event fee cover?
Your organization’s participation will be promoted on our social media platforms and promotional items. Also your support will go into the Public Art Funds to support the Mid City area gaining 3D art within the community.
Who do I contact if I have any questions?
Email info@midcitymerchants.org
I want to participate, but I don't have a storefront.
If you are a business that does not have a storefront you can rent out an open space along Government St. through the owner or you can partner with a business that has a storefront along Government St.
Will security be provided?
Yes, we will have police officers throughout the event.
Will the event cancel if it rains?
White Light Night is a rain or shine event.
Do I need insurance to participate?
We encourage you to reach out to your host site as this is different for each location.
How do I sign up for a location?
There are two ways you can sign up for a location:
1: If there is a specific location you would like to set up, you can go to that specific business and ask to be a part of their WLN experience. You can also review our active map on our website to learn which businesses will be a part of WLN.
2: Now that you have registered as an artist through our Artist Interest Form, your business is now on our Artist registry, which is shared with all participating businesses. Each host site can then use this list to contact the artist they would like to be part of their WLN experience.
How do I find artists to setup at my host site?
All Mid City Merchants will receive the Artist Registry and from this list the Merchant will find all the artists that are seeking a host site.
Do I have to be a Mid City Merchant to host a site?
Yes
Do I have to be a New Artist Member to be a part of White Light Night?
No, you can simply complete our Artist Interest Form and from there you will be a part of our Artist Registry.
What type of business qualifies to be part of this event?
We consider all creatives artists from a tea brewer to a painter and all those in between.
What do I need to bring for the event?
We encourage you to bring all materials that are needed for the success of your event during a pop up shop. Also we suggest contacting your host site to see if you would need to bring your own table, tent, and chairs.
How much does it cost to setup?
The price is at the discretion of the hostsite. Reach out to your host site or potential sites to learn more.
Can we serve alcohol?
Serving alcohol is at the discretion of your host site and their insurance. Reach out to your host site or potential site to learn more.
Have questions?
Looking for more information? Please contact us to learn more about our events, programs and opportunities.
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