Celebrate with Johnette Downing at the Fourth Annual NOTCF Honors Gala! We are pleased to recognize Johnette as the 2026 Literary Arts & Humanities Honoree.
Johnette Downing is a New Orleans author, illustrator, musician, and poet known as the “Bard of the Bayou” and the “Cajun Raffi,” who has performed on five continents and earned dozens of awards for her thirty-two books and thirteen recordings. Her literary work earned her the 2017 Louisiana Writer Award. Johnette’s 2026 releases include My Little Snap Bean, Zydeco for Children, and Just Irma: The Biography of Irma Thomas. She continuously shares Louisiana’s culture with children around the world.
Join us on Friday, January 9, 2026 to honor Johnette’s impact. Purchase your tickets to the Honors Gala today! #linkinbio