What We Fund

The Welcoming Committee was created in partnership with ASM Global, Zelia, Corporate Realty, Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District and Greater New Orleans Inc. The mural was completed in two phases, with the first finished in time to welcome visitors ahead of Super Bowl LIX.

About the Artist

A fine artist and designer, Annie Moran has long celebrated the nature and culture of her native Louisiana, particularly New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region. Her work spans watercolor and oil painting, murals, wallpaper and textile design. Though known for her interior mural work, The Welcoming Committee marks her first exterior, large-scale installation.

Born and raised in rural Louisiana, Moran’s childhood surrounded by lush natural beauty instilled a lifelong passion for capturing the region’s natural flora and fauna in her art. Her designs often feature motifs such as magnolias, birds, and palmettos, offering a modern interpretation of classic Southern charm.

The Artistic Vision: A Celebration of New Orleans

Designed to reflect the vibrancy and rhythm of New Orleans, The Welcoming Committee combines a classical composition with contemporary flair. Its imagery highlights the city’s music, cuisine, parade culture, and diverse heritage.

Key elements include:

• Cultural Figures: At the mural’s center stands a Black Masking Indian Queen, surrounded by figures representing New Orleans’ music, food, and parade traditions. These include brass band musicians, a Grand Marshall, chef, Zulu parade participant, young drummer, and violinist playing Cajun and Creole music.

• Natural Beauty: Louisiana’s native plants such as irises, palmettos, magnolias, and sassafras create a lush backdrop, while alligators, egrets, and pelicans add life to the composition. Cypress trees draped in Spanish moss frame the mural, anchoring it in the local landscape.

• Architectural Details: Decorative motifs inspired by Victorian shotgun houses and wrought-iron balconies adorn the borders, further grounding the piece in New Orleans’ unique architectural heritage.