Works In Progress Louisiana

Works in Progress Louisiana (WIPLA) is a nonprofit organization located in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Our mission is to provide financial, educational, and business development resources directly to creative professionals who live/work throughout North Louisiana.

We accomplish this mission by:

1. Providing private, non-governmental grants to creative professionals,
2. Teaching low-cost business development workshops to creative professionals so they can learn to build sustainable practices;
3. Connecting buyers, customers and collectors with locally-sourced cultural goods and services via our free, online Creative Marketplace.

We consider creative professionals to be people and organizations that transform cultural skills, knowledge, and ideas into goods, services, and events. Our core cultural segments include design, performing arts, music, film, entertainment, literary arts and humanities, visual arts, and culinary arts.

Our geographic region of service includes the following parishes: Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Union, Lincoln, Morehouse, West Carroll, East Carroll, Madison, Richland, Ouachita, Jackson, Bienville, Red River, Desoto, Sabine, Natchitoches, Winn, Caldwell, Grant, LaSalle, Catahoula, Concordia, Avoyelles, Rapides and Vernon.

Accomplishments to date:

WIPLA has awarded $14,128.00 to individual artists and arts collectives for projects in North Louisiana. All grants were funded by individuals who live in our region of service.

WIPLA has served nearly 800 creative professionals via our low-cost business development workshops, covering topics including entertainment and contract law, web design, grant writing, and marketing.

WIPLA Board Members have mentored 30+ individual creative professionals who are currently working various artistic disciplines.

In 2018, WIPLA awarded the first "Champion of the Arts Award" with a cash prize to the art collective Minicine? in Shreveport, Louisiana for their years of dedicated service to the NWLA arts community.

Our free, online "Creative Marketplace" boasts well over 100 prestigious creative professionals from the 26-parish North Louisiana region, each of whom are carefully screened by our Board Members, and are ready to provide quality cultural goods & services to consumers throughout the state.

WIPLA continues to maintain our prestigious Gold Star award for fiscal and organizational transparency from Guidestar.com.

Testimonials

"Sincere and honest leadership concerning the arts here in North Louisiana." -Ron Hardy, Shreveport musician & visual artist

"I like what you are doing. Share it with others so they can fully be aware of what you offer!" - Joedy Barnes, Shreveport photographer

"This is a great service and our area needs it!" - Pearl Serbanic, Shreveport multimedia visual artist

"Y'all are doing a GREAT job!" - M.C. Rollo, Shreveport photographer

"Love your efforts and drive!" - The Agora Borealis, Shreveport, LA