Meet Lionel Milton: Artist in Residence at the Library

Lionel Milton’s art has been celebrated across the world, but the Lower 9th Ward native will never forget his roots.

“I was a military brat, so we lived in a lot of different places when I was a little kid, but New Orleans is my home. It always has been and it always will be. It’s the best city in the world,” he said.

Milton has been making art since he was around 2 years old. When he was in middle school, Milton started exploring graffiti and tagging walls. In his teens, he started entering and winning art contests, earning him acclaim locally and nationwide.

In the years since, he’s been featured on the Real World New Orleans, in Rolling Stone Magazine, and his works have been commissioned by major companies like ESPN, Red Bull, Heineken, and many more. His bold and colorful style stays true to his graffiti roots while celebrating New Orleans and Black culture and history.

Milton is the Library’s 2026 artist in residence. He designed this year’s Summer Fun & Reading Challenge tote bag prize, which depicts a little boy reading with his grandmother, an ode to Milton’s own family.

“I wanted to give a shoutout to my grandma in this project. She’s the one who encouraged me to read when I was little and I always loved reading together with her,” he said.

Together, the pair read “Egbert, The Easter Egg,” “The Cat in the Hat,” the Bible, and more, and that foundational love of books has stayed with Milton.

“I love reading and I love the Library. When I heard that they were looking for a local artist to partner with, I thought that it would be super cool to collaborate on and to help inspire people to get out there and do some reading,” he said.

In addition to designing this year’s Summer Fun tote bag, Milton’s residency includes a series of programs for all ages.

Lionel Milton with the Library's 2026 Summer Fun & Reading Challenge Tote Bag

Local artist Lionel Milton poses at Hubbell Library with the tote bag he helped design for the New Orleans Public Library's 2026 Summer Fun & Reading Challenge.

His fall programming kicks off at 11am on Saturday (Oct. 3) at the REACH Center with a Michael Jackson inspired art workshop for ages 11 and up.

“I’m a huge Michael Jackson fan. He’s such an important part of Black music, Black culture, and Black history,” Milton said. “I always want to include a little bit of history in everything I do. Things get lost to history all the time, especially positive Black stories, so I’m trying to do my part to preserve what I can and pass that culture and history down to the next generations.”

On October 5, Milton will lead a graffiti class for adults at Mid-City Library. On October 10, he’ll visit Main Library to teach a Ruby Bridges-inspired art workshop for kids.

“We’re going to learn about the civil rights hero Ruby Bridges and the McDonogh Three, because it’s one of my absolute favorite subjects in Black history, especially to talk to kids about, now more than ever,” Milton said. “I can’t believe where we’re heading, racially and politically. I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about that lately, and I hope that this workshop can shed some light on this important history and inspire kids to be like Ruby Bridges, be like the McDonogh Three. Be a part of the solution, not the problem.”

Lionel Milton at Hubbell Library

Lionel Milton poses with his art outside Hubbell Library.

Graffiti Bridge Program at Hubbell Library

Lionel Milton leads an art workshop for kids at Hubbell Library, inspired by Prince's 1990 album and film "Graffiti Bridge."

Graffiti Bridge Program at Hubbell Library

Lionel Milton leads an art workshop for kids at Hubbell Library, inspired by Prince's 1990 album and film "Graffiti Bridge."

Graffiti Bridge Program at Hubbell Library

Lionel Milton leads an art workshop for kids at Hubbell Library, inspired by Prince's 1990 album and film "Graffiti Bridge."

As a frequent Library user himself, Milton hopes this partnership will bring in new patrons and expand interest in the New Orleans Public Library as a resource.

“The Library is great, and I think more people should use it. I’m a proud New Orleanian and I’m a proud nerd, so obviously I love the Library,” he said. “But I think it’s important for people to know that you don’t even have to be a big reader to get something good out of the Library. And I hope this partnership and collaboration can help spread that message.”

Over the past few months, Milton has seen people from “all walks of life,” with the Library’s tote bag.

“It’s great, it’s really cool to see people carrying them around. I’ve seen people of all ages with them – grandmas, grandpas, little kids, whatever – it’s super cool,” he said. “It feels like a unifier across the city’s different cultures, even if you never would have rocked something with my art on it. The message and the image, it’s for everyone.”

Overall, Milton said partnerships between the Library and local artists like himself are “a no-brainer.”

“It just makes so much sense to me. It helps reflect the community, the culture, and it’s beneficial for everyone,” Milton said. “It lets people access art for free, it brings people into the Library, and it helps get attention for local art. It’s tangible, it’s organic, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Outside his partnership with the Library, Milton is preparing for and looking forward to his upcoming solo exhibition in Miami for Art Basel 2026.

For details and to register for Milton’s upcoming programs, visit nolalibrary.co/lionel-milton. Learn more about his work on his website, lionelmilton.com.