In 1995 the Arts Council of New Orleans, a 25 year old non-profit designated by the City of New Orleans as the official local arts agency, created the Louisiana Artists Guild, a separate 501 C(3) organization, to develop the concept and provide fudiciary responsibility addressing the identified need of a visual arts incubator that could be a nexus for creative work, education, exhibitions and marketing.

By the end of 1999, a capital campaign had begun, and property was purchased on the corner of Howard Avenue and Carondelet, near Lee Circle with proximity to the Warehouse Arts District. A series of construction stages saw the emergence of 93,000 sq. ft facility from two existing 20th century buildings and new construction. With over 90% construction completed before Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, Louisiana ArtWorks transitioned after Katrina from a project nurtured by the Arts Council to operations as a stand-along non-profit business in 2007. The contractor returned to the site in May 2007, and artist programming began off site before moving into the facility in the spring of 2008. Louisiana Artworks is a $32M project.

The Studio Residency Program began in June, 2008, and workshops and visiting artist residencies continue the mounting acceleration of artists services offered. Louisiana Artworks served as a Prospect 1. exhibition venue, the largest biennial of international contemporary art ever organized in the United States, from November 1, 2008 -January 19, 2009, Wednesday & Sundays, 11-6 pm.  Currently operating on a programmatic basis, Louisiana Artworks is striving to offer comprehensive services to the public and fully complete construction in 2009-2010.