The Ella Project has announced the release of RAMPART: A Legacy Planning & Readiness Guide for Musicians, a practical, step-by-step guide created to help musicians and their families protect creative legacies, intellectual property, and estates.

RAMPART is designed for working musicians and cultural creators. It offers clear guidance on organizing music catalogs, preparing for estate planning, protecting digital and physical files, and responding to emergencies such as hurricanes, floods, fires, and other disasters. The guide also supports families and heirs whose loved ones may have passed away without a complete estate plan, helping them understand what steps to take and what resources are available.

RAMPART is created under the direction of The Ella Project, with contributions from attorneys Ashlye Keaton (The Ella Project), Elizabeth Meneray (Meneray Family Law, L.L.C.), Ellen Artopoeus (Ellen Barrett Artopoeus, L.L.C.), and Leonor Prieto (Prieto Law Firm). Additional content by Baylee Badawy and Jann Darsie.

“The sound of New Orleans music has inspired and influenced generations of artists and listeners around the world,” said Ashlye Keaton, Co-Founder of The Ella Project. “Our music is part of our shared identity and history. RAMPART helps ensure that the musicians who create this culture are remembered and that their work can be preserved and passed on to future generations.”

RAMPART walks readers through essential topics, including how to document creative work, protect digital accounts and files, work with museums and cultural institutions, prepare for disasters, draft a will, understand living wills and powers of attorney, and open a succession for both large and small estates.

“Our work is rooted in helping artists keep control of their intellectual property and their stories,” said Gene Meneray, Co-Founder of The Ella Project. “With RAMPART, we created a guide that musicians and families can actually use. This is just the beginning — we plan to continue expanding these resources over the next year to reach more musicians, regardless of income.”

Download the guide and fillable forms at https://ellanola.org/rampart