JACKSON, MS – The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) is pleased to award $3.5 million to 20 organizations in 13 counties in Mississippi through the Building Fund for the Arts (BFA) grant for FY2025. The funding opportunity provided through the BFA grant supports the much-needed repair, renovation, expansion, or construction of Mississippi facilities that serve as sites for year-round arts programming in their communities.

“MAC is thrilled to support these vital building projects that enhance the arts and our communities in Mississippi,” said David Lewis, executive director of MAC. “Through this grant, we showcase our state’s commitment to our rich artistic heritage by investing in the spaces that foster the growth of our next great Mississippi artists, while providing enriched quality of life for Mississippians throughout our state.”

MAC has awarded the following arts organizations funding through the BFA grant:

Ballet Mississippi (Madison) – awarded $480,000 to renovate performance and practice studios.

Brookhaven Little Theatre (Lincoln) – awarded $25,200 to repair the roof and install air conditioning.

City of Meridian (Lauderdale) – awarded $332,670 to make ADA improvements to the Meridian Museum of Art.

City of Ocean Springs (Jackson) – awarded $291,000 to stabilize the exterior and repair the interior of the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center.

Coast Episcopal School (Harrison) – awarded $37,200 to repair the Gail Keenan Art Center.

Delta Arts Alliance (Bolivar) – awarded $104,290 to repair the roof after storm damage.

E. E. Bass Education and Development Foundation (Washington) – awarded $180,000 to make ADA improvements.

Friends of Pickens Public Library (Holmes) – awarded $75,000 to renovate the Pickens Public Library.

Foundation for Mississippi History (Hinds)– awarded 225,000 to construct the Margaret Ann Crigler Park.

Goldring/Woldenberg Institute for Southern Jewish Life (Adams) awarded $168,400 for plaster repair, repainting, and rewiring in the historic Temple B’nai Israel.

Hattiesburg Community Arts Center (Forrest) – awarded $300,000 to expand studio and classroom space and to install air conditioning.

International Museum of Muslim Cultures (Hinds) – awarded $420,000 to complete a new facility’s architectural and engineering design.

Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (Lauderdale) – awarded $66,000 to add power-assisted automatic doors.

Mississippi Children’s Museum (Hinds) – awarded $93,600 to redesign an existing gallery and create a new interactive exhibit.

Mississippi Museum of Art (Hinds) – awarded $98,020 to update the security system and improve accessibility.

New Albany Main Street (Union) – awarded $26,430 to update the Magnolia Theatre with a new sound system and make aesthetic improvements.

Panola Playhouse (Panola) was awarded $240,000 to replace the roof and complete other repairs.

Pearl River Glass Conservatory (Hinds) – awarded $31,160 to expand and improve ADA accommodations.

Prairie Belt Blues Foundation (Clay) – awarded $73,690 to design and develop the Black Prairie Blues Museum.

Union County Historical Society & Heritage Museum (Union) – awarded $225,100 to renovate arts exhibition space

MAC received 41 letters of intent, with $7 million requested to fund BFA projects in Mississippi. A panel of arts, design/architectural, financial, and economic development experts ranked the submissions based on artistic quality, project plan, project professionals, organizational capacity, and project impact.

“The impact of receiving funding from the Building Fund for the Arts grant cannot be understated,” said FY2024 BFA recipient and Co-Director/Co-Founder of the Mississippi Center for Cultural Production. “Arts and culture are the backbone of Mississippi’s identity, and getting significant investments for infrastructure from MAC ensures the continuation of our cultural legacies.”

Those awarded the grant this year will have two years to complete their projects. The Mississippi Arts Commission hopes to offer the Building Fund for the Arts grant in the future as funding through the Mississippi Legislature allows.

“This grant program has become very competitive,” said Lewis. “We are grateful to the Mississippi Legislature for prioritizing funding that goes directly into our communities. We hope to continue this program in years to come as funding support allows.”

For more information about the BFA grant and other grant opportunities through the Mississippi Arts Commission, visit arts.ms.gov/build.