JACKSON, MISS. – The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) is investing over $1.6 million through grants in more than 260 organizations, schools, and individual artists across the state for the fiscal year 2023.

“Over the last two years, Mississippi’s artist community used their creativity to overcome the obstacles the pandemic placed in their way,” said Sarah Story, executive director of MAC. “One of the key ways MAC supports the arts in Mississippi is through awarding grants to artists and organizations. MAC is pleased to provide nearly twice as many grants as last year, investing into Mississippi’s creative workforce, education, artists and organizations, and local communities.”

“MAC is dedicated to supporting Mississippi artists, as they add so much to what makes Mississippi a unique place to live and visit,” said Marie Sanderson, board chair for MAC. “We will continue to promote the rich artistic culture of our state and the role it plays from education to the economy.”

MAC’s annual grant funds come from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mississippi State Legislature. Awards were made in 77 Mississippi House of Representatives districts and 51 state Senate districts.

The awards include:

• General Operating Support for 60 arts organizations.
• Project Support for 69 arts and community-based organizations across Mississippi to foster the continuation of the state’s folk and traditional art forms, support performances and arts programming, and strengthen education in and through the arts.  
• Project Support for 31 individual artists to support innovation, propel artists’ careers and encourage collaboration between artists and communities.
• Artist Fellowship awards 31 individual artists across artistic disciplines who demonstrate the ability to create exemplary work in their chosen field.
• Mini-Grants to 55 individual artists to support their professional development and 11 arts and community-based organizations to support arts programming and institutional strategic development.

In addition to making direct grants, MAC accepted 20 schools into its Whole Schools Initiative program, which provides PreK-12 educators with intensive professional development for integrating the arts across the curriculum.

MAC also approved 25 artists and performing groups for inclusion in its Artist Roster and Teaching Artist Roster, which features many of the best artists and arts educators in the state. The Artist Roster is updated annually in the fall on MAC’s website.

To see the complete list of grantees, visit https://arts.ms.gov/grant-recipients/. For more information on MAC’s grant programs, Artist Roster, and other services, visit the agency’s website at arts.ms.gov.

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The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) is a state agency serving more than two million people through grants and special initiatives that enhance communities, assist artists and arts organizations, promote arts education and celebrate Mississippi’s cultural heritage. MAC is funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson, and other private sources. For more information, visit www.arts.ms.gov.