Now that the holidays are officially upon us, we turn our attention to long-awaited gatherings as well as artful events and gifts. Opportunities to celebrate creatively abound. From street festivals like the Capital City Lights to Chimneyville Holiday Market to Christmas Carol and Nutcracker performances, the arts add sparkle to the season.

As we approach Thanksgiving and the subsequent days of special deals and discounts, please consider including a gift to the Mississippi Arts Commission on Giving Tuesday (or any other day) in support of the Governor’s Arts Awards, which will support honoring the awards recipients as well as our Mississippi Whole Schools program. You can contribute online here and learn more about the Governor’s Arts Awards here.

Before the year ends, please make note of an important opportunity from South Arts: the Southern Cultural Treasures initiative is offering operating grants of up to $300K per year over three years to support Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)-led and –serving arts and culture organizations. Funded through a generous matching gift from the Ford Foundation, this initiative presents a great opportunity to provide critical funding and resources to lead these organizations to stability and success as well as enhance their impact on the Southern region.

Speaking of opportunities, please mark your calendars for a few important dates in 2022: MAC’s Annual Grant Round, which will open Feb. 1, 2022, with a deadline of March 1. Plus, the Governor’s Arts Awards will be held on Feb. 10 at the Two Mississippi Museums at 6 p.m. It will also air on MPB Television and MPB Think Radio later in February.

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season!

My best, Sarah Story