Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) is investing over $1.7 million in the arts through grants to organizations, schools, and individual artists across Mississippi for Fiscal Year 2027. With funding from the Mississippi Legislature and continued support from the National Endowment for the Arts, MAC is awarding 322 grants to individuals and organizations throughout Mississippi. In addition, for the first time in its 33-year history, the Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program increased its award amount from $2,000 to $3,000.

“MAC is proud to support outstanding artists, arts organizations, and arts programs across Mississippi,” said David Lewis, executive director of MAC. “We are grateful to Governor Reeves and the Mississippi Legislature for continuing to support the arts in Mississippi. With the crucial funding MAC receives from the Mississippi Legislature and support through the National Endowment for the Arts, we consistently witness how our grantees energize their communities through dynamic programming and enhance the lives of Mississippians.”

The awards include: 

• General Operating Support for 62 arts organizations. 
• Project support for 81 arts and community-based organizations 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 17 artists or arts programs to support innovation, propel artists’ careers, and encourage collaboration between artists and communities.
• Artist Fellowship awards to 38 individual artists across artistic disciplines who demonstrate the ability to create exemplary work in their chosen field. 
• Mini-Grants to 101 individual artists to support their professional development and 19 arts and community-based organizations to support arts programming and institutional strategic development. 

Also included is Mississippi Whole Schools, a MAC program that provides Pre-K-12 educators with intensive professional development to integrate the arts as a vehicle for promoting high-quality instruction and learning across all disciplines. This year, Mississippi Whole Schools accepted four new schools into its Arts in the Classroom program, with a total of 24 schools participating.  

In addition, MAC approved 24 artists and performing groups for inclusion in its Artist Roster and three to the Teaching Artist Roster, which features many of the best artists and arts educators in the state. The Artist Roster and Teaching Artist Roster feature artists who create and work at a professional level within their art disciplines and are available for hire. Organizations that receive Mini-Grants are encouraged, but not required, to hire artists from the Artist Roster.  

MAC also received funding for the Building Fund for the Arts grant. These funds are allocated separately, and the announcement will be made at a later date.

To view a list of recipients, visit https://arts.ms.gov/grant-recipients/.

To see the complete list of grantees, information about MAC’s grant programs, Artist Roster, and other services, visit the agency’s website at arts.ms.gov.

Photo Credits:

• New Stage Theatre production of Ragtime, photo by Joey Nelms
• A.J. Haynes performing at an Across the Table event at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, photo by Emmi Sprayberry
• Installation image from Angi Cooper’s exhibition, Our Wild Kin, Playhouse on the Square (Memphis, TN), June 2026, photo courtesy of the artist.
• Tools created during an apprenticeship with Shane Morrison and Palmer Robbins, featuring the apprentices’ finished work.