A Day for Artists

WHEN: August 21, 2026

WHERE: The MAX, Meridian, MS

REGISTRATION FEE: $15

MAC Presents: A Day for Artists, in partnership with The MAX in Meridian, is designed to empower, educate, and equip Mississippi artists of all kinds. At this event, artists will create, learn, and explore together. There will be opportunities to build relationships, expand access to resources, and grow your professional skills. In the afternoon, The MAX comes alive with artist-led studio activations (2D, 3D, recording studio, and classroom). You will also be able to speak directly with statewide and national artist service organizations about opportunities they provide for artists—from residencies to grants, professional development, and employment opportunities. Top it off by hopping on the trolley to tour the Meridian Museum of Art and downtown mural tour. Whatever adventure you choose, this day is for YOU, Mississippi artists.

Scholarship opportunities are available to cover the registration fee. For more information, email rebecca@eventworksms.com.

REGISTER NOW

A Day for Artists Image of the MAX and building in Meridian MAC logo The MAX Logo August 21, 2026 The MAX Meridian Learn Connect Make Explore

Schedule


9 – 9:30 AM – Registration

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM – Welcome and Introductions – from MAC Executive Director David Lewis and MAX Executive Director Penny Kemp

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM – Creating Together – To start the day, attendees will participate in a hands-on mosaic activity with artists Stacy McGinnis Blaylock and Linda Muñoz “Coming from the country” is a triptych ceramic mosaic showcasing three thematic scenes of Mississippi. Once fully complete, the work will be permanently installed in Meridian’s brand new downtown public art alley, Ann’s Alley.

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM – ArtBreak – Collinsville native and musician Chance Evins will serenade our transition into the next set of programming.

11:00 AM – 12:15 PM – Concurrent Professional Development Sessions – The morning’s three smaller breakout sessions will focus on professional development topics chosen by our Mississippi artist community:

  1. Scroll-stropping: Social Media for Artists – Your phone, your laptop, and a little strategy are all you need to build an audience that actually buys. In this session, Mississippi artist and marketing professional Brejenn Allen walks you through building a simple portfolio website, creating content that reaches collectors, and turning followers into buyers with practical tips you can put to work the same day. Brejenn brings four years of agency-level advertising and design experience from Brainstorm Creative Group to her own studio practice, growing a combined audience of over 23,000 followers across Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. If you have been treating social media like an afterthought, this is the session that changes that.
  2. More Than One Way to Get Paid: Building Sustainable Income Streams as a Teaching Artist – This session explores how artists can build a more sustainable professional life by developing multiple, aligned revenue streams. Amanda Koonlaba will share practical examples from her own work across teaching artistry, consulting, workshops, grants, school partnerships, digital content, and community-based arts education. Participants will reflect on their own skills, relationships, and opportunities while considering how to diversify income in ways that support both creative purpose and long-term sustainability.
  3. The Teaching Artist Journey: From Creative Practice to Teaching Practice – What does it really mean to be a teaching artist, and how is it different from being a studio or performing artist? This session unpacks the knowledge and skills that set teaching artists apart, then applies them to understanding curriculum standards, designing a workshop or residency, and building a school visit that works. Leave with a clearer sense of what this work demands, why it’s worth the shift, and how to start designing your own programming.

12:15 PM – 1:30 PM – Lunch – During lunch, our national, regional, and local organizations will give 3-minute pitches about the resources and opportunities that they have for artists. Attendees will be able to sign up afterward for 1-on-1 meetings with these organizations during the afternoon activities. Lunch is included in the registration fee.

1:30 PM – 4:00 PM Afternoon Art Activations – Bringing the MAX’s suite of studios and creative spaces to life along with Downtown Meridian, attendees will be able to learn a new skill, observe a teaching artist in action, explore downtown Meridian, and more. Most of these activations will have two identical 1-hour and 15-minute sessions.

  1. 2D Studio – 2D Watercolor and Ink – For the 2D experience, Bob Purvis will guide participants in creating their own ink & watercolor sketches full of spontaneity and whimsy. The experience will include hands-on tips and techniques to create energetic art in a “loose” style. Participants will take home two original artworks that they will create during the session.
  2. 3D Studio – 3D Porcelain Art – Antoinette Badenhorst – Experience the beauty and wonder of porcelain clay in this hands-on workshop. Each participant will design and create a unique three-dimensional porcelain ornament, exploring techniques such as carving, piercing, and sculpting to reveal porcelain’s remarkable translucent qualities. As light passes through the finished piece, its delicate beauty comes to life. After the workshop, each ornament will be professionally fired, transforming it into a durable keepsake that will preserve both the artwork and the creative experience for years to come.
  3. Recording Studio – Come join us in the Governor’s Recording Studio to learn how to take your ideas and turn them into a groovy beat. Together, we will learn, create, and share our new beats with the group!
  4. Turning Art into Learning (MAX Classroom and Exhibit Spaces) – Discover how teaching artists can bridge creative practice with core subjects like ELA, science, social studies, and math.  Da Terrence Roberts will share practical strategies for connecting artmaking to classroom learning while highlighting teaching artistry as a meaningful, flexible income stream. Artists will leave inspired to expand both their impact and their professional possibilities.  
  5. Meridian Mural Tour – our partners at Visit Meridian, the Meridian Museum of Art and the Meridian Museum Art Collective have commissioned the downtown trolley to take attendees on a mural tour that will feature onboard music from Britt Gulley and make a stop at the Meridian Museum of Art and School of Art.
  6. Organization Fair – National, Regional and Local Organizations will host 1-on-1 meetings with artists to talk about opportunities they have for artists, including work for hire, invitationals, workshops, fellowships, residencies, or professional development. Sign-ups will take place during lunch at the event. Participating organizations include Alternate Roots, Creative Capital, Delta Arts Alliance, Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art, Link Centre, Mississippi Museum of Art, Sipp Culture, South Arts, Toot Teach and Roll and the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council.

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Gallery Tour: Explore John Jennings: Build Your World through a guided tour with curator Benjamen Douglas, highlighting Mississippi’s foremost graphic novelist, and world-renowned Afrofuturist. 

05:00 PM – 06:00 PM – Imagine a future for Meridian’s historic bus station! – Join us at the historic bus station, located at 212 Constitution Avenue in Meridian, directly adjacent to the MAX. Beverages donated by Mitchell Distributing + Magnolia Beverage Company.

Where to Stay

Room options for August 20 and 21 in Meridian:
Threefoot Hotel
$129.00 Standard King Single Room
$134.00 Double Queen Room

Holiday Inn Express
$130.00 Double Room

All room rates include trolley transportation to The MAX and other off-site venues.

Is Lunch Included?

Yes! Lunch is included with your registration fee, and snacks and beverages will be provided throughout the day. If you have any dietary restrictions, please email Rebecca Hardy at rebecca@eventworksms.com.

Parking

Parking is available on the street and in the Museum parking lot behind the MAX. Please see the site map for more details (coming soon).

What else is happening at The MAX that weekend?

Glad you asked! Join us at the Wolfe Studio 80th Anniversary Celebration at The MAX! Details can be found at: https://www.msarts.org/events/wolfe-studio-takes-over-the-max/?occurrence=2026-08-22

Accommodation Needs

Please let us know if you require any accommodations to participate. Requests should be submitted at least two weeks before the event. If your needs change, please contact Victoria Meek, Accessibility Coordinator, at MAC: vmeek@arts.ms.gov or 601-359-6031.