Columbus Arts Council, Magnolia Independent Film Festival, and several art groups affiliated with Mississippi State University are among the organizations and artists that recently received grants from the Mississippi Arts Commission.
The state agency announced on Wednesday that 23 RESCUE ARP Grants and 51 mini-grants were awarded to artists and organizations around the state.
The RESCUE grants awarded were part of MAC’s second round of funding dedicated to providing relief to Mississippi’s arts sector during the continued economic impacts of COVID-19. RESCUE grants were made possible through American Rescue Plan funding allocated to the National Endowment for the Arts. MAC also awarded mini-grants to eight organizations and 43 individual artists in the state.
“Congrats to each of these deserving grant recipients,” said Sarah Story, Mississippi Arts Commission executive director. “We are very grateful to the president, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mississippi State Legislature for this important grant funding that will help alleviate the state arts sector and allow artists and arts organizations to develop new ideas and projects that add to the creative culture of our state.”
The NEA allocated 40 percent of funding received from the American Rescue Plan Act to state, jurisdictional and regional arts organizations. To distribute the portion of ARP funding received from the NEA, the Mississippi Arts Commission established the ARP COVID Relief Grant program and RESCUE Grants. Arts-focused 501c3 organizations with eligible expenses, such as salaries, rent and utilities could apply for RESCUE Grants.
MAC’s mini-grant program is offered several times a year to organizations and individual artists to assist with professional development and capacity building. The artist mini-grant program provides for up to $500 in reimbursed funds to pursue artistic training, support promotion and marketing efforts or to purchase eligible art supplies. Mini-grants for organizations are matching grants designed to support professional development and capacity building activities for arts organizations and to provide opportunities for Mississippi nonprofits, schools and other units of government to hire professional artists.
The Mississippi Arts Commission has awarded $1.4 million in funding to artists and arts programs across the state for fiscal year 2022. Recipients will benefit in a number of ways, such as operating support for museums and community arts centers, arts integration and guest artist presentations in schools and continuing education and supplies for working artists. Below is a listing of grants awarded for Fiscal Year 2022, which runs from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.
Individual artist fellowship recipients
■ Julia Mortyakova, chair of the Mississippi University for Women Department of Music will receive $5,000 for a performing arts fellowship, piano.
■ Sophie Glenn, who teaches at Mississippi State as a visiting assistant professor, will receive $5,000 for a visual arts fellowship, sculpture.
■ T.K. Lee, who teaches at Mississippi University for Women, will receive $5,000 for a literary artist fellowship, playwriting.
Organization operating grant recipients
■ Columbus Arts Council will receive $24,000.
■ Starkville Community Theatre will receive $16,000.
Organization project mini-grants
■ Magnolia Independent Film Festival, based in Starkville, will receive $4,750 to help present the festival.
■ Mississippi University for Women will receive $4,000 to help present the annual Music by Women Festival.
■ Mississippi State University Libraries will receive $4,500 to help present the Charles H. Templeton Ragtime Jazz Festival.
■ MSU Foundation, applying for the benefit of Starkville-MSU Symphony’s Programs for Children, will receive $4,000 to help present an orchestral concert program for children.
■ Tennessee Williams Tribute will receive $4,500 to help support the Tennessee Williams Tribute Festival.
■ Theatre MSU will receive $4,500 to help support the creation and performance of an original theatrical production.
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