march 2013 mac board of commissioners Myrna ColleyLee Chair Nan Sanders 1 st ViceChair Sam Haskell 2 nd ViceChair Donna Barksdale Shawn Brevard Lawrence Farrington Kris Gianakos Mary Peavey Rachel Schwartz Peggy Sprabery Robert St. John Nancy Yates
Dear Friends, As an unknown author so eloquently said, "If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies." Change is the most natural thing in the world, and as we all begin the anticipation of that colorful entry into spring, we also embrace some intriguing changes at MAC. As the Interim Executive Director, the staff and I say a bittersweet goodbye to Malcolm White, as he continues to celebrate and support Mississippi's arts and culture in his new role as Director of the Tourism Division at Mississippi Development Authority. Malcolm instilled in us a tireless passion for serving the citizens of our state in and through the arts, and the values we all created together during his 7year tenure will continue as MAC unceasingly advocates and advances its mission to be a catalyst for the arts and creativity in Mississippi. So, as we acknowledge our own change and emotion, we also celebrate positive action and a future consistently filled with the mission of supporting our state's creative and innovative spirit. As go the blooms and butterflies of springtime each year, the state Legislature is in session pondering our FY14 budget, and we are evergrateful for the friends we have guiding policy and funding there. MAC is seeking increased funding for the arts, the championing of more arts in education, and is advocating for further, if not continued, support of Mississippi's creative spirit. In return, we promise transparent and accountable management of those valued funds, along with our usual good stewardship of coveted public dollars. We encourage you to call or write your legislators, say hello when they come home with an encouraging word of thanks, and be sure they are aware and mindful of the strength and leverage of arts monies in your community. Please join us for Day at the Capitol on March 26th at 11:00, as we raise the roof to advocate for the arts in Mississippi. MAC has recently completed its 20142018 Strategic Plan, and we are pleased to have this attractive, innovative, and informative piece to tell our story and help our constituents and lawmakers see further into MAC's mission, vision, programming, and philosophy. While sleek documents and bright websites are part of our present and future, MAC still embraces the ageold "human factor" and understands the significance of facetoface fellowship in communities, as well as in our offices in downtown Jackson. Please visit our website to view the MAC Strategic Plan, but don't hesitate to invite us to your town, your school, or your festival; also know that you have an open invitation to visit us across the street from the Capitol. These are MAC principles that never waiver, even when the seasons and staff are filled with change. So, as we look forward to the exciting welcome of the wonderful rites of spring, we also welcome you to another innovative change at MAC, the first gleaming edition of ARTicles, our new bimonthly newsletter. We just honored our 2013 Governor's Awards recipients during the 25th Anniversary celebration with a change in format and concept, we are piloting a proud new partnership with the Kennedy Center VSA in our Arts Education programming, a Stennis Institute Arts Integration Study is in the wings, the Creative Economy continues to gather energy and presence, and we're on our way to a smooth transition for permanent leadership when the time is right. Change can be a frightful occurrence, but we at MAC look at change as a bright and bold opportunity for more and better things in the arts and culture of Mississippi. Come along and enjoy the season of change with us, then go out and watch for butterflies. Take care, Sallye
Staff Sallye Killebrew Interim Executive Director Lee Cummings Deputy Director
Governor s arts awards it was a grand celebration! A little frightful weather didn’t keep folks from enjoying the 25 th Anniversary Celebration of the Governor’s Arts Awards at Belhaven University Center for the Arts on Thursday, February 26 th !
Jodie Engle Whole Schools Director Teresa Haygood Executive Assistant Susan Liles Public Relations Director Larry Morrisey Director of Grant Programs Alesha Nelson Fiscal Officer Shirley Smith Systems Administrator Mary Margaret White Folk & Traditional Arts Director Kim Whitt Arts Education Director Diane Williams Arts Industry Director Allison Winstead Director of Community & Economic Development
Attention Teaching artists th Save the date April 15 MAC will be hosting “Artist to Teaching Artist” with professionals from KidSmart in New Orleans. The workshop will be held on Monday, April 15 th at the Woolfolk State Office Building in Jackson. Contact MAC’s Arts Education Director, Kim Whitt, for more information and to reserve your spot, kwhitt@arts.ms.gov
Mississippi quilter to Visit china The Sum of Many Parts, a SouthArts traveling exhibition, is a quilt exhibit developed to tour China, and expose the Chinese audience to a side of American society they may not have experienced before. The exhibit opened in Shanghai in late 2012. Quilt making has always been an important tradition in America, and the many styles of American quilts reflect the diversity of the United States itself. Twenty five artists each contributed a quilt that is featured in the exhibit. Twelve of the 25 artists come from the South Arts’ region. One of those artists is Marty Ginn from Hattiesburg. Ginn will travel to Dalian, China to represent the exhibit and will serve as an ambassador for the exhibit and the South! Congratulations!
Poetry Out Loud Mississippi Finals On Thursday, March 7 th nine students from across the state, performed outstanding poetry recitations in the Poetry Out Loud Mississippi Finals. The trophy was awarded to Akane Little from Starkville High School. She will represent Mississippi in the National Poetry Out Loud Finals in Washington D.C. April 2830, 2013. Kristen Dupard, the 2012 winner, who went on to win the national contest, was on hand to cheer for this year’s contestants. Coming in second place was Denzell Jones from Water Valley (center) and third place was Bailey Brilley, (left) a junior at St. Joseph Catholic High School in Madison. Congratulations to all the students who competed. It was an exciting year!
Calendar of events Words and Music-Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band March 15, 2013 7 pm City Hall Courtyard, Pass Christian, MS Tallis Scholars Concert March 15, 2012 7:30 pm St. Philip's Episcopal Church Jackson, MS To Kill a Mockingbird March 21-23, 2013 7:30 3/21-23; 2 pm 3/23/13 Tupelo Community Theatre Tupelo, MS Templeton Ragtime Jazz Festival March 22-23, 2013 9:00 am -10:00 pm Mitchell Memorial Library- Starkville, MS Ironwood Market: Art on the Tracks March 23, 2013 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. McComb MS 20th Anniversary Spring Gala March 23, 2013 7:00 PM Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center. Jackson, MS Pearl River County Arts League Show and Sale March 23, 2013 thru March 24, 2013 3/23 10am-5pm & 3/24 12pm-4pm 403 Carroll St Picayune, MS (Knights of Columbus Hall)
Calendar of events Ellis Duo Piano Competition April 6, 2013 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Belhaven University Center for the Arts Jackson, MS TAP-The Show performance April 11, 2013 7:00 p.m. Corey Forum Holmes Community College Grenada, MS Tuna Does Vegas April 11 thru 21, 2013 7:30pm except Sunday 2:00pm Center Stage Theatre Biloxi, Ms. An Evening of Delta Soul with Steve Azar Aprill 11, 2013 7:30 Bologna Performing Arts Center Cleveland, MS Jimmie Rodgers Festival Poster Contest Entry deadline: 4-122013 Unveiling of winner 502-2013 Meridian, MS Downtown Art Walk: A Free Public Art Experience April 13, 2013 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Downtown West Point MS MS Poetry Society Spring Festival April 13-14, 2013 Registration begins at 8:30 am Gulf Hills Hotel & Conf. Center Ocean Springs, MS
MAC s Annual Day at the Capitol Tuesday, March 26
th
11:30am to 1:30pm
Join MAC for a day of arts advocacy at the Mississippi State Capitol on March 26 th . Let’s let lawmakers know that the arts are not only important in our communities, but they create jobs, a vibrant economy, and an overall better quality of life for our citizens. We hope you will attend to let your voice be heard! We will have limited table space available for organizations to share, so please plan to bring only brochures, rack cards, etc. The most important thing to bring is your VOICE! Plan to make appointments with your legislators while you are there. If you need assistance, contact Susan Liles at sliles@arts.ms.gov. Visual artists are encouraged to attend and create! In addition to some really great student performances, the amazing bluegrass group and MAC roster artists, HanaLena, will be joining us. Hannah and Caroline Melby are at center stage for this act producing the pleasing sounds of sister harmony while accompanying themselves on fiddle and mandolin and keeping a firm grasp on their Mississippi roots. A great day is in store….we hope you will join us!
Plans underway for 2013 Whole schools summer institute SAVE THE DATE! The 15th Annual Whole Schools Initiative Summer Institute will be held July 1518 at the MSU Riley Center in Meridian. This professional learning opportunity is open to any educator interested in learning how to integrate the arts into the core curriculum. Tracks will be offered for educators who work in Early Childhood through 8th grade. CEU credit, SEMIs and Early Childhood credit and undergraduate/graduate credit from Mississippi State University will be available. For more information go to www.mswholeschools.org
Calendar Listings in ARTicles The Mississippi Arts Commission is happy to promote your artsrelated events in two ways! We will include your event on our website and also in ARTicles if you will take a moment to visit MAC’s website at http://www.arts.ms.gov/calendar/index.php and fill out the online form. MAC does not pull information from press releases for the calendar or newsletter. If you have a “call to artists” to promote, please include these on the calendar as well, or post on our Facebook page. The Commission reserves the right to edit or discard any submission. Please allow at least two weeks for listing to post. This listing is a courtesy service and does not represent MAC’s endorsement of, funding of, or promotion of any event listed.
Coming up on the Mississippi Arts Hour Mary Margaret White interviews a capella gospel trio, The Como Mamas, at the Como Public Library for the Mississippi Arts Hour. The ladies talk about their inspiration for forming the group, as well as their new album, Get An Understanding. Tune to MPB Radio on Sunday, March 24 for this special edition of the Arts Hour. Left to right: Ester Mae Smith, Delta Daniels and Angela Taylor
Calendar of events
The Mississippi Arts Hour can be heard on Sundays at 3pm on Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s Think Radio. Find the station nearest you by visiting mpbonline.org. The show can also be heard on MAC’s website and through Apple’s iTunes Upcoming shows March 17 Diane Williams hosts with her guest, poet C Leigh McInnis March 24 Mary Margaret White hosts with her guests, The Como Mamas March 31 Larry Morrisey hosts with his guest, musician and Winterville Mound Director, Mark Howell
mississippi arts commission
MAC s Visual Arts Directory Featured Artist maude Schuyler Clay
501 North West Street Suite 1101A Woolfolk Building Jackson, MS 39201 PHONE: 601/3596030 FAX: 601/3596008 WEBSITE: www.arts.ms.gov Maude Schuyler Clay is a photographer who captures the essence of the Mississippi Delta…including the land and the dogs. Visit her website at www.maudeclay.com or email her at maudeclay@maudeclay.com. In 1968, the Mississippi Legislature created the Mississippi Arts Commission as the official grantsmaking and service agency for the arts. Since then the Commission has broadened its role as an active supporter and promoter of the arts in community life and arts education. MAC’s mission is to be a catalyst for the arts and creativity in Mississippi and the agency’s vision is to support and celebrate Mississippi’s creative and innovative spirit
The Mississippi Visual Arts Directory provides a regularly updated resource on the visual arts across Mississippi. Included is information on Mississippibased visual artists (such as painters, sculptors, and photographers) and craftspeople, as well as descriptions of Mississippi galleries, museums, cultural centers, and arts education facilities. The site is maintained by the Mississippi Arts Commission. The Commission provides listings on this site as a courtesy to Mississippibased artists and arts organizations. However, their inclusion does not represent an endorsement or funding by the agency. The Commission reserves the right to edit or reject any submission and is not responsible for the accuracy of the information provided by the artists or organizations. Artists and galleries featured are randomly selected. Visit the site at www.visualarts.ms.gov.
mac Arts Ambassadors MAC recently initiated a call to individuals who might be interested in serving as Arts Ambassadors. These individuals represent the agency and its constituents by helping get the word out about our programs and initiatives. Ms. Hermolee Barnes from Gulfport was one of the first to serve in her new role. During the Governor’s Arts Awards ceremony on February 21 st , Ms. Barnes came to Jackson and served as an usher for the day’s program. Arts Ambassadors are volunteers who promote the mission and vision of MAC. They further the outreach of MAC into Mississippi communities by providing citizens with friendly, informed services that enhance their experiences in and through the arts. For more information about the program, contact Diane Williams at dwilliams@arts.ms.gov.