The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) has awarded $2.8 million to the recently released recipients of the Building Fund for the Arts (BFA) grant, providing funding for repairs, renovations, expansion, or construction to 16 arts organizations across the state.
According to MAC, a panelist of four experts within the art and economic community ranked 46 applications — requesting a total of $10.9 million — based on artistic quality, project plan, project professionals, organizational capacity, and project impact.
“Unfortunately, we could not award to everyone who applied,” said Marie Sanderson, board chair of MAC. “We are pleased that we can support these arts organizations in Mississippi for important projects that will impact their communities economically.”
Due to the Mississippi legislature’s amount of allocated funds for FY2023, only $3 million for the BFA program could be distributed.
“We see a great need for this type of financial support within our art community,” said Marie Sanderson. “We are hopeful that the Mississippi legislature will support more funding for the Building Fund for the Arts in the future.”
The following arts organizations have been named recipients of the BFA grant:
- The Eudora Welty Foundation, Inc. (Hinds) – awarded $225,000 to construct an Education Center.
- Walter Anderson Museum of Art (Jackson) – awarded $ 450,000 to expand the museum’s campus.
- Byhalia Area Arts Council (Marshall) – awarded $243,114.30 to renovate and repair the old Byhalia High School building.
- Corinth Area Arts Council, Inc. (Alcorn) – awarded $243,000 to renovate the Coliseum Theatre.
- Center Stage, Inc. (Harrison) – awarded $104,749.20 to make accessibility improvements in the theatre lobby and restrooms.
- Delta Arts Alliance (Bolivar) – awarded $197,702.40 to complete renovation of the Ellis Theater.
- Lauren Rogers Museum of Art (Jones) – awarded $52,800 to repair the exterior of the facility.
- Mississippi Museum of Art (Hinds) – awarded $184,800 to conduct both interior and exterior renovations.
- Pike School of Art (Pike) – awarded $260,145.60 to convert the former jail into an Arts Center.
- Mississippi Cultural Crossroads (Claiborne) – awarded $31,680 to repair the front windows and awning.
- City of Vicksburg (Warren) – awarded $214,730.56 to repair the Constitution Firehouse in Downtown Vicksburg.
- Mississippi Children’s Museum (Hinds) – awarded $179,520 to renovate the Literacy Garden and the Wild About Reading Gallery.
- Starkville Community Theatre (Oktibbeha) – awarded $22,000 to renovate the Starkville Playhouse auditorium.
- City of Hattiesburg (Forrest) – awarded $219,240 to renovate the Paper Warehouse Theatre.
- B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center (Sunflower) – awarded $43,272.06 to make repairs to the historic cotton gin building.
- Cleveland Music Foundation DBA Grammy Museum Mississippi (Bolivar) – awarded $131,442.21 to expand the gallery exhibition space.
