What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm

Mississippi Arts Commission

Home
United States
Jackson, MS
Mississippi Arts Commission

The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency created in 1968 to support the arts in Mississippi.

10/23/2026

2027 Governor’s Arts Awards Recipient Spotlight: Alvin Shelby | Lifetime Achievement

For more than 40 years, Alvin Shelby has shared music as an educator, director and performer. He spent 35 of those years teaching at Cathedral Catholic School in Natchez, inspiring students who went on to pursue careers in music.

Shelby’s work spans inspirational music, jazz, film and music for children. He has performed around the world, collaborated with artists including the Mississippi Mass Choir and served as a band leader and musical director for numerous recordings.

The Mississippi Arts Commission and the Governor’s Office will recognize Shelby at the 2027 Governor’s Arts Awards on Thursday, February 11, at The Westin Jackson.

Learn more about this year’s honorees and the event at arts.ms.gov/programs/governors-arts-awards

Alvin Shelby
Tate Reeves

10/22/2026

MAC is pleased to announce a new Creative Aging Grant!

MAC is one of 28 state arts agencies awarded $77,550 in funding through a national grant program from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) to pilot a Creative Aging Grant for older adults in Mississippi.

MAC’s grant program will support organizations in hiring teaching artists to lead creative classes in a range of art forms for adults aged 55 and over. Non-profits, units of local government, libraries, county, and municipal agencies in Mississippi may apply for matching funds for artist fees, supplies, and other related expenses. These experiences will be hands-on, sequential, and rooted in a curriculum designed and led by professional teaching artists. Such experiences promote mental alertness, emotional fulfillment, and physical activity. They also serve to combat isolation and encourage self-expression in ways that foster dignity, joy, and community.

The Creative Aging Grant is made possible by a grant provided by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies in partnership with E.A. Michelson Philanthropy and awarded by the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency.

Applications for MAC’s Creative Aging Grant will open February 1, 2027, and be awarded until all available funds are awarded. For detailed information about the MAC Creative Aging Grant, visit https://arts.ms.gov/grants-for-organizations/creative-aging-grant/.

National Assembly of State Arts Agencies: NASAA
E.A. Michelson Philanthropy

10/21/2026

This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Leslie talks with interdisciplinary artist A.J. Haynes. Both a solo artist and lead vocalist for the nationally and internationally acclaimed band Seratones, A.J. recently performed on the Grammy-winning album, A Tribute to the King of Zydeco. She is a Louisiana native but has lived and created art in Mississippi. Join us for our conversation that covers everything from teacakes to community building.

Listen by subscribing to the Mississippi Arts Hour podcast through your favorite podcast app, or listen online at http://msartshour.mpbonline.org/

Photo by Emmi Dees Sprayberry

A.J. Haynes
MPB - Mississippi Public Broadcasting

10/20/2026

Mississippi Artist Roster member Mary Louise Porter brings movement and expression to landscapes painted in acrylics and pastels. A painter and educator, she received the 2026 Grand Prize from the Mississippi State Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Mary Louise is available for multigenerational 3D box painting workshops and plein air painting workshops focused on rhythm, movement and expression. She can travel within the Gulf Coast area.

Explore her Artist Roster profile to learn more about her work and booking availability: https://arts.ms.gov/artist-roster/

ML Porter Fine Art

10/19/2026

Applications are open through November 2 for Mississippi Arts Commission Mini-Grants, the Mississippi Artist Roster and the Teaching Artist Roster!

Interested in applying for a Mini-Grant? MAC’s newly recorded webinars for artists and organizations offer updated information to help you prepare your application.

Individual Mini-Grants provide up to $500 for professional development, marketing or art supplies. Organization Mini-Grants provide $200–$1,000 for professional development and capacity building and require a dollar-for-dollar cash match.

The Mississippi Artist Roster recognizes professional artists based in the state. The Teaching Artist Roster connects artists and arts educators with schools and community organizations. Eligible organizations can also apply for Mini-Grants to hire members of either roster.

Watch the recorded webinars and review application guidelines:

- Artists: https://arts.ms.gov/grants/grants-for-individuals/minigrants-for-individuals/
- Organizations: https://arts.ms.gov/grants-for-organizations/minigrants-for-organizations/

10/15/2026

From church choirs to the Soul Music Awards, Jackson native Kessey Monae has built a career around her voice.

A new member of the Mississippi Arts Commission Artist Roster, Kessey was named Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2026 Soul Music Awards. She also received the 2025 Video of the Year award for “Love Sick” and was named Female Entertainer of the Year at the 2024 Best of Mississippi Awards.

Kessey is available for live performances and willing to travel nationally and internationally. Explore her Artist Roster profile to learn more about booking her: https://arts.ms.gov/artist-roster/

Kessey Monae

10/14/2026

This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Larry visits with Fletcher Cox, a master woodworker and craftsman who lives in the Jackson area. Cox is a past Governor’s Arts Award recipient and current member of MAC’s Artist Roster. They talk about his roots as a self-taught craftsman, how his work has evolved over the years, and how he has given “new life” to fallen trees as furniture and other items.

Listen by subscribing to the Mississippi Arts Hour podcast through your favorite podcast app, or listen online at http://msartshour.mpbonline.org/

video description: In this Mississippi Arts Hour clip, master woodworker Fletcher Cox shares how a 95-year-old sand pine changed his perspective on working with pine. After discovering grain shaped by decades of harsh coastal conditions, he transformed the tree into coffee tables, ornaments, plates and bowls, giving it a new life through his craft.

MPB - Mississippi Public Broadcasting

10/13/2026

The National Folk Festival is still in need of volunteers! Help welcome visitors and keep the festival running smoothly as it returns to downtown Jackson Nov. 13–15.

Whether you can lend a hand for a few hours or across all three days, there are opportunities to get involved. Volunteers receive a free T-shirt and free parking!

Groups interested in volunteering can email [email protected].

View available opportunities and register at https://bit.ly/NFF-VOLUNTEER.

Learn more about the festival at https://www.nationalfolkfestival.com/.

National Folk Festival

10/09/2026

Meet Mississippi Artist Roster member Annie Parr, a fiber and textile artist from Raymond whose work brings family keepsakes, photographs and craft traditions into contemporary quilts and installations.

Annie is available for art, painting and sewing lessons; printmaking workshops; and traveling demonstrations in weaving and machine sewing. Her printmaking workshops include relief carving, photo lithography, screen printing and alternative photography.

Explore Annie’s roster profile to learn more about her work and availability: https://arts.ms.gov/artist-roster/

10/08/2026

In case you missed it, meet the recipients of the 2027 Governor’s Arts Awards!

Mississippi’s creative legacy takes many forms, from music, photography and dance to literature and community-building through the arts. This year’s recipients represent the range of talent and artistic impact found across the state:

Alvin Shelby | Lifetime Achievement
Doy D. Gorton | Excellence in Photography
Duwane Pendarvis | Excellence in Dance
Square Books | Arts in Community
Wright Thompson | Excellence in Literature

Join MAC on Thursday, February 11, 2027, at The Westin Jackson. A public reception will begin at 4:30 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony at 6 p.m.

Stay tuned as MAC shares more about the remarkable backgrounds, work and lasting contributions of each recipient.

Learn more at arts.ms.gov/gaa.

Address

455 N. Lamar Street Suite 2A
Jackson, MS
39202

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+16013596030

Website

http://www.arts.ms.gov/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Mississippi Arts Commission posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Mississippi Arts Commission:

Want your organization to be the top-listed government service in Jackson?