Mississippi

$4M grant boosts arts facilities in Mississippi communities

Published

4 months ago

November 13, 2025

M grant boosts arts facilities in Mississippi communities

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) awarded $4 million to 17 organizations across the state through the Building Fund for the Arts (BFA) grant.

The funding will help support the repair, renovation, expansion, or construction of Mississippi facilities that serve as sites for year-round arts programming in their communities.

“MAC and our grantees are grateful to the Mississippi Legislature for prioritizing funding for the Building Fund for the Arts grant each year,” said David Lewis, executive director of the mac. “Mississippi communities continue to demonstrate a strong need for this type of support, while maintaining the ability to execute projects at a high level and with high impact. We are excited to see these grant dollars put to good use through the investment in Mississippi’s creative communities.”

MAC has awarded the following arts organizations funding through the BFA grant:

University of Mississippi Research Foundation (Lafayette) – awarded $500,000 to construct a writer’s studio at Greenfield Farm Writers Residency.
Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, Inc. (Lafayette) – awarded $500,000 to construct the Humanities Hub.
Foundation for Mississippi History (Hinds) – awarded $500,000 to support phase one construction of Crigler Park.
Arts Foundation of Kosciusko (Attala) – awarded $415,530 to complete the final phase of renovations to the L.V. Hull Legacy Center.
Hattiesburg Tourism Commission dba Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art (Forrest) – awarded $400,000 to make ADA upgrades and renovate a flexible arts program space in the Hattiesburg Welcome Center.
Kosciusko Foundation for Excellence in Education (Attala) – awarded $324,000 to rebuild accessible restrooms in the Skipworth Performing Arts Center.
Walter Anderson Museum of Art (Jackson) – awarded $300,000 to support the Walter Anderson Mural Preservation Project.
Byhalia Area Arts Council (Marshall) – awarded $270,000 to install a sound system, renovate restrooms, and restore classrooms in the Byhalia Old School Commons.
Harrisburg Cultural and Social Services Center Inc., dba Link Centre (Lee) – awarded $225,000 to repair and preserve the Concert Hall.
Cleveland Music Foundation dba GRAMMY Museum Mississippi (Bolivar) –awarded $172,313 to upgrade interactive technology and replace tiles on the front porch.
Northwest Mississippi Community College Foundation (Tate) – awarded $150,000 to update sound and lighting systems for the Fine Arts Auditorium and the Black Box Theatre.
Center Stage, Inc. (Harrison) – awarded $82,327 to replace the roof and correct the tech booth stairs.
Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain (Harrison) – awarded $60,000 to replace electrical systems, make sustainability improvements, and improve accessibility at the Twelve Oaks Property.
Brookhaven Little Theatre (Lincoln) – awarded $48,000 to continue renovations to the auditorium, sound system, and roof.
Friends of Lexington Preservation, Inc. (Holmes) – awarded $48,000 to continue the restoration of the historic Lundy House.
ArtPlace Mississippi (Leflore) – awarded $25,650 to repair bathrooms in the ArtPlace facility and the Elforts Building.
The Arts Hancock County (Hancock) was awarded $25,080 to improve the functionality of the facility.

Those awarded the grant this year will have two years to complete their projects.

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Mississippi

It’s 2,350 miles long, spans 31 US states and is home to a 100kg animal with a tongue that looks like a worm | Discover Wildlife

Published

8 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

It’s 2,350 miles long, spans 31 US states and is home to a 100kg animal with a tongue that looks like a worm | Discover Wildlife

The Mississippi River flows for around 2,350 miles through the heart of the US. It drains an area of 1.2 million square miles – that’s roughly 40% of the country – and at certain points is 11 miles wide. It is North America’s second longest river, behind the Missouri River.

Rising from Lake Itasca in Minnesota, the Mississippi winds southwards through a range of environments, draining water from 31 US states before reaching its delta at the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana.

The sheer size of the river and the diversity of habitats it passes through make it a refuge for a huge range of animal species, including more than 260 fish, 326 birds, 50 mammals and at least 145 amphibians and reptiles, according to the National Park Service.

The Mississippi River flows from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Credit: Rainer Lesniewski/Getty Images

There are many weird and wonderful animals living within the Mississippi’s vast waters, but surely one of the strangest is the alligator snapping turtle.

This prehistoric-looking reptile is massive. It can weigh up to 100kg and males can grow well over half a metre long, making it the largest freshwater turtle in North America.

And as if its size wasn’t enough, the alligator snapper has a host of other characteristics that make it one of the Mississippi’s most striking creatures, including a dark, spiky shell (known as carapace), a brick-like head and a sharp, hooked beak. With such a formidable appearance, it’s easy to see how the turtle got its ‘alligator’ name.

But perhaps the turtle’s most curious feature is a worm-like appendage found on its tongue, which it uses as a lure to catch prey, such as fish, amphibians and invertebrates. Alligator snappers are also quite happy scavenging for food.

More amazing wildlife stories from around the world

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Mississippi

Mississippi House of Representatives passes bill to make NIL earnings non-taxable

Published

20 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Mississippi House of Representatives passes bill to make NIL earnings non-taxable

NIL money comes with a price. More specifically, a tax bill.

The Mississippi legislature is trying to reduce that burden for college athletes who play there.

Via Bea Anhuci of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, the Mississippi House of Representatives has passed a bill that would exempt NIL earnings from state income tax.

It’s a recruiting tool for Ole Miss and Mississippi State, one that would put the Mississippi schools on equal footing with other states that host SEC universities. Florida, Tennessee, and Texas have no state income tax, and Arkansas carved out NIL earnings from the state’s income tax burden in 2025.

Mississippi currently charges a four-percent tax on anyone making more than $10,000 per year.

NIL earnings remain subject to federal income tax.

The bill will have to also pass the Mississippi Senate, and the governor would then be required to sign it into law.

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Mississippi

Why Rebels are keeping pace for Mississippi State CB commit Brandon Allen Jr

Published

2 days ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Why Rebels are keeping pace for Mississippi State CB commit Brandon Allen Jr

Ole Miss is working to eventually flip Mississippi State cornerback commit Brandon Allen Jr. (Atlanta, Ga.). Ahead of a packed spring travel schedule, visiting multiple programs, Allen speaks on his current recruitment with Rebels247.com.

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