DATE: January 7, 2010
CONTACT: Susan Dobbs, Public Relations Director
601/359-6031, sdobbs@arts.state.ms.us
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JACKSON— Mississippi’s arts and cultural festivals are an important tool in economic development and community pride. That’s why the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) and the Mississippi Development Authority’s Division of Tourism Development are working together to present the 5th Annual Festival and Event Coordinators Workshop on January 26th and 28th.
The agencies will be hosting the workshops in McComb (on January 26th at the McComb Sports Park) and Tupelo (on January 28th at the Link Centre). The workshops will run from 8:45am to 4:00pm.
Both agencies recognize the challenges faced by community groups that produce festivals, especially in hard economic times. This year, the Festival and Event Coordinators Workshop’s theme is community identity: Creating festivals that are in conjunction with a community's distinctive characteristics, traditions and history. Rather than focusing on out-sourcing and becoming the next big festival, the goal is to show festival and event coordinators where to look in their own back yards for the right partnerships, sponsorships, programming and support.
The workshop is free of charge, but reservations are required. Register online on at: www.visitmississippi.org/workshop/. For more information on registration, contact MAC’s Heritage Director, Mary Margaret Miller at 601-359-6030.
The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency, funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Phil Hardin Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation, the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson, and other private sources. MAC is the official granting and service agency for the arts in Mississippi. The agency serves as an active supporter and promoter of the arts in community life and in arts education.
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