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MISSISSIPPI ARTS COMMISSION ANNOUNCES 2007 RECIPIENTS FOR GOVERNOR’S AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE ARTS

DATE:              January 3, 2007

CONTACT:     Susan Dobbs, Public Relations Director                                       601-359-6031 or sdobbs@arts.state.ms.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

JACKSON—JACKSON— The Mississippi Arts Commission is delighted to announce an outstanding list of recipients of the 2007 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts.  The recipients will accept their awards at the 19th annual public ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, February 16, at St. Andrews Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Jackson.   This year’s five awards and recipients are:

Arts in Education  -   Nora Davis Magnet School, Laurel, MS

 Artistic Excellence -  Sam Gilliam, of Tupelo, MS 

Corporate Arts Patron - Viking Range Corporation,               Greenwood, MS  

Heritage Award - Sam Carr, Dundee,  MS

Lifetime Achievement - Bo Diddley, of McComb, MS

              “The Mississippi Arts Commission together with the Governor’s Office, is honored to celebrate this outstanding group of artists, arts patrons and arts-based institutions.  “This year we had perhaps the largest field of nominations ever, which made the selection process more challenging,” said Malcolm White, the Arts Commission’s Executive Director.  “As Bill Dunlap, our eminent emcee for the prestigious awards ceremony says, ‘Mississippi has an embarrassment of artistic riches’, and 2007 is no exception to that axiom.  We invite all Mississippians to join us in honoring our vast and remarkable artistic traditions.”

            Awards are made to individuals and organizations for outstanding work in the literary and performing arts, arts education, and community development through the arts, patronage and Mississippi Heritage, among others. (Artists do not have to currently reside in the state, but they must have significant ties to the state through some years of residency.)

              Artist Bill Dunlap, who received a Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in 1991, will again serve as master of ceremonies, as he has since 1992.

              The Arts Commission is proud to have Ian and John Whitt , father and son artists of Sweetwater Studios in Moselle, design and construct an original glass creation for this year’s recipients. 

              The commemorative poster was designed by Vidal Blankenstein of Jackson and features photography by Tom Joynt of Jackson. The current poster is the final image from a series that highlights treasures from the Old Capitol Museum. This year’s poster features a dobro style guitar that was owned by Blues musician, Tobe Hudson of Gholson, Mississippi.   Mr. Hudson had ordered the guitar from Sears and Roebuck in 1932 because he bought a new guitar every year. The only reason this guitar was kept through the years was because of the resonator…..a feature many Blues musicians favored because it gave them a unique sound.   (Posters will be available, free of charge, from the Commission.)

               Sponsors make the awards activities possible.  This year’s Premier Partners are BellSouth, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, The Clarion-Ledger and Communication Arts Company. Grand Patrons include Alcatec, LLC; ChevronTexaco Corporation; Beth Clay; Lawrence and Jan Farrington; River Oaks Health Systems; Sanderson Farms, Inc.; Trustmark Bank.  Patrons include Canizaro Cawthon Davis Architects; Delta and Pine Land Company;  Jane and Wood Hiatt, Hiatt-Ingram Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson; Horne LLP; David M. Trigiani, FAIA.   Donors include Ms. Sally W. Carmichael; The Edison Walthall Hotel; Mr. & Mrs. Stuart M. Irby, Jr.; Jess Pinkston, Jr. and Smith Barney, Inc.

               The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency, funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Wallace Foundation and other private sources.  MAC is the official grants making and service agency for the arts in Mississippi. The agency serves as an active supporter and promoter of arts in community life and in arts education.

The Governor’s Awards ceremony is free and open to the public.

 

 

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