Skip navigation

Send this site to a friend

Arts Commission News

Warhol Foundation Doubles Recovery Fund to Assist Mississippi Gulf Coast Artists and Craftsmen

DATE:              July 1, 2006

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

For Immediate Release

JACKSON—The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) is pleased to announce that the agency has received an additional $75,000 from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, increasing the grant total to $150,000.  These funds will be distributed to qualifying visual artists and craftsmen who applied for the initial donated monies by the June 1, 2006 deadline. “This generous additional contribution from such a distinguished and compassionate arts organization is truly reassuring and encouraging. As we begin the transition from public to private funding, the continued commitment by this highly respected arts partner strengthens the effort to rebuild our arts and cultural network on the Mississippi Gulf Coast” said Malcolm White, Executive Director of MAC.  White said each grant application would be professionally adjudicated on July 6, 2006 by a panel of experts. Grant amounts range from $500 to $7,500.

Warhol Program Director, Pamela Clapp, reinforced the Foundation’s commitment to assist artists working in the effected areas by stating, “When an arts community suffers such devastation, the country as a whole suffers from that missing voice.  It is Warhol’s goal to fortify the foundations of artistic expression on the Gulf Coast.  The region needs to be able to continue its vital contributions to our national culture.”  The New York City based Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. was established in 1987 on the premise that the arts are essential to an open, enlightened democracy.  With the mission to foster innovative artistic expression and the creative process, the Foundation encourages artists to work in a challenging and experimental vein.

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.  To learn more, visit the agency’s website at http://www.arts.state.ms.us.

« Back to headlines