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Take Part! Initiative

Introduction

“Take Part!” is a unique initiative coming out of the Commission’s participation in the Wallace Foundation’s START project. MAC was one of 13 state arts agencies to receive funding from the foundation that is being used to adopt new strategies aimed at encouraging broader participation in the arts. The Wallace Foundation’s focus on this area was influenced by the findings in A New Framework for Building Participation in the Arts, a study prepared in 2001 by the RAND Corporation.

The “Take Part!” initiative is one component of MAC’s work through the START project. During 2002 and early 2003, MAC commissioned a statewide survey looking into how Mississippians participate in the arts.  In May 2003, MAC announced the initiative as part of a statewide conference on the arts.

The focus of the initiative was directly influenced by the findings of A New Framework and MAC’s own study. “Take Part!” is providing grants of up to $30,000 to a group of arts organizations in Mississippi. They are using the funds to develop new strategies for diversifying their base of constituents. The grant guidelines specified that each organization identify a “target group” that has previously not participated in their activities. The grantees are working over an 18-month grant period (December 2003 to May 2005) to engage this group, hopefully making them regular participants through the process.

There was great interest in the initiative by Mississippi organizations following the announcement at the statewide conference. Over 50 groups expressed an interest in the initiative and many participated in the intensive application process that spanned the summer and fall of 2003. In November, five organizations were chosen as partners in the program. Following are short descriptions of each group, along with summaries of their “Take Part!” projects:

Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education – statewide
MAAE is a statewide organization that advocates for comprehensive arts education programs for all K-12 students in Mississippi. The group is working to increase participation in their activities through sponsoring a series of “Community Audits” in five different towns located throughout the state. The audits are used to gauge the interest and resources for arts education within the community. The findings will later be used by the communities themselves in efforts to begin (or increase) support for arts education in the local schools.
Mississippi Cultural Crossroads – Port Gibson
MCC is a community-based arts organization that provides a wide range of arts and humanities programs for the residents of Claiborne County, Mississippi. For their project, MCC is partnering with a group of local churches to offer a series of arts programs (including a community children’s choir and a film series for teens) in order to attract members of the community who have not participated in the organization’s programs in the past.
Mississippi Museum of Art – Jackson
MMA is based in downtown Jackson, but works to expose all Mississippi residents to the visual arts, especially art made in the state or in other areas of the South. In their “Take Part!” project, MMA is focusing on increasing participation by African-American professionals in the museum’s activities. They have formed an advisory committee that will be helping to direct a series of events held in Spring 2005 that will focus on increasing participation by the target group.
Mississippi Opera – Jackson
Mississippi Opera is the state’s only fully professional opera company and has been in continuous operation since 1945. In order to create new connections with the African American community, the organization will be mounting a production of The Gospel at Colonus in January 2005. The work is a re-telling of Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus through the eyes of a Southern preacher. The production will include participation by many local musicians, including church choirs from the Jackson metropolitan area.
Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art – Biloxi
The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art works to preserve and present the works of George Ohr, a turn-of-the-century Biloxi potter. The organization also interprets the contributions of Biloxi’s African American community through their management of the Pleasant Reed House, a home built in Biloxi during the late 19th century by a former slave. For their project, the museum is targeting the working class residents of East Biloxi, many of who do not participate in the Ohr’s events and activities. They will be partnering with schools in East Biloxi for a series of mural workshops, which will engage students from the target community and bring their families to the museum for related activities.

Creating a Community of Learning 

As part of the initiative, “Take Part!” grantees are participating in a series of meetings where they get an opportunity to discuss their projects with each other and learn new strategies from guest presenters. Also included in each meeting has been time dedicated for each organization’s team to meet and do planning for their project. Participants have also gotten the chance to “reconnect” with the arts through “hands-on” workshops led by local artists, including a harmonica workshop by Jackson musician Sherman Lee Dillon and a pottery workshop with Gulfport ceramicist Jeff Schmuki.

Documenting the Projects

As a way to share information about the project and encourage other arts organizations to incorporate diversity efforts into their work, MAC has contracted with Jackson-based filmmaker (and MAC Artist Fellowship recipient) Kathryn Rodenmeyer to create a short documentary video focused on the “Take Part!” activities of three of the partner organizations: Mississippi Cultural Crossroads, The Museum of Art, and Mississippi Opera. Following the conclusion of the initiative of the project in Spring 2005, the Commission will distribute copies of the completed piece for viewing by Mississippi arts and community groups.

For more specific information on the initiative, please contact Commission staff members Allison Winstead or Larry Morrisey at 601-359-6030.