Mississippi Arts Hour

• Chimney Choir
  
  Excerpt (50:29) | Air date 05/13/12
  Mary Margaret Miller talks to the members of the band Chimney Choir.
• Chuck Galey
  
  Excerpt (50:29) | Air date 05/06/12
  Diane Williams talks to children's book author and illustrator Chuck Galey.
• Drive Time Special
  
  Excerpt (36:00) | Air date 04/29/12
  A special Drive Time Edition of the Mississippi Arts Hour.
• Kenny Brown
  
  Excerpt (50:29) | Air date 04/22/12
  Larry Morrisey talks to blues guitarist Kenny Brown.
• Bruce Levingston
  
  Excerpt (50:29) | Air date 04/15/12
  Malcolm White talks to pianist Bruce Levingston.
• Crossroads Film Festival
  
  Excerpt (50:30) | Air date 04/08/12
  Mary Margaret Miller previews the 13th annual Crossroads Film Festival.
• Fletcher Cox
  
  Excerpt (50:29) | Air date 04/01/12
  Diane Williams talks to craftsman Fletcher Cox.
• Effie Burt
  
  Excerpt (50:29) | Air date 03/25/12
  Larry Morrisey talks to Effie Burt.
• Jim Dollarhide
  
  Excerpt (50:30) | Air date 03/18/12
  Malcolm White talks to filmmaker Jim Dollarhide.

Meet the Hosts

Malcolm White

In October 2005, Malcolm White was chosen as the Executive Director of the Mississippi Arts Commission.  In addition to working tirelessly for the arts across the entire state, he has been dedicated to the cultural rebuilding of the Gulf Coast communities that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina.  His personal passion about the arts in Mississippi drives him to lead the agency in supporting and celebrating Mississippi’s creative spirit.  Malcolm was born in the rural Stone County town of Perkinston Mississippi.  He graduated from Booneville High School in 1969 and studied at various Mississippi institutions of higher learning and ultimately graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1978

Diane Williams

Diane Williams is the Arts Industry Director for the Mississippi Arts Commission and works with nonprofit arts and cultural organizations to expand their capacity to carry out their programs, assure the adequacy of critical resources, strengthen management skills, and participate as full partners with other civic institutions in the lives of their community.   Diane is a member of the National Association of Black Storytellers and the Network of Biblical Storytellers.  She has been called a story weaver, a keeper of treasured tales, and a collector of phrases. Williams weaves her tales from books, history, myths, legends, and folktales, and many of her stories are original. She has traveled across America telling stories in her unique and creative way.

Larry Morrisey

Larry Morrisey has served as MAC's Director of Grants Programs since August 2008. Prior to this, he was the agency's Heritage Program Director.  In addition to his duties as one of the hosts of the Mississippi Arts Hour, Morrisey serves as the podcast producer for the show. He holds a Bachelors degree in Music from Webster University and a Masters degree in Folk Studies from Western Kentucky University.

Mary Margaret Miller

Mary Margaret Miller brings a wealth of experience to her position as Heritage Director for the Commission.  She received an MA in Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi.  She has been trained by the Library of Congress and the American Folklife Center in documentary fieldwork and oral history technique. She is a native of the Mississippi Delta.  Her writing and photography has appeared in The Clarion-Ledger, The Tennessean, Living Blues Magazine, Delta Magazine and The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture.

More about the Mississippi Arts Commission

In 1968, the Mississippi Legislature created the Mississippi Arts Commission as the official grants-making and service agency for the arts. Since then the Commission has broadened its role as an active supporter and promoter of the arts in community life and arts education.

The Commission is funded in part by the state but also receives substantial funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. With these funds, the Commission provides financial support in the form of grants for eligible arts programs and for the work of individual artists.

The role of the Commission, however, goes beyond grants-making. The executive director, hired by the Board of Commissioners, heads the 11-member staff, which not only administers grants but implements policies and provides services.

Through the arts, diverse communities of all sizes can better identify shared values, create vibrant public spaces, and enhance the effectiveness of schools. The arts also attract visitors who leave with a strong, positive image of Mississippi. Fostering excellence in the arts provides the inspiration to generate a higher quality of life for all citizens.

Click here to visit the Commission's web page.