In a response to an open records request, the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) provided data from grantees confirming that Mississippi is no exception to the national trend of mostly-white nonprofit arts boards. When these organizations receive grants to support programs, does MAC ensure that public funding reaches artists who represent the state’s diversity?
“MAC’s impact on the Black community is minimal. MAC’s grantees reach the same groups. Those who know about resources know; those who don’t, how do they learn about them?” one artist said.
The artist noted the Meridian Little Theatre. Despite winning a prestigious competition with an all-Black cast of a play by a Black writer and advancing to a national competition, the theater lacked funding for the cast to stay for the complete professional development experience, in contrast to white-led organizations.
MAC’s strategic plan does not prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion. Neither does it conduct site visits in the state grant process, raising questions about accountability for inclusion as well as the integrity of applications for funding.
In this project, John W. Bateman, a 2023 Reporting Fellow, investigates the use of state public arts funding and whether this adversely impacts marginalized artists. What does accountability look like? What responsibility do state agencies like MAC bear? How does leadership play a role? What solutions exist?