JACKSON — The Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation of Columbus has been awarded a $1,000 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC). This grant is a portion of the $1.5 million in grants the Commission awarded in 2012-2013 and is designated to help sponsor Grady Champion, booked to perform at Fireworks on the Water July 4. The grants are made possible by continued funding from the Mississippi State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.
“The grants awarded by the Commission to arts organizations across the state provide funding for the staging of festivals, theatre performances, and many other arts-related activities,” said Sallye Killebrew, interim executive director of the MAC. “With these funds, the organizations work diligently to help tell the unique story of their community, and to reinforce the value of building a creative economy. These groups prove that arts programs are vital to stimulate economic growth.”
Nancy Carpenter, executive director of the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation and Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Wednesday, “The Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation, along with the City of Columbus, Lowndes County, Columbus Air Force Base and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, were determined to make this Fourth of July memorable for the men and women of CAFB and fellow Mississippians. By garnering support from local businesses and civic-minded individuals, the Cultural Heritage Foundation brought together a winning team to present Fireworks on the Water with class. We are most grateful for the support of the Mississippi Arts Commission.”
Champion and his band represented Mississippi in March at the 2013 South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival in Austin, Texas. In 2010 he was the winner of the International Blues Challenge.
For more information from the Mississippi Arts Commission, contact Susan Liles at 601-359-6031 or [email protected].
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