NEWS

Mississippi Arts & Entertainment Center

 

 

For Immediate Release

February 4, 2005

           

Arts Center Plans Community Celebration

Important milestone reached; master plan to be unveiled

 

MERIDIAN, Miss. -- Area residents are invited to come celebrate the unveiling of what will soon be the state’s new cultural mecca. The long-awaited master plan for the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center will be unveiled during a community celebration on Thursday, Feb. 10 at 9 a.m. in the Khalmus Auditorium on the Meridian campus of Mississippi State University. Residents, students, civic leaders and public officials are all encouraged to attend the free event.  Attendees will be treated to an art exhibit and musical performance by area students along with an appearance by actress and Meridian native Sela Ward.

“This is an important milestone for us,” said Dr. Charlotte Tabereaux, MAEC executive director.  “Up until this point, we have all had our own ideas of what the center will look like, but the new master plan gives us all one vision to work toward.

“We hope that the people of Meridian and Lauderdale County will join us in this celebration,” she said. “Because of their support, this project is moving from a dream to reality. This is something that will benefit the entire state, and the people of Meridian should feel proud of the part they are playing to make it happen.”

The complex will be built on a 175-acre tract of land on Bonita Lakes. In addition to promoting statewide education in the arts, the MAEC is expected to generate $10 million annually from tourism and will feature year-round events, such as Hall of Fame inductions, concerts, and hands-on demonstrations by renowned Mississippi artists.

The MAEC was established by the state legislature in 2001 and will operate as a 501(c)3 nonprofit enterprise. Funding for the development is being secured from the private sector, federal grants and state resources.

For more information about the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center, visit the center’s website at www.msarts.org.

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