Mississippi Public Art Convening
Creatives and community leaders from around the state are invited to The MAX to learn how public art can shape your community – and explore funding opportunities such as the Mississippi Arts Commission’s Mississippi Public Art in Community Grant.
After a keynote by Sandra Bloodworth, we’ll announce a new mural opportunity at The MAX, followed by a panel conversation and opportunities to visit with funders, and artists.
Schedule of Events:
10 am Welcome + introductions
Keynote by Sandra Bloodworth
11:30 am Panel discussion
1 pm Meet the MAC for technical assistance
Food trucks available for lunch
2 pm Stay for the last showing of This Property is Condemned, as part of Whistlestop Weekend!
Keynote bio:
Sandra Bloodworth – Sandra was 2024 recipient of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal. Over her 36-year career at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Arts & Design program—28 of them as director—she commissioned hundreds of artists and built one of the largest and most diverse public art collections in the world. A native of Charleston, Mississippi, she began her career as community arts coordinator at the Mississippi Arts Commission, earning degrees from Mississippi College, University of Mississippi, and Florida State University. Bloodworth is co-author of three books on art in the transit system (Along the Way, New York’s Underground Art Museum, and Contemporary Art Underground). Sandra lectures on public art, advises institutions and communities, and leads a full studio practice as a painter. In her keynote, she will share insights from a lifetime of work in public art and its enduring connection to place.
Panelist bios:
Lawson King – Lawson’s artwork draws on his background in psychology and upbringing in the Mississippi Delta. Since 2012, King has taught art throughout the Delta, often in schools without art programs. He also taught at Delta State University, where he earned his BFA in Sculpture, and continues to serve on the committee for the Mathews-Sanders Sculpture Garden. A MAC Artist Fellowship recipient, Lawson’s work has been exhibited at the Mississippi Museum of Art, the Grammy Museum Mississippi, and the University of Mississippi Museum, as well as galleries and outdoor exhibitions nationwide.
Reshonda Perryman – Reshonda is an artist, graphic designer, and muralist whose notable works include the JXN Icon Series in Jackson, the Jam Session series in Hattiesburg, and the Medgar Evers Library mural—each serving as a vibrant celebration of place, culture, and history. As the former Director of Design and Creative Engagement for Visit Jackson, she spearheaded public art and community engagement initiatives that deepened connections between residents and their city.
Carlton Turner – Carlton is an artist, agriculturalist, builder, researcher, and co-founder/co-director of the Mississippi Center for Cultural Production (Sipp Culture). He has more than 20 years of organizational development and management experience working in the arts and culture sector. He currently serves on the board of First People’s Fund, Grantmakers in the Arts, College Unbound, and the National Black Food and Justice Alliance. Carlton is a founding partner of the Intercultural Leadership Institute, former Executive Director of Alternate ROOTS, and a lead partner in the Southern Black Farmer Community Led Fund. He lives and works in Utica, MS where his family has been rooted for eight generations.
Melody Moody Thortis (moderator) – Melody has 20 years of experience exploring methods for place-based change in the nonprofit, government and philanthropic sectors. Melody is currently Director of Strategic Impact for the Community Foundation for Mississippi, and former Director of Grants for the MS Arts Commission. She holds degrees in art, international development, and a post-graduate certificate from the National Consortium of Creative Placemaking and the Institute of Art and Design at New England College.
