Hall of Fame

The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience Hall of Fame Selection Process

As sanctioned in Mississippi Code §39-25-1, the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Hall of Fame reflects the essence of Mississippi’s rich cultural legacy to the world by recognizing iconic Mississippians whose achievements in arts and entertainment serve to inspire future creatives. 

Every two years: 

• The MAX announces the HoF candidate recommendation period, allowing members of the public to recommend candidates for consideration using an online recommendation form. 
• The Nominating Committee reviews the recommended names and creates a list of approximately 25 nominees; 
• The list of nominees is sent to the Panel of Electors, each of whom votes for five; 
• Meanwhile, the nominees are posted on The MAX website and widely publicized for the public to vote; 
• Results are collected and tabulated by a certified public accounting firm; 
• The awardees are notified; the names are announced to the public; and an induction ceremony is held. 

Process 

Candidates 

• The public may recommend candidates for consideration in the Hall of Fame using this online form. 
• The MAX maintains a master list of all previously submitted eligible candidates. That list will be provided to the Nominators as a tool to help identify their nominees.

Nominations 

• Each Nominator recommends 50 candidates for consideration. Those are tabulated for the committee, which uses this as a guide to create the slate of approximately 25 nominees. 

Voting 

• Electors review all nominees to select and score their top five, using the established criteria: 
  1. The nominee is a recognized icon in arts and entertainment. 
  2. The nominee’s impact in arts and entertainment, life, and visibility serve to inspire future creatives. 
  3. The nominee’s work reflects the rich essence of Mississippi’s cultural legacy or creatively innovates new forms and formats. 
  4. The nominee has made an enduring impact on Mississippi, the nation, and beyond through their work and life. 
  5. The nominee has a solid connection to Mississippi (either by birthright, moving to the state at an early age, or living in Mississippi for a significant portion of their career). 
• Members of the public use an online process to select their top five (with reasonable safeguards to help ensure one vote per person, e.g. registered email address)
• All votes tabulated by a CPA firm to determine the new class of inductees, weighing the combined public vote at 25% and the votes of Electors at 75%. 

Definitions and Roles 

Candidates are those Mississippi artists and entertainers who are recommended for consideration as potential nominees. To be eligible, candidates must be an individual (or ensemble) who: 

• Is recognized as an icon in their particular field of the arts and entertainment industry; 
• Has made a lasting cultural impact on Mississippi and beyond; and 
• Has a solid connection to Mississippi (either by birthright, moving to the state at an early age, or living in Mississippi for a significant portion of their career). 

Nominees are the Mississippi artists and entertainers selected by the Nominating Committee to be voted on by the Electors and public. 

Inductees, honorees, and awardees are used interchangeably to describe the five people selected by the Electors and public for inclusion in the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Hall of Fame. 

Hall of Fame / Walk of Fame Committee is the official body of The MAX Board of Directors charged with planning and managing the Hall of Fame and Walk of Fame. It is comprised of at least six people: two MAX board members, who serve in a non-voting ex-officio capacity, one of whom serves as committee chair; and at least four others from across the state who are deeply knowledgeable in Mississippi arts and entertainment but are not MAX board members. 

Nominators are those members of the Hall of Fame / Walk of Fame Committee who are not MAX board or staff. 

The Panel of Electors are those with primary responsibility for determining the outcome of the vote.  

• All living members of the Hall of Fame are invited to serve as Electors.
• The MAX Hall of Fame / Walk of Fame Committee will nominate additional experts in their field to serve as Electors, to ensure a broad range of knowledge and backgrounds. The Panel of Electors may have up to twelve members.
• No nominee may serve as an Elector, nor may MAX staff, board, or Hall of Fame committee members.

The public may submit names of candidates for consideration in the Hall of Fame during the publicly announced recommendation period. They also vote online for their top five nominees. The MAX works to ensure one ballot per email address. When final votes are tabulated, the combined public vote is weighted at 25%.