Efforts to create vibrant communities across Mississippi through public art displays are being incentivized by a series of new grants.
The Mississippi Arts Commission has partnered with the Levitt Foundation, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit aimed at creating thriving public social spaces through live music, to combine a public art grant with a secondary, multi-year funding source.
Beginning in fiscal year 2026, two nonprofits in Mississippi will receive a combined grant award of $27,500 from the Mississippi Arts Commission, Visit Mississippi, and Mississippi Main Street Association, along with additional support from partner organizations like the Mississippi Humanities Council, to create a public art installation.
Each grantee will also receive an award of $40,000 per year for three years from the Mississippi Arts Commission and the Levitt Foundation to support the chosen nonprofits in activating their public art site through hosting an annual series of 10 free outdoor concerts in 2026, 2027, and 2028.
A letter of intent period is available from now until July 15 for community-focused Mississippi nonprofits interested in the grant opportunity. Applications will open in August. Officials report that priority will be given to rural communities with populations under 25,000.
