The Mississippi Arts Commission has awarded 23 RESCUE ARP Grants to organizations around the state. Two local non-profit groups were among those listed.

The Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation and I Can Fly Ministries received $13,300 and $3,750, respectively.

“We were very excited to receive the grant,” I Can Fly Ministries leader Kathryn Reed said.

I Can Fly Ministries is a non-profit organization that promotes unity, spiritual enhancement and moral growth for local youth through the arts of dance and mime. Currently, there are 16 youths involved with the organization, Reed said, adding that all adults helping with the program work as volunteers.

It is through the dance and mime performances, Reed said, the group is able to raise money for projects, but due to the pandemic, the group was unable to perform, thus having no means to support their outreach efforts.

The RESCUE grants, however, which were made possible through American Rescue Plan Act funding allocated to the National Endowment for the Arts, provided the necessary aid to continue.

The $3,750 grant marks the second round of funding that has been provided by the MAC to aid in bringing relief to Mississippi’s arts sector during the continued economic impacts of COVID-19.

Reed said in the first round, I Can Fly Ministries received $4,700.

In addition to the 23 RESCUE ARP Grants, the MAC also awarded Mini-grants to eight organizations and 43 individual artists in the state.

Local artist Tony Davenport was also named to MAC’s individual artist roster and teaching artist roster. By being listed, grant funds are available to organizations for presenting roster artists.

Sarah Story, the executive director of the Mississippi Arts Commission, congratulated the deserving recipients and thanked those who made the grants possible.

“We are very grateful to the President, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mississippi State Legislature for this important grant funding that will help alleviate the state arts sector and allow artists and arts organizations to develop new ideas and projects that add to the creative culture of our state,” she said.

For the 2022 fiscal year, a total of $1.4 million in funding has been awarded to artists and arts programs across the state with benefits including operating support for museums and community arts centers, arts integration and guest artist presentations in schools and continuing education and supplies for working artists.