Celebrating Mississippi's artists, musicians, and writers
Each year the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters honors creative individuals with an award in their specific field.
The prestigious awards, first made in 1980, are presented in seven categories: Fiction, Non-fiction, Visual Art, Music Composition (Classical), Music Composition (Contemporary), Photography, and Poetry. The Institute's juried competition is one of a kind in the state. Our carefully selected judges, chosen from out of state, are prominent in their field. Supported by Mississippi Institutes of Higher Learning, MIAL is privately funded, self-perpetuating, and non-profit.
In 1978, the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters (MIAL) was dreamed up by a few discerning individuals, including former Governor William Winter and Dr. Cora Norman both of Jackson, Dr. Aubrey Lucas and Dr. Noel Polk both of Hattiesburg, and Mrs. Keith Dockery McLean of Cleveland. These founding members knew that among Mississippi's greatest riches are our artists, writers, and musicians, who must be supported, nurtured, and recognized. To see a list of Charter Members, click here.
Shown above are the 2019 recipients of awards at the 40th celebration held in Meridian, Mississippi: First Row (L to R): John Ruskey, Noel Polk Lifetime Achievement; Rory Doyle, Photography; Coulter Fussell, Visual Arts; Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Poetry; Second Row (L to R): Richard Howorth, Citation of Merit; Tiffany Quay Tyson, Fiction; John Milham, Music Composition (Contemporary); Steve Rouse, Music Composition (Classical); Julian Rankin, Nonfiction.
The prestigious awards, first made in 1980, are presented in seven categories: Fiction, Non-fiction, Visual Art, Music Composition (Classical), Music Composition (Contemporary), Photography, and Poetry. The Institute's juried competition is one of a kind in the state. Our carefully selected judges, chosen from out of state, are prominent in their field. Supported by Mississippi Institutes of Higher Learning, MIAL is privately funded, self-perpetuating, and non-profit.
In 1978, the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters (MIAL) was dreamed up by a few discerning individuals, including former Governor William Winter and Dr. Cora Norman both of Jackson, Dr. Aubrey Lucas and Dr. Noel Polk both of Hattiesburg, and Mrs. Keith Dockery McLean of Cleveland. These founding members knew that among Mississippi's greatest riches are our artists, writers, and musicians, who must be supported, nurtured, and recognized. To see a list of Charter Members, click here.
Shown above are the 2019 recipients of awards at the 40th celebration held in Meridian, Mississippi: First Row (L to R): John Ruskey, Noel Polk Lifetime Achievement; Rory Doyle, Photography; Coulter Fussell, Visual Arts; Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Poetry; Second Row (L to R): Richard Howorth, Citation of Merit; Tiffany Quay Tyson, Fiction; John Milham, Music Composition (Contemporary); Steve Rouse, Music Composition (Classical); Julian Rankin, Nonfiction.
Board of Governors
2018-2019
Front, L to R: Ann Abadie, Lester Senter Wilson, Sandra Shellnut, Margaret Anne Robbins, Marion Barnwell, Mary Thompson, and Nicole Bradshaw; Standing L to R: Sarah Frances Hardy, Kim Rushing, Mark Wiggs, Scott Naugle, Aubrey Lucas, Lawrence Deas, James G. Thomas, Jr. Pete Halverson, Swan Yerger, and Jennifer Heidelberg.
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Officers 2018-2019 (Left to Right)
Jan Taylor, Treasurer; Margaret Anne Robbins, Secretary; Lawrence Deas, President; Nancy Guice, Archivist; and Nancy LaForge, Past President; Not pictured: James G. Thomas, Jr. Vice President.
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2019 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters. All rights reserved.