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 eight categories: Fiction, Non-fiction, Youth Literature, 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 and members, 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 eight categories: Fiction, Non-fiction, Youth Literature, 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 and members, 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.
Pictured are members of the 2019–2020 MIAL Board of Governors: (front row, L to R): Aubrey Lucas (Emeritus), Hattiesburg; JoAnne Morris, Jackson; Jean Medley, Jackson; Jan Taylor, Jackson; Ted Atkinson, Starkville; Sarah Frances Hardy, Oxford; David Beckley, Holly Springs; (second row, L to R): Laura Howell, Leland; Traci Stover, Hattiesburg; Marion Barnwell, Jackson; Ann Abadie, Oxford; Margaret Anne Robbins, Pontotoc; Nancy Guice, Laurel; George Bassi, Laurel; Peter Halverson, Jackson; (third row, L to R); James G. Thomas, Jr., Oxford; Scott Naugle, Pass Christian; Kim Rushing, Cleveland; Mark Wiggs, Jackson; and Donzell Lee, Alcorn. Other members not pictured: Nicole Bradshaw, Brandon; Lawrence Deas, Jackson; Jennifer Polk Heidelberg, Ridgeland; Nancy LaForge, Cleveland; Cora Norman (Emerita), Crossville, TN; Bridget Pieschel, Columbus; Sandra Shellnut, Pass Christian; Mary Thompson, Clarksdale; Lester Senter Wilson, Jackson; Leila Wynn (Emerita), Greenville; and Swan Yerger (Emeritus), Jackson.
─Photo by Yvonne Williams, Digital Media Manager, Mississippi Museum of Art.
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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.