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 2022 award winners: (top left to right): Angie Thomas, Ashleigh Burke Coleman, Joshua Nguyen, Becky Hagenston, Teresa Nicholas, W. Ralph Eubanks, and William Dunlap; (bottom left to right): Steve Rouse, Jennifer Torres, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Kenneth Holditch, Scott Barretta, Bill Ellison, and Patrick O'Connor.
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 2022 award winners: (top left to right): Angie Thomas, Ashleigh Burke Coleman, Joshua Nguyen, Becky Hagenston, Teresa Nicholas, W. Ralph Eubanks, and William Dunlap; (bottom left to right): Steve Rouse, Jennifer Torres, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Kenneth Holditch, Scott Barretta, Bill Ellison, and Patrick O'Connor.
Pictured are members of the 2021–2022 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: Talamieka Brice, Ridgeland; Nicole Bradshaw, Brandon; Lawrence Deas, Jackson; Nancy LaForge, Cleveland; Ebony Lumumba, Jackson; Bridget Pieschel, Columbus; Julian Rankin, Ocean Springs; Sandra Shellnut (Emerita), Pass Christian; Mary Thompson, Clarksdale; Lester Senter Wilson, Jackson; and Swan Yerger (Emeritus), Jackson.
─Photo by Yvonne Williams, Digital Media Manager, Mississippi Museum of Art.
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Officers for 2021-2022: (top, L to R): Margaret Robbins, Executive Secretary; Jan Taylor, Treasurer; Nancy Guice, Archivist; Sarah Frances Hardy, President; Scott Naugle, Immediate Past President.
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Virtual Board of Governors meeting September 15, 2021.
2019 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters. All rights reserved.