(Clarksdale, MS) – The Delta Blues Museum has been awarded a $21,600 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) for general operating support. This grant is a portion of the $1.5 million in grants the Commission will award in 2016-2017, made possible by continued funding from the Mississippi State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Delta Blues Museum is Mississippi’s first music museum to utilize funds in general operations.

“Organizations that support the arts play a pivotal role in growing Mississippi’s creative economy,” said Malcolm White, Executive Director of MAC. “The Mississippi Arts Commission is pleased to support their work, which reinforces the value of the arts for communities and for the economic development of our state.”

“Operating support from MAC is vital to the Delta Blues Museum’s ability to carry out its mission through educational exhibits and programs, in our ongoing work to celebrate and lift up the artists who created this powerful art form known as ‘the Blues’,” offered Museum Director Shelley Ritter, adding that “MAC is one of the most important resources and sources of support for our state’s artists and organizations in the arts.”

For more information on events or programs, please call (662) 627-6820, or visit the Museum website.