(Jackson, Miss) — Thacker Mountain Radio of Oxford has been awarded an $18,000 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC). This grant is a portion of the $1.34 million in grants the Commission will award in 2014 -2015 and will be used to celebrate and document the evolving sounds and stories of a diverse South through live performances, radio broadcasts, an online archive and other multi-media platforms. The grants are made possible by continued funding from the Mississippi State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.
“The creative economy has never been more vibrant than it is today in the communities across Mississippi,” stated Dr. Tom Pearson, Executive Director at MAC. “The agency is honored to play a small role in assisting these organizations to continue their work of reinforcing the value of the arts and the role they play in creative place-making and economic development.”
Thacker Mountain Radio began in 1997 as the “Words and Music” show at Blind Jim’s, a former Oxford bar (now the Burgundy Room). The show featured an author reading and music by a visiting band as well as songs by the house band, a format that continues today. The show now records some 27 live shows a year, 12 in the spring and 12 in the fall as well as 3-4 on the road in various cities across the state. Its Oxford home is now Off Square Books at 129 Courthouse Square, with occasional shows at the nearby Lyric Theater. In 2001, the program went statewide after being picked up for broadcast by Mississippi Public Broadcasting which now airs the show every Saturday night at 7 pm on the radio and online. The show is now in its 16th year.
The Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, serves the residents of the state by providing grants tat support programs to enhance communities; assist artists and arts organizations; promote the arts in education and celebrate Mississippi’s cultural heritage. Established in 1968, the Mississippi Arts Commission is funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson and other private sources. The agency serves as an active supporter and promoter of arts in community life and in arts education.
