Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts

The Mississippi Arts Commission presents the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts annually to honor outstanding writers, artists, performers, craftsmen and educators who have made significant and lasting contributions through their work as well as to corporations or organizations on the basis of their dedication to arts advancement.

The 2010 winners include David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Wyatt Waters, Bessie Johnson, Lenagene Waldrup and Grassroots Radio Host Bill Ellison. Listen to interview with each of these winners on the Mississippi Arts Hour podcast.

The 2010 Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts ceremony will be held on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at Galloway United Methodist Church in downtown Jackson. It will begin at 1:00pm and is free and open to the public. A reception will be held immediately following the ceremony in the fellowship hall of the church.

This evening we'll have our annual Party Arty at Hal and Mal's. I'm hoping to get a picture with Honeyboy and to have a dance with George Berry, one of Mississippi's finest woodcarvers who also happens to be red hot on the dance floor. We'll have music by soul stirrers Wiley and the Checkmates.

Look for lots of pictures and a full update on today's events here at Living Mississippi.