As the Museum of the Mississippi Delta reopens, it has been awarded $7,400 from the Mississippi Arts Commission CARES Emergency Grant program.
The MAC was given these funds as a part of the National Endowment for the Arts CARES Act, through which financial assistance has been sent to all 50 states during the COVID-19 pandemic. The MAC CARES Emergency grants program was established to help provide economic relief to institutions in need.
The money given to the museum will be used to maintain the cost of basic operations, which suffered during the time of reduced income and limited visitation. Because the doors have been closed, the museum has lost funds from admission fees and donations.
Katie Mills, the interim executive director of the museum, said they were fortunate not to have to furlough or lay off any employees, and this money will help make up for the loss of funds.
“We were able to keep everyone in a job with their regular operating hours. We were really thankful in that regard,” Mills said. “This money will go straight to our operating cost — mainly salaries but utilities as well.”
In a statement from the museum, the executive director of MAC, Malcolm White, expressed his gratitude for the funds.
“Like much of the economy, the arts sector in Mississippi and the nation have faced significant challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Closing facilities and canceling events equates to lost revenue,” said White. “We are thankful that the federal government has recognized this need and has responded.”
The museum reopened Friday with limited hours and some restrictions. The exhibits are open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the first hour on Tuesday and Thursday reserved for seniors and those with compromised immune conditions.
The museum also is following a number of recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including masks for all guests, directional arrows to help with social distancing, several sanitizing stations and limiting the visitation to 10 guests at a time.
• Contact Adam Bakst at 581-7233 or abakst@gwcommonwealth.com.
