Mississippi Arts Hour

Larry Morrisey visits with poet Angela Ball from Hattiesburg. They talk about her beginnings as a writer and poet, her work as a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi and the themes found in Steeplechase, her new collection of poetry. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leslie Barker talks with one of MAC's newest staff members, Emmi Sprayberry. Emmi's documentary photography has gained international recognition. At her core, she is a storyteller who is passionate about accessibility in the arts and supporting emerging talent. Join us for our conversation about the arts in Jackson and Emmi's new project that examines the relationship between music, community, and Mississippi's musical legacy. To listen to the music discussed in the podcast, visit the links below.“Use Me (Live at Carnegie Hall)” by Bill Withers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSqtPjpKb6k&list=RDfSqtPjpKb6k&start_radio=1 “We Are” by Jon Batistehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=MkpvNaBe0mg&list=RDMkpvNaBe0mg&start_radio=1/If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Lewis sits down with the 2026 Governor's Arts Award recipient for Excellence in Arts Education, Dorothy "Dottie" Armstrong. Dottie is an arts educator who has developed arts programming within the Newton community. In this episode, Dottie shares stories about her upbringing, how she didn't see herself as an artist at first, and the work in her community. Listen by subscribing to the Mississippi Arts Hour podcast through your favorite podcast app, or listen online at http://msartshour.mpbonline.org/If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristen Brandt sits down with Janet Reihle and Crafton Beck of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra (MSO), an institution that has shaped Mississippi's cultural landscape for more than 80 years. The MSO is the 2026 recipient of the Governor's Award for Excellence in Performing Arts. They talk about the orchestra's history, its impact on communities across the state, the challenges and joys of presenting live performances, and how the MSO continues to inspire audiences through education, outreach, and innovative programming. From longtime symphony-goers to first-time listeners, this conversation highlights why the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra remains a vital pillar of Mississippi's arts industry. Join The Mississippi Arts Commission in celebrating the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at The Westin Jackson at 6 p.m. A public reception will precede the ceremony at 4:30 p.m. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey visits with blues musician and Governor's Arts Award recipient, Jesse Robinson. Robinson grew up in the Delta and came to Jackson as a teenager. He's been playing music around the Jackson since then, including being one of the central musicians at the Subway Lounge, the legendary late-night blues spot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Mississippi Arts Hour, Leslie talks with the 2026 Governor's Arts Award recipient for Excellence in Music Composition, Heather Christian. Heather is a composer, lyricist, playwright and performer creating music centered shows and rituals. She is a Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, and two-time Obie Award winner. Most recently, Heather was named a MacArthur Fellow, an honor commonly known as the “Genius Grant.” The interview was recorded in September at the Signature Theatre in New York City where Heather is currently an artist in residence. Join us for our conversation as Heather shares stories about growing up in Natchez, ghosts, sacred spaces, and of course, her creative process. To hear the songs mentioned in this episode, visit: https://heatherchristian.bandcamp.com/album/animal-wisdom-soundtrack-and-live-requiem Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Rhoades talks with author Kelly Foster Lundquist about her striking debut memoir titled Beard: A Memoir of a Marriage. In the book, Kelly revisits her relationship with her first husband twenty years after their divorce as she investigates the "beard" trope in literature, culture, and her own romantic life. Kelly now lives in Minnesota, but is from Yazoo City, Mississippi, and much of the book takes place in Jackson. Kelly talks about how the book took shape over twenty years of writing it, her love of old movies and pop culture, and how English literature classes changed her life. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this next installment of the Favorite Poem Podcast Project hosted by Mississippi Poet Laureate, poet and memoirist Mike Smith brings us Marianne Moore's intriguing poem “The Fish.” Please listen—and enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristen Brandt talks to Keri Davis. Keri is an artist, teacher, musician, and owner of Pacesetter Gallery, which opened in Flowood in 2021. The gallery features over 60 artists from across Mississippi. Keri has hosted hundreds of events, from art classes, workshops, plein air painting competitions, and creative events for the central MS area. The gallery has been voted Best Art Gallery by Mississippi Magazine readers for the last 3 years and was honored as the Mississippi Tourism Attraction of the Year in 2024 at the Governor's Conference on Tourism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey travels to Oxford to catch up with painter Charlie Buckley. Buckley remembers his years studying with artist and 2026 Governor's Arts Awards recipient, Dottie Armstrong. He also explains how his “stacked houses” paintings have transformed into a long-term project for him. He's now documenting historic buildings in communities across the state. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Rhoades talks with New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins about his new novel EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD, a rollicking comedic thriller set in 1985, in which a suburban teen suspects his mom's new boyfriend is a KGB agent. Atkins is an award-winning author of more than thirty novels and numerous short stories. A former college football player and newspaper reporter, he's a recent recipient of the Richard Wright Literary Excellence Award and a member of the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. He lives with his wife, Angela, and two children in Oxford, Mississippi. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leslie Barker talks with performer, choreographer, and director Emma Pittman. Currently, you can see Emma as Cherry Valance on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning production, The Outsiders. After winning “The Search for Roxie,” she made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago. Join us for a conversation about Emma's journey from Mississippi to New York City stages. Emma also speaks about the expansive community it takes to create theatre and the influential years she spent at Oxford High School. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey travels to Oxford to talk with the writer William Boyle. Boyle published his eighth novel, ‘Saint of the Narrows Street,' earlier this year. He tells about the influence of legendary Mississippi writer Larry Brown's work, his use of music as a way to describe his characters, and the “small-town” culture of the Brooklyn neighborhood where his novel is set. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristen Brandt talks to Wade Acuff. Wade is an animator and illustrator living in Brandon, Mississippi. He has worked with major studios such as Netflix, Paramount, and Nickelodeon, and been involved in the production of films including Ma, Big Bad, and the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy's 2. His skill set is broad, ranging from illustration and concept work to 3D modeling and visual effects. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the fourth installment of the Favorite Poem Podcast series, hosted by Mississippi Poet Laureate Ann Fisher-Wirth. In this podcast, Melissa reveals the intricate complexity of H. D.'s beautiful, short Imagist poem “Oread.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristen Brandt sits down with zine maker and National Folk Festival Folklife Area artist, Justin Ransburg. Justin is a visual artist who creates illustrations, comic books, murals, and mixed media artworks. He has created numerous murals in Jackson and statewide. They talk about his work and what attendees of the National Folk Festival can expect to see in his booth in the Folklife area. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey visits with bluesman John Primer, one of the featured musicians at the National Folk Festival in Jackson, November 7-9. A native of Camden, Mississippi, Primer has been an important part of the Chicago blues scene since the early 1970s. He has worked with a “who's who” list of blues legends, including Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, and Magic Slim. Primer has led his own band since the 1990s. His latest CD, ‘Grown in Mississippi,' features guest appearances by a number of contemporary Mississippi blues artists, including Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby Rush, and Eden Brent. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leslie Barker talks with Lucie Wren Cooper and Tyler Tadlock. Individually, they are multidisciplinary artists. Together, they are the Jackson-based music duo, Sad Bath. Lucie and Tyler discuss the inspiration they find in Mississippi, the importance of community and collaboration, and their process of creating across disciplines. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this third episode of the Favorite Poem Podcast Project, hosted by Mississippi Poet Laureate Ann Fisher-Wirth, Beth Ann Fennelly reads and discusses Shakespeare's beautiful sonnet 29, “When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MAC Executive Director, David Lewis, chats with author John T. Edge to discuss his new book, House of Smoke. They also discuss Southern culture, John T's show "True South," and their shared work with South Arts, as well as the literary magnet that is Oxford, MS. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leslie Barker talks with writer and teacher, Catherine Simone Gray. An Emerging Writer in Roxane Gay's The Audacity, her work has been published in The Bitter Southerner and The Michigan Quarterly Review: Mixtape. Catherine is the creator of the blog Unsilenced Woman and recently released her first book, PROUD FLESH: A MEMOIR OF MOTHERHOOD, INTIMATE VIOLENCE, AND RECLAIMING PLEASURE. In the interview, Catherine will discuss how she came to write this book, her creative process, and what it means to be a Mississippi writer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Lewis sits down with Landon Bryant to discuss his new book "Bless Your Heart". They talk about his journey as a social media personality and guru of Southern culture. Bryant shares his past work as an educator with the Mississippi Whole Schools program and talks about his current and future work moving into stand-up comedy. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Rhoades talks with author Addie E. Citchens about her widely acclaimed debut novel DOMINION, a searing family drama set in the Mississippi Delta. Citchens is a Clarksdale native who now lives in New Orleans. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, and Oxford American's "Best of the South." Citchens writings on blues history have been featured in Mississippi Folklife. On the Arts Hour, Citchens discusses how her Mississippi upbringing shaped her writing, the experience of publishing her first novel, and the writers and artists who have influenced her work. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the second installment of the Favorite Poem Podcast Series hosted by Mississippi Poet Laureate Ann Fisher-Wirth, featuring C. Liegh McInnis reading and discussing a poem by Margaret Walker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey talks with Hattiesburg-based photographer Betty Press. A Nebraska native, Press has lived in Mississippi for over 20 years. She has photographed throughout the state. Over the summer she was a featured artist in the biennial exhibition of Mississippi artists at the Mississippi Museum of Art. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Mississippi Arts Hour goes international for this week's episode. Executive Director David Lewis is talking all about the Venice Architecture Biennale and speaking with Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum. At the American Pavilion of the Venice Biennale, MSU's two design research centers are on display, for the first time in the university's history. David interviews both centers' directors - Leah Kemp with the Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center and David Perkes with the Gulf Coast Community Design Center - about the process of being featuring in the "Olympics of Architecture" and what approach each center took to showcasing the American Front Porch. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristen Brandt talks to Rae Nell Vaughn of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and Jay Wesley, Director for the Department of Chahta Immi, as well as anthropologist and professor Tom Mould. They have collaborated on two related publications that represent some of the most comprehensive collections of Choctaw histories, stories, and traditions ever compiled into print. They discuss the two publications, Choctaw Tales and Choctaw Traditions. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leslie Barker talks with theatre artists, John and Diana Howell. They are two of the founding members of Fondren Theatre Workshop. Since its inception in 2003, Fondren Theatre Workshop has been committed to being not just a community theater, but a theater community. John and Diana talk about how it all started and some of the most memorable productions throughout the years. To name just a few of those productions – AVENUE Q, THE WINTER'S TALE, ASSASSINS, DINNER WITH FRIENDS, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, and premiers of many brand-new works. They also fill us in on the upcoming return of the 24-Hour, 10 Minute Play Project. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Rhoades talks with poet Kendall Dunkelberg, whose newly released collection of poetry is titled TREE FALL WITH BIRDSONG. Dunkelberg directs the low-residency MFA in Creative Writing at Mississippi University for Women. He is the editor of Poetry South, and has three previous poetry collections, BARRIER ISLAND SUITE, TIME CAPSULES, and LANDSCAPES AND ARCHITECTURES, and the textbook, A WRITER'S CRAFT: MULTI-GENRE CREATIVE WRITING. On the Arts Hour, Kendall discusses the creation of his latest book, the role of nature in his poetry, his creative process, and more. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this first podcast from the new series The Favorite Poem Project, Mississippi Poet Laureate Ann Fisher-Wirth discusses the American poet Emily Dickinson, reads her poem "A Bird came down the Walk—", and talks about the poem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey sits down with musician and Meridian native Patrick Sansone about his radio show “Baroque Down Palace,” which has recently been added to MPB Think Radio's Saturday night music lineup (6 p.m. on Saturdays). Sansone features a wide range of music from the 1960s and 1970s that incorporates classical or orchestral elements as part of the arrangement. “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles is a well-known example, but Sansone delves deeper, playing music by legends of the era, as well as obscure “crate digger” record finds that he has collected over the years. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mississippi Arts Commission Executive Director David Lewis sits down with some of the team from ‘Sipp Culture. Brandi and Carlton Turner founded and run the arts organization based in Utica. They talk about how 'Sipp Culture came to be and how community conversations drive their mission. Then they talk with Saint Allen Austin about the work he is doing for 'Sipp Culture and the Surdna Foundation for the new Rural Routes Design Lab + Studio program, which engages rural artists in transformational community-driven practice. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leslie Barker talks with photographer, Jenny Anderson. A Mississippi native and Ole Miss alum, she has spent the last eighteen years working as a photographer in New York City. Jenny's expansive work photographing the Broadway community captures the magic both on and off-stage. The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Town & Country, and so many more have featured her stunning photography. Her new book, The In-Between: Intimate and Candid Moments of Broadway Stars gives us a rare glimpse into backstage life of some of the most legendary stages and its brightest stars. Join us for our conversation as Jenny discusses her artistic journey that started right here in Mississippi. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Rhoades talks with Germantown High School's longtime art teacher, Sheri Shramek. During her nearly 35 years in the classroom, Sheri has seen many of her students win state and national awards in various competitions, including the Scholastic Art Awards and Congressional Art Competitions. In the interview, Sheri discusses the highlights of teaching visual arts, including painting, drawing, and art appreciation, to high school students, and the ways she helps inspire her students to express themselves through art. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey visits with Shelley Ritter, the director of the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale. They talk about the museum's new exhibit that digs into the history of Margaret's Blue Diamond Lounge, a legendary Clarksdale blues club that operated during the 1980s and 90s. (photo credit: Panny Flautt Mayfield). If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristen Brandt talks with Greta Koshenina, a multidisciplinary artist, documentarian, cyanotypist, and curator based in Cleveland, Mississippi. They discuss her upcoming show, opening at the Mississippi Art Center in Jackson on July 3, and a documentary she created using archival family videos. If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey travels to West Point to visit with Annie Caldwell, a gospel singer and leader of her family group, Annie and the Caldwells. The group, which includes her husband and adult children, released their third album this spring on Luaka Bop Records, David Byrne's record label. They'll be touring Europe and Australia this summer. If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristen Brandt sits down with Lauren Rhoades, a writer and editor living in Jackson, Mississippi. Originally from Denver, Colorado, Lauren has served with AmeriCorps, started Mississippi's first fermentation company, and helmed the Eudora Welty House & Garden. She is now the director of grants at the Mississippi Arts Commission. In 2022, Lauren founded Rooted Magazine, an online publication dedicated to telling unfiltered stories about what it means to call Mississippi home. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the Mississippi University for Women. Kristen sits down with Lauren to discuss her debut memoir, Split the Baby: A Memoir in Pieces, which will release on June 3, 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey visits with Hattiesburg-based painter Andrea Kostyal. She describes her process of creating the “imaginary cityscapes” featured in her paintings. Kostyal also talks about the workshops she and her partners offer at the Singing River Art Studio in downtown Hattiesburg.If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Rhoades talks with composer, conductor, and keyboardist Buck McDaniel. Originally from Columbia, MS, Buck is now based in New York City, where he has worked as Music Coordinator on the forthcoming film The History of Sound, starring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor, and conducted a special choral collaboration with Sam Smith and Sharon Stone on NBC's Saturday Night Live, among other projects. On the Arts Hour, Buck discusses his newest solo piano work, “Any Room is a Room to Read In,” inspired by Eudora Welty's writings on creativity and place. If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MAC Executive Director David Lewis speaks with Thabi Moyo, the local festival manager for the National Folk Festival. David and Thabi discuss her pursuit and cultivation of the local arts community that has led her to lead the upcoming National Folk Festival, November 7-9, 2025, in Jackson. The National Council on Traditional Arts produces the festival, and Jackson, Mississippi, will be the host city for the next three years. It is the first time the festival has ever been held in the Deep South. If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maria Zeringue talks with photographer Adam Shemper. Shemper is a native of Hattiesburg, where his most recent exhibition “Light in These Hills: Oxford Mississippi” was on display at Prospect Gallery. He is also this year's recipient of the Photography Award from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters. If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.