Local Artist Given $500 Grant by MS Arts Commission

Artist Andi Sherrill Bedsworth of Oxford has been awarded a $500 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission.

This grant is a portion of the nearly $1.4 million in grants the Commission awarded in 2019-2020 and will be used to attend the International Quilt Festival in Houston.

The grants are made possible by continued funding from the Mississippi State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

“Mississippi boasts an embarrassment of riches when it comes to artistic talent in our state,” said Malcolm White, executive director of MAC. “MAC is proud to support the artists selected to receive grant awards from MAC this year. These individuals should be commended for their commitment to artistic excellence as well as their ability to communicate complex thoughts and emotions through the arts.”

Bedsworth is a local artist and educator in the Oxford community who teaches sewing and art classes to students of all ages. She has degrees in Costume Design and Technology from LSU and Tulane University.

Bedsworth has been in Oxford since 2004 where she has taught at Ole Miss, Northwest Community College and for many other community arts education programs in the area. She started her own business Art To Go LLC in 2011 to further enable her to bring arts education to the community.

The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency serving residents of the state by providing grants that 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.

For information from the Mississippi Arts Commission, contact Anna Ehrgott, communications director, 601-359-6546 or aehrgott@arts.ms.gov.

Hottytoddy.com staff report