Mississippi Arts Hour

This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Leslie talks with Belhaven University’s Dean of Fine Arts, Krista Bower. Krista also serves as Professor and Chair of Dance. In our conversation, Krista tells us about her personal journey as a dancer, including co-founding the Mississippi-based contemporary dance company, Front Porch Dance. She also shares information about Belhaven’s artistic offerings for both students and community members. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Larry talks with painter and 2025-26 MAC Artist Fellowship grant recipient Rick Anderson from Clinton. They discuss his roots in the Mississippi Delta and its imprint on his work, his long career as an arts educator, and his current work with an international watercolor society. 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 week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, we sit down with Starkville-based musician Patrick Artigues to talk about his recently released EP and the creative influences behind it. Patrick offers an honest and insightful look into his artistic process from initial inspiration to final production. 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.

Larry Morrisey travels to Greenville to talk with photographer Euphus Ruth. He has been an active photographer in the Delta for over 30 years. Ruth’s work is focused on the use of historic photographic processes, including wet plate and panoramic cameras.. 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 the Director of Oxford Community Market, Betsy Chapman, and Music at the Market Director, Luke Fisher. This year-round farmers market builds community through food, music, and an extra serving of southern hospitality. Recently, the market extended a hand and hundreds of warm meals to those in need after the brutal ice storm. They share stories of how the community came together to serve one another and even lift spirits through music. 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 week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, we’re joined by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, an award-winning author whose work explores a deep love of the natural world and powerful examinations of identity and belonging. Known for her bestselling essay collection World of Wonders, Aimee brings her signature sense of curiosity and compassion to readers of all ages. Her newest book, Night Owl, is a luminous collection of poetry that explores the quiet beauty of the nighttime world. Through her signature lyricism and keen eye for detail, Aimee invites readers to consider what awakens after dark—both in nature and within ourselves—offering poems that are intimate, curious, and filled with wonder. Listen by subscribing to the Mississippi Arts Hour podcast through your favorite podcast app, or listen online at http://msartshour.mpbonline.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey talks with Nashville-based musician and author Paul Burch about Meridian Rising, his new book. It’s a fictional memoir of Jimmie Rodgers, the legendary Mississippi musician from the 1920s and 30s. The book blends historical moments with imagined scenes, creating a new consideration of Rodgers’ life and 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.

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 Batiste https://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 Lewissits 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.