The MAX - The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience

09/23/2025

Learn to throw clay on the wheel and create your own ceramics at The MAX. Tom Carmichael leads Wheel Thrown Ceramics for Beginners this fall in the Yates Construction 3D Studio. All supplies are provided, classes are beginner-friendly, and seating is limited.

Pick your class:
Tuesdays: September 30 – November 18, 2–4 pm
Thursdays: October 2 – November 20, 2–4 pm
Saturdays: October 4 - November 22, 9-11 am

Register now at msarts.org/learn/workshops-classes

09/22/2025

Celebrate community and support at the Lean on Me Jubilee this Saturday, September 27, from 10 am-4 pm. Resources for su***de awareness and prevention will be available at The MAX, along with food and art vendors, games, and activities for all ages. "Decision Point: Youth Su***de in Mississippi," a mini-series by MSU Films, will play on loop in The Alexander Family Church Gallery.

Lean on Me Jubilee is free and open to all.

Downtown Meridian Visit Meridian

09/20/2025

Join us at The MAX on Saturday, October 25, 10-11:30 am for Black Folklore from the Mississippi Delta to Yale University.

Bill Ferris, one of the newest members of The MAX Hall of Fame, will share insights from his pioneering work as a folklorist and discuss the importance of Mississippi Black oral traditions of music, stories, and art as an enduring part of American culture. Stay afterward to meet Ferris and pick up his photography books.

Please let us know you are coming to help us prepare: https://www.msarts.org/events/black-folklore-from-the-mississippi-delta-to-yale-university/?occurrence=2025-10-25

The Early Films of William Ferris are on view upstairs through November 15, featuring stories from B.B. King, preachers, inmates, quilt makers, and gospel singers.

09/20/2025

We were pleased to be recognized with a SEMC 2025 Exhibition Competition Award for "Thank You Please Come Again," our exhibition of photographs by Kate Medley on display earlier this year.

Congratulations, Kate, along with everyone else who helped bring her award-winning book to life.

09/19/2025

Everyone who has seen the 2025 hit film “Sinners" wants to talk about it. Here’s your chance.

Set in Mississippi and showcasing Mississippi talent, "Sinners" follows twin brothers in Clarksdale who return home to open a juke joint. The film blends historical drama, social commentary, and horror, all set to a Mississippi soundtrack that can’t be beat.

Join us for a free screening at the historic Temple Theater for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, October 15, 6:30-9:30 pm. Then continue the conversation at The MAX on Thursday, October 16, at 6:30 pm with a panel featuring a filmmaker, scholar, blues musician, and Delta community leaders. Audience dialogue will be part of the discussion, so bring your questions.

Please RSVP to help us prepare: https://www.msarts.org/events/lets-talk-about-sinners/.

Presented in partnership with the Mississippi Film Office, Mississippi Film Society, Mississippi Humanities Council, and Downtown Meridian.

"Sinners" is rated R for strong bloody violence, sexual content, and language. Parental guidance is strongly suggested.

Downtown Meridian Visit Meridian Mississippi Humanities Council Film Mississippi Mississippi Film Society Mississippi Arts Commission FREE Screening of “Sinners”
Let’s Talk About “Sinners!”

09/19/2025

Join us at The MAX next Saturday, September 27, from 1-3 pm for the Writer’s Meeting and Workshop. This free event is open to songwriters, poets, authors, and anyone who wants to connect with other writers and explore new creative ideas.

Participants will have the opportunity to share work, collaborate in small groups, and engage in guided exercises designed to inspire creativity.

Bring your ideas, your stories, and your passion for writing. This event is free and open to all.

Richelle Putnam

09/17/2025

Tickets are still available for the Meridian Symphony Orchestra's Opening Night at The MAX this Thursday, September 18. Mark Kosower, Principal Cello of The Cleveland Orchestra, will showcase the expressive power of the cello during a vibrant night of storytelling that celebrates the Meridian Symphony Orchestra's 65 Anniversary Season.

Grab your tickets for "CELLOBRATION! Bach, Bohemia, & a Bit of Jazz" at meridianso.org/cellobration.

Tomorrow night, the spotlight shines on the cello 🎻 We’re thrilled to welcome Mark Kosower, Principal Cello of The Cleveland Orchestra, to Meridian for CELLOBRATION! Bach, Bohemia, & a Bit of Jazz

Internationally celebrated as a soloist, chamber musician, and recording artist, Kosower has performed with major orchestras from Detroit to Hong Kong and graced stages at festivals from Santa Fe to Seattle.

His acclaimed discography includes works by Ginastera, Hungarian composers, and more, showcasing his powerful artistry and versatility.

Don’t miss the chance to experience this world-class cellist tomorrow at Opening Night of our 65th Anniversary Season!

🗓️ Tomorrow • 7PM • The MAX
🎟️ Visit meridianso.org/cellobration for tickets

09/17/2025

Wheel Thrown Ceramics for Beginners is back at The MAX! Join local artist Tom Carmichael in the Yates Construction 3D Studio for a hands-on pottery experience.

Choose the session that fits your schedule:

Tuesdays: September 30 – November 18, 2–4 pm
Thursdays: October 2 – November 20, 2–4 pm
Saturdays: October 4 - November 22, 9-11 am

All supplies are provided, and beginners ages 16 and up are welcome. Seating is limited. Pick your class here: https://www.msarts.org/learn/workshops-classes/

09/16/2025

Don't miss Meridian soar into the national spotlight with the premiere of the new National Geographic series “Top Guns: The Next Generation." Filmed at NAS Meridian, the six-part docuseries follows Navy fighter pilots as they enter the final phase of elite strike fighter training.

Catch the premiere tonight at 8 pm CST on National Geographic, or stream it tomorrow on Disney+ or Hulu.

It’s the ultimate test of precision, pressure and perseverance. In National Geographic’s new six-part series TOP GUNS: THE NEXT GENERATION, cameras follow a ...

09/16/2025

Today, we remember B.B. King on what would have been his 100th birthday.

A man whose name is synonymous with the blues, King played everywhere from juke joints to concert halls and international venues. In 1980, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, and in 1987 into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. That same year, he was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of King's birth, the documentary short "Give My Poor Heart Ease," an account of the blues experience through the recollections and performances of King and others, is playing in The Alexander Family Church Gallery through November 15, alongside other films by fellow MAX Hall of Fame inductee William "Bill" Ferris.

09/15/2025

Tomorrow, experience the early films of William Ferris at The MAX.

Filmed in the 1970s, these 20-minute documentaries capture firsthand accounts from blues legends, gospel singers, preachers, inmates, and quiltmakers, preserving Mississippi’s rich Black oral traditions.

This presentation runs September 16 through November 15, on loop in The Alexander Family Church Gallery, and is included with your museum admission.

Downtown Meridian Visit Meridian Now Showing: The Early Films of William Ferris

09/15/2025

The MAX joins educators, students, parents, and arts advocates in recognizing National Arts in Education Week (September 14-20), a celebration of the transformative power of arts education in every student’s life.

Now is the perfect time to book a classroom trip to our latest exhibition, "Cecelia Moseley: Remnants of Language," an immersive gallery experience that explores what happens when the ways we write, teach, and learn are completely rewritten.

https://www.msarts.org/visit/request-a-field-trip/