Dianne Walton, incoming chair of The MAX Board of Trustees, from left, Penny Kemp, president and CEO of The MAX, past board chairs Ann Alexander and Tommy Dulaney and past board chair Fred Wile stand for a photo Thursday at a dinner celebrating Eudora Welty. Submitted photo

Two influential figures were recognized for their efforts in making The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience come to life Thursday as Tommy Dulaney and Ann Alexander were given distinguished service awards by museum leaders.

 

Penny Kemp, president and CEO of The MAX, said the museum first opened its doors in 2018, but conversations about the museum can be traced back much further. The idea first took root in 1999, she said, with legislation beginning the process being passed in 2001.

 

“For this place to be here nearly two decades later required tenacity, thought leadership, political appreciation, a tremendous amount of fundraising and some good old fashioned perseverance,” she said. “Lucky for us, the two individuals we’re honoring tonight have that in spades.”

Without Dulaney and Alexander championing The MAX, there is no way the museum would be where it is today, Kemp said.

 

Both recipients were presented with Hall of Fame awards, which until Thursday, have only been given to Mississippians inducted into The MAX Hall of Fame. For their efforts and their service to The MAX, Kemp said Dulaney and Alexander deserve to stand among the 33 inductees such as Morgan Freeman, Elvis Presley, Oprah Winfrey, Muddy Waters and more.

 

“We wouldn’t be here without you, and you are one of these giants,” she said.

 

Kemp, who just marked a year at the helm of the museum, said being able to see The MAX come to life and the revitalization that downtown Meridian is experiencing has been inspiring.

 

“As someone who grew up here, who was raised here, who saw the beginnings of what was happening a long time ago, to see it now in its full glory and what we have ahead of us and the opportunities here, it’s just really inspiring, and I’m just so incredibly grateful to so many people in this room that were a part of that,” she said.

 

The past year, Kemp said has brought significant growth to The MAX. Visitation saw a 60% increase over 2023 numbers, she said, and with more than 80 field trips hosted this year, the museum also doubled the number of students it was able to reach to more than 4,000.

 

Some of that growth can be attributed to a partnership between The MAX and the Walter Anderson Museum, Kemp said, and other partnerships are in the works.

 

Thursday’s announcement came during an event celebrating the life and legacy of writer Eudora Welty, which included a screening of a new documentary about the well known icon produced by Anthony Paxton, a panel discussion, a dinner by Chef Robert St. John, book signing and more. The evening was part of another partnership by The MAX with the Institute for Southern Storytelling at Mississippi College.

While the museum works to bring large exhibits to Meridian, it also has partnerships with smaller artists and organizations that also highlight Mississippi’s vibrant and diverse culture, Kemp said.

 

“In addition to the 60% increase in attendance and the 4,000 students we reached over the past year, we have showcased 40 plus emerging and established artists and partnered with over a dozen local and statewide organizations,” she said. “The staff, the board, our volunteers, we are committed to keep this momentum going.”

 

The MAX is still a young institution, Kemp said, and with the support of her staff and pillars such as Dulaney and Alexander, she envisions it becoming a transformative icon of arts and culture, not only in Meridian but throughout the state of Mississippi.