Senate Resolution 22

A RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE RECOGNITION OF THE MISSISSIPPI SENATE FOR THE OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP OF LONGTIME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MISSISSIPPI ARTS COMMISSION AND THE MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART BETSY BRADLEY AS RECIPIENT OF THE 2023 GOVERNOR'S ARTS AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP IN VISUAL ARTS AND COMMUNITY.

WHEREAS, the Governor's Arts Awards Program has announced its 2023 recipients, which include veteran Director of the Mississippi Arts Commission and Museum of Art Betsy Bradley as the 2023 Governor's Arts Award for Leadership in Visual Arts and Community; and

WHEREAS, established in 1988, Governor's Arts Awards are given to individuals and organizations to recognize outstanding work in the artistic disciplines, as well as arts-based community development and arts patronage in Mississippi. The awards are presented in partnership with the Governor's Office and signify the important relationship between government and the arts; and

WHEREAS, Betsy Bradley has devoted her professional life to the advancement of the arts and artists in our state. With just the right mix of chutzpah and southern graces, she has inspired the state's citizens across schools, generations, and cultures to appreciate the arts and, in the process, has enlarged their vision of the arts; and

WHEREAS, Bradley was appointed Director of the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) in 2001. In 2016, she led the museum to accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums' Accreditation Commission. Only 1,056 of the 35,000 museums nationwide have merited this honor, the authoritative mark of distinction in the museum field; and

WHEREAS, in 2017, she introduced the Center for Arts and Public Exchange (CAPE). Funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, this initiative hosts residencies for both Mississippi-based and nationally recognized artists to work with communities in responding to local issues. CAPE's purpose is to bring art and communities together to ignite conversations that address social inequities in our state; and

WHEREAS, Bradley shepherded two capital campaigns, yielding $20 million to renovate the present museum space and create the Art Garden, the first new public green space in downtown Jackson since the 1970s. She regularly works in partnership with cultural, social service, and history organizations to create opportunities for mutually beneficial collaborations. Bradley has worked to make the visual arts accessible to young persons and underserved communities. Through her efforts, the MMA has collaborated with the Mississippi Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, Midtown Partners and with Jackson State University, Millsaps College, Tougaloo College and Belhaven University; and

WHEREAS, her work has resulted in prestigious federal and national foundation grant awards and recognition for the museum itself, including the 2008 Governor's Arts Award; and

WHEREAS, prior to taking the helm at the museum, Bradley served as the Executive Director of the Mississippi Arts Commission. Bradley was elected to membership in the Association of Art Museum Directors in 2012; and

WHEREAS, she has served on the boards of Americans for the Arts, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, and the Southern Arts Federation. She also served on the Steering Council for the Mississippi Economic Council's Blueprint Mississippi Project, the 50th Reunion of the Mississippi Freedom Riders, and the Executive Committee of Downtown Jackson Partners. The Governor appointed her to the Advisory Panel of the Mississippi School for the Arts and the Mississippi Commission for Volunteerism; and

WHEREAS, Bradley is married to Robert Langford. They have two adult children, Martha and William; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we pay tribute and express appreciation for the artistic vision of a Mississippi Arts and Nonprofit Leader who has made Mississippi a better place and exemplifies the artistic traditions of our great state:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby extend the recognition of the Mississippi Senate for the outstanding artistic leadership of longtime Executive Director of the Mississippi Arts Commission and the Mississippi Museum of Art Betsy Bradley as recipient of the 2023 Governor's Arts Award for Leadership in Visual Arts and Community and our congratulations to an artistic and community leader on this auspicious occasion.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Betsy Bradley as part of the Governor's Arts Awards presentation and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.