The Gazebo Gazette

MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST (GG) — America250 Mississippi and the Mississippi Humanities Council are pleased to announce the second round of Program Grants awarded through the America250 Mississippi Grants Program.

America250 Mississippi grants are available to Mississippi-based nonprofits, educational, and local governmental organizations in support of educational and commemorative programming focused on the 250th birthday of the founding of the United States of America—projects that highlight Mississippi’s history, its in-numerous contributions to the United States, and foster exploration of America’s founding ideals.

The awardees and their project descriptions for this term are as follows:

  • The City of Long Beach (Long Beach 4th of July Jubilee) – The proposal seeks to expand Long Beach’s annual 4th of July Jubilee into a full-day cultural heritage celebration that highlights Mississippi traditions, music and history while strengthening civic pride and community identity. The June 27 event in downtown Long Beach will feature an outdoor festival with local vendors, a patriotic parade, a live music block party showcasing Mississippi musicians and a beachfront fireworks show, all designed to reflect themes of Mississippi Traditions, The Power of Place and We the People. The city emphasizes economic and social benefits—supporting local artists and businesses, fostering inclusive, family-friendly participation and building a lasting legacy of community storytelling and shared memory connected to Mississippi’s role in the American story.
  • Lynn Meadows Discovery Center Gulfport (Fabric of Our Future: Mississippi’s Children Celebrate America250) – This project will commemorate America’s 250th anniversary through a large-scale community quilt created by children across the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Guided by museum educators and local quilters, participants will design individual quilt squares expressing their visions for the future, which will be assembled into a collective artwork celebrating Mississippi’s cultural heritage and creativity. Culminating in a community celebration in August 2026 and later featured in a Smithsonian traveling exhibit, the project blends intergenerational artistry, civic pride and Mississippi’s enduring quilting traditions.
  • The Arts of Bay St. Louis, Hancock County (Place Apart, Place Connected: Remembrance and Reinvention at the Edge of America) – Place Apart, Place Connected is a year-long arts and humanities initiative by The Arts, Hancock County that uses storytelling, documentary film, public dialogue and community art to explore Hancock County’s key role in American history and identity. Through events like an oral history Living Library, a participatory Story Slam and a juried community art exhibition, the project brings together diverse residents and partners to reflect on themes of movement, democracy and resilience—ultimately showing how local Mississippi stories and creativity embody central national experiences. Activities will run throughout 2026, building lasting civic connections, preserving community voices and amplifying Mississippi’s place in American heritage.

The America250 Mississippi grant application portal is open and accepting applications for projects to be completed within the 2026 calendar year.

To learn more about upcoming grant opportunities, please visit America250.ms/grants. Communities are encouraged to visit the America250 Mississippi website frequently for news and updates about America250 Mississippi grants, including upcoming opportunities with America250 Mississippi partner, the Mississippi Arts Commission.

America250 Mississippi is part of the America250 partnership to ensure the broadest possible participation by Mississippians during this historic commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the best of America. To learn more about America250 Mississippi related programs, grants, and affiliated events, please visit America250.ms.

The Mississippi Humanities Council is a private nonprofit corporation funded by Congress through the National Endowment for the Humanities to provide public programs in traditional liberal arts disciplines to serve nonprofit groups in Mississippi.