the advancement of relationships between all parts of the community—economic, political, social, and cultural. Like other cultural institutions in Jackson, MMA continues to address social issues in efforts to overcome tensions that have manifested in Jackson’s downtown area, with land-use and development patterns reinforcing historic divisions.
These historic divisions could be felt in Jackson’s creative community as well, since there was a perception that art is a luxury. To address these divisions, project managers felt the need to democratize the art and cultural experiences, emphasizing that they were for residents of all socioeconomic backgrounds. In addition, Jackson was in need of public spaces that would attract the entire community, especially in its denser downtown area where parks were scarce. This lack of space had historic roots. Demographic changes in Jackson mirrored those of other large cities in the past: families with school-age children moved into growing suburban communities that offered outdoor recreation for families but left a diminished tax-base and distressed urban areas behind. As the number of downtown residents began to grow again, many nearby parks became home to a disenfranchised, transient population, deterring local residents from using them frequently.
As a way to more directly engage its surrounding community, the Mississippi Museum of Art set out to transform the city-owned parking lot adjacent to the museum into a landscaped park open to the public, something it would call the Art Garden. By activating this 1.2-acre outdoor space, the museum felt it could more fully become, as its missions statement says, a “museum without walls.” With a lawn and a performance space, the outdoor park, designed by Madge Bemiss, would also allow the museum to launch public performances and programs that would engage the community with art in a very accessible way. As the first green space to open in the downtown area since the 1970s, the park would serve as an invaluable civic space for those living downtown—and throughout Jackson.
MMA worked closely with the City of Jackson, which owned the parking lot. Both entities had much to benefit from the addition of a new public green space. Another key partner was Downtown Jackson Partners, a local non-profit that works to attract and retain businesses in the area. MMA was supported by other local cultural organizations as well, including the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, the Mississippi Opera, and Ballet Mississippi, which provided programming support for the new park. The Crossroads Film Society co-presented a “Screen on the Green” series, and the Greater Jackson Arts Council co-presented the High Note Jam Series. Altogether, these groups helped to broaden the appeal of the park by developing diverse programs for a range of audiences.
When it opened the park in 2011, MMA was aware that the park, by design, was partly shielded from view. This blockage made it incumbent on the museum to emphasize programming as a way to draw people into the outdoor space. Working closely with cultural partners, MMA developed a broad range of activities at different times of the day and week to maximize traffic through the space. With events for children, young adults, and older residents, the offerings had something for everyone. For those events that took place later in the day, Downtown Jackson Partners provided a team of “Safety Ambassadors” to help visitors feel safe while downtown after dark. To ensure the park’s maintenance in perpetuity, MMA established an endowment whose funds would go toward Art Garden’s upkeep and future improvements.
The project increased participation numbers at MMA by at least fifty percent and has contributed to the increased livability of downtown Jackson. MMA took surveys of audiences and found impressive results. 67% of those people attending evening and weekend events did not live or work in downtown Jackson and many lived outside of the city itself, underscoring the project’s big appeal. 99% of respondents said they were “extremely satisfie