PROFILES: Mid-America Arts Alliance
www.maaa.org

Mary Kennedy McCabe, Executive Director
James R. Tolbert III, Chair

Member States
Arkansas
Kansas
Missouri
Nebraska
Oklahoma
Texas

In 1972, a group of civic leaders from four Midwestern states came together to envision an organization that ensured access to arts of excellence for people in the mid-America region. These leaders consolidated the human and financial resources to achieve their objectives in the most efficient and cost-effective way. Out of their initial collaboration, Mid-America Arts Alliance emerged as the first regional arts organization in the country.

Today, in partnership with the six state art agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas, Mid-America stretches the boundaries of the Heartland to include national and international programs and arts activities. Regardless of program scope, we remain committed to our mission: Mid-America Arts Alliance enriches communities through cultural experiences.

Mid-America comprises three major divisions plus a research and development department:

• The Performing Arts division offers financial assistance and programming guidance to presenting organizations in our region through the Regional Touring Program, Meet the Composer, and other performing arts initiatives.

• The Professional Development division develops programs to address the training needs of small presenting and exhibiting institutions in our region through the Hands-on Experiential Learning Project, the Ozark Plateau Initiative, and State Arts Agency Job Alikes.

• The Visual Arts and Humanities division develops and tours affordable exhibitions to exhibiting institutions through ExhibitsUSA and NEH on the Road.

• New Ventures ,the research and development department explores the feasibility of new programs. New Ventures identifies programming ideas and implements pilot projects. Successful projects are integrated into the regular programming activities of the appropriate division.

With a focus on affordability and an emphasis on education, Mid-America Arts Alliance ensures access to the arts by providing a broad range of cultural programming, including 850 performances and exhibitions and some 6,000 related educational programs to nearly two million people annually.

Mid-America constituents and partners include small and large museums, presenting organizations, performing arts touring companies and artists, arts councils, county historical societies, community colleges, and other types of organizations that are interested in bringing outstanding exhibitions and performers to their communities. These organizations and institutions partner with Mid-America to reach people in cities as large as Dallas, Texas (pop. 1,852,810), and as small as Winslow, Arkansas (pop. 342).

Mid-America Arts Alliance is based in Kansas City, Missouri, and is governed by a board of directors drawn from its six partner states. Major support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, participant state arts agencies, and leading federal and state agencies, foundations, and corporations.

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