Flaggs touts the International Arts Pavilion in Vicksburg at Chamber of Commerce meeting

Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. spoke about the planned Mississippi International Arts Pavilion at today’s Chamber of Commerce meeting.

“I’m fully committed to making certain that Vicksburg is home to the first and only international museum in the state,” Flaggs said. “Having an international art museum in Vicksburg will only enhance our growing tourism statistics. We’re already home to Mississippi’s most visited tourist attraction—the Vicksburg National Military Park.”

The Arts Pavilion is a project of the Mississippi Commission for International Cultural Exchange, Inc., a 501(c)(3) cultural and educational organization.

The plan is to place the pavilion, which would feature approximately 20,000 square feet of gallery space, next to the Vicksburg Convention Center on Dr. Briggs Hopson Boulevard.

It is expected that the project will cost at least $25 million dollars and will house permanent pieces of art in addition to hosting traveling art exhibits and performances. Designed by the architectural firm of JHBM Architects, the building will include a 10,000 square foot international exhibition hall and will host two international exhibitions each year. The other wing of the building would house approximately 10 galleries, five of which will be period room installations. There are also plans for a grand rotunda that could be used to host receptions for up to 1,000 people and a 300-seat auditorium on the lower level for concerts, films and lectures.

Jack Kyle of the Mississippi Commission for International Cultural Exchange is the driving force behind the effort. The group previously organized four international exhibitions in Jackson that attracted more than 1.3 million visitors and generated $200 million in economic impact. It owns more than $15 million worth of art and sees the Mississippi International Arts Pavilion in Vicksburg as the perfect home to permanently display its art.

For more information, visit the MSIAP website.

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