PRESS RELEASE
The MAX Offers Free Field Trips to Eligible Schools Through Mississippi Power Foundation Partnership
MERIDIAN, Miss. (October 27, 2026) – Thanks to a partnership with the Mississippi Power Foundation, schools across the company’s service area are invited to bring their students to the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) for free during the 2026-2027 school year, giving them a chance to explore Mississippi’s creative legacy and discover their own creativity.
Schools can book field trips today at msarts.org, with groups traveling from outside Lauderdale County eligible for transportation reimbursement, thanks to Yates Construction.
“The MAX is an absolute gem in Mississippi that showcases and celebrates the Mississippians who have shaped the culture of our great nation,” said Mississippi Power Manager of Corporate Responsibility and Community Development Annie McMillan. “What better way to honor Mississippi’s legacy and our country’s 250th anniversary than by giving our students the opportunity to encounter art, culture and creativity so that they may be our next generation of inspiring leaders.”
The field trip promotion comes as The MAX showcases artwork and interactive experiences from Mississippi native, acclaimed graphic novelist and creator of Marvel’s Silver Surfer: Ghost Light series John Jennings through spring 2027. The John Jennings: Build Your World exhibition provides a unique multidisciplinary curriculum for students, bridging literature, visual arts and history while providing a tangible way to explore the creative process. The MAX is also displaying sketches, paintings and digital illustrations from Mississippi comic artists inspired by our state’s people, places and legends in a temporary exhibition on display through Saturday, December 5, 2026.
Beyond these opportunities, students visiting The MAX can learn the stories of creative legends like Jim Henson, Leontyne Price and B.B. King in the two-story Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Hall of Fame or find inspiration for their own creativity across 20,000 square feet of interactive experiences. With connections to subjects ranging from history and social studies to literature, creative writing and Career and Technical Education, a field trip to The MAX offers opportunities to bring classroom learning to life.
“Thanks to this partnership with the Mississippi Power Foundation, even more Mississippians can enjoy the outstanding art, culture and history that’s housed here,” said The MAX President and CEO Penny Kemp. “We hope Mississippi students will explore, imagine and honor the creativity that has made our state, and our country, so unique.”
For more information or to schedule a tour, visit msarts.org/learn.
About Mississippi Power:
Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), produces safe, reliable and affordable energy for more than 194,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. Mississippi Power has served its communities for more than a century and is an industry leader in safety, reliability, customer satisfaction and economic development. The Southeastern Electric Exchange recognized the company for Top Safety Performance in its generation category, and The Edison Electric Institute has recognized Mississippi Power’s reliability with multiple Emergency Response Awards for outstanding storm response. Site Selection magazine named Mississippi Power a top utility driving economic development in the United States. Visit our website at mississippipower.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube for company updates.
About The MAX:
The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) is an arts and cultural center in the heart of downtown Meridian that celebrates Mississippi’s creative legacy through interactive exhibits, workshops, and live performances. The multipurpose facility contains a two-story Hall of Fame celebrating the state’s groundbreaking artists like Walter Anderson, William Faulkner, Morgan Freeman, Jim Henson, B.B. King, Elvis Presley, and Leontyne Price to name a few, along with over 20,000 square feet of interactive exhibits, art studios, a recording studio, and performance spaces. Every visit to The MAX is a unique experience that leaves visitors feeling inspired and in awe of Mississippi’s global impact on music, literature, art, and entertainment. Visit msarts.org to learn more.
