Organization and community: Jackson Medical Mall Foundation (Jackson, Mississippi)

The Jackson Medical Mall Foundation (JMMF) is reimagining the entire common area of the Jackson Medical Mall. They hope to convert the sterile walls and elevations into billboards that tell the story of the Mall to its community, and to create a place where clients and customers can live, work, shop, and play.

Artist Carlton Turner, of Sipp Culture, has been working with their facilities manager and architect on the renovation’s renderings and plans. Turner supported the JMMF's efforts to build relationships with artists leading to the formation of an arts advisory committee at the beginning of the Community Development Investments program. Participation began to dwindle in 2017 and Turner recommended resolving attrition by changing their meetings from a town hall format to a social mixer, with food and drinks. Now promoted as Artist Thursdays, attendance has increased and members of the arts advisory committee are interacting with elected officials and the heads of local agencies and commissions. These networking meetings have helped artists and creatives connect with the mission, vision, and values of the JMMF and prepared them to engage in the overall reimagining of the space.