New Board Members

Jedd Beaudoin

Host/Producer Strange Currency & Into Music

A resident of Wichita, Kansas, Jedd Beaudoin is a writer, educator and broadcaster based in Wichita. He is host of the nationally syndicated music program Strange Currency, which originates from NPR affiliate KMUW, where he also reports on the arts and hosts the weekly podcast
Into Music. Jedd joined Mid-America’a Board in October 2024.

Kristie Buergler

Chair, Oklahoma Art Council

A former middle school teacher with a degree in education from Oklahoma State University, Kristie Buergler has 12 years of experience as a pharmaceutical representative where she worked with communities throughout the state. Kristie and her husband are strong supporters of the arts and its role in fostering economic growth, academic achievement, cultural richness, and historic preservation. Her volunteer effort with local nonprofit organizations have included work with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, United Way, the Wes Welker Foundation, and Fields and Futures. In 2019, Kristie was appointed to the 15-member governing body of the OklahomaArts Council by Governor Kevin Stitt. In 2024, Kristie’s fellow Council members voted her as chair.

Tracie Chapman

Civic Leader

A resident of Mannsville, Oklahoma, Tracie Chapman is an active member of the arts and education community in southern Oklahoma. A member of the Mannsville School Board, Tracie is a past chairman of the Goddard Center, a nonprofit arts organization that presents performances, exhibitions, and educational programs in Ardmore. She also served on the center’s fundraising committee. Tracie is a devoted art collector who attends arts shows nationally and has opened and operated a pottery painting studio. She is a founding member of Friends of the Oklahoma Arts Council, and former chair of the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Board Members in the News

Inspiring Figures: Garbo Hearne Featured in Kevin Kresse’s New Mural at Boys & Girls Club

Board member Garbo Hearne (Little Rock, Arkansas) served as the inspiration for one of the figures in Kevin Kresse’s new, massive mural, recently unveiled at the Jim Wetherington Boys & Girls Club in North Little Rock. Kresse, a native of North Little Rock who clocked many an hour playing basketball at the facility as a boy, started on the mural in May 2023, around the time the club celebrated its 100th year in operation. Hearne, of whom Kresse said, “She was sweet enough to model for me,” is featured under the words “Be a Mentor.”

Photo by Brian Chilson.

Click here to learn more about this mural by Arkansas artist Kevin Kresse.

An Exhibition of Robert Duncan’s Photography

The photographs of M-AAA board member Robert Duncan are featured in a new exhibition, The Barragán: A Spiritual Master, at the Brunnier Art Museum at Iowa State University. The photographs are a visual response to the work of Luis Barragán (1902–1988), a renowned Mexican architect and engineer known for elegant residences and aesthetic gardens with powerful water features architectural designs. The exhibition is on view through December 20, 2024.

Photo by Robert Duncan

Click here to read more about the exhibition. 

Around the Region

Celebrating National Arts and Humanities Month

October is National Arts and Humanities Month in Kansas, officially recognized by Governor Laura Kelly’s proclamation. Humanities Kansas, along with the Kansas Arts Commission, launched a month-long celebration with events that highlight the impact of arts and humanities in shaping the lives of Kansans and their communities. This national, annual observance reminds us of the vital role arts and humanities play in helping us share our stories and understand the world around us.

Pictured: Front row, left to right: Rep. Pam Curtis, Ginger Williams, Governor Kelly, Sarah Fizell, Val VanDerSluis; back row, left to right: Aisha Imani, Julie Mulvihill, Todd Stein, Rachel Harden, Curtis Young, Valerie Mendoza, Trent Dansel

Photo by F11 Photo

Arkansas’s Johnny Cash Honored with a Statue at the US Capitol

Johnny Cash has made history as the first musician to be commemorated with a statue—created by Arkansas artist and Artist INC alumnus Kevin Kresse—at the US Capitol. This is part of Arkansas’s initiative to replace two century-old statues representing the state. Alongside Cash’s statue, a new figure of civil rights leader Daisy Bates, who mentored the students responsible for desegregating Little Rock Central High School in 1957, was unveiled earlier this year.

Image Courtesy of Kristie Buergler

Click here to read more about the ceremony.

Development News

M-AAA was recently awarded a total of $465,590.

• The Windgate Foundation will provide $423,090 to support the Catalyze program in counties in Arkansas’s central and delta regions. This award is year one of two.
• New support from the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation of $15,000 will support the Artist Leadership Fellows program. This award is year one of two.
• Finally, the Cooper Foundation will provide $12,500 to support Nebraska activities, including an iteration of Essentials in Lincoln and the recent Rural Arts Convening.