In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Mississippi Boychoir has made changes to its annual "Be the Light" Christmas performance in Jackson.

Normally, the performance is part of the "Christmas by Candlelight" tour that takes place at the Old Capitol Museum in downtown Jackson. For 2020, the Mississippi Boychoir instead pre-recorded a 40-minute concert at the Old Capitol Museum, which the organization will livestream on its website on Friday, Dec. 4, beginning at 7 p.m.

Mississippi Boychoir Executive Director Lanise Aultman worked with the Department of Archives and History to record the program at the Old Capitol Museum.

The online Christmas show will be free to view, though donations are welcome. For more information, call 601-665-7374 or visit msboychoir.org.

Mississippi Arts Commission Minigrants

The Mississippi Arts Commission recently announced that it is offering Rapid Response Grants, an expanded version of the agency’s minigrants, for a second time. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 4.

MAC's Rapid Response minigrant program provides funds to established and emerging Mississippi-based professional artists for professional training, promotional efforts, purchase of expendable supplies and assistance in adapting their artistic work in an online setting in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each grantee must spend the funds first, and MAC will reimburse them upon receipt of their final report and all corresponding documentation, MAC's website says.

MAC will host a series of “Ask the MAC” virtual meetings to answer applicants’ questions, with a focus on providing assistance to first-time applicants. “Ask the MAC” sessions will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, Dec. 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Thursday, Dec. 3, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Visit arts.ms.gov/grants for details on the event, registration and log-in details. For more information, call 601-359-6030. To apply, visit https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=missarts.

Richard Kelso at Fischer Galleries

Fischer Galleries (736 S. President St.) recently announced that it will host a new gallery by Mississippi artist Richard Kelso for December.

Kelso, 74, was born and grew up in Cleveland, Miss. He studied painting under Henry Hensche at the Cape School of Art in Provincetown, Mass., and, after serving in the military, attended the University of Mississippi, where he earned a master's degree in painting in 1980. He taught at Millsaps College and Meridian Community College and moved to Jackson in 1987.

The works on display at Fischer Galleries are "plein air" paintings of the Mississippi Delta landscape, referring to a practice of painting landscapes while outdoors that originated in the 19th century.

Fischer Galleries will display Kelso's paintings from Thursday, Dec. 3, through Thursday, Dec. 31. Any sold works will release beginning on Tuesday, Dec. 15.

The gallery is available for virtual viewing or for private in-person viewings for up to 15 people. For more information, call 601-291-9115 or visit fischergalleries.com.