State of the City 2025 Welcome Speech
Presented by Arts & Culture Director Sarah Qarqish
Good evening, everyone! Thank you for coming tonight! If you don’t already know me, I am Sarah Qarqish, Director of Arts & Culture.
Welcome to the 2025 State of the City Address. We are here today in the beautiful Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Arts Center, a historic gem of Ocean Springs built in 1927! In just two short years, the Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Center will celebrate its 100th anniversary! We are excited for the new developments and activities we have planned for this milestone.
The Mary C. is home to over 30 active partners and serves as our town’s creative hub. We fondly call it "Mama" because of the constant care it requires. Currently, “Mama” is undergoing renovations, with construction on the west side bringing new windows, structural reinforcements, and flooring updates. Despite the construction work, our programming and events continue on!
One of our most exciting additions in 2025 is the Digital Fabrication Shop, which will be opening for summer camps. This space, located behind the Mary C. in Taconi, will house laser and vinyl cutters, 3D printers, a CNC router, screen printing equipment, and an indoor space for glass blowing lessons during inclement weather. Other upgrades include updated track lighting for our galleries and a second-floor expansion of the Ocean Springs Museum of History.
This expansion will feature never-before-seen artifacts valued at over $500,000, covering topics such as the Ancient Forest, the Turpentine Industry, Railroads, Education, and Business. Our small but dedicated curatorial team—Dr. Pat Pinson, artist Ben Prisk, and historian Anthony Kalberg—are working to bring these stories to life by the end of the year.
Several other exciting projects are in progress. A historical renovation on the west side windows will move to the back, east side, and finally the front of the building. Thanks to OS Maintenance, we now have a backstage theater ramp allowing easier access for large equipment. Additionally, I designed a custom courtyard fence, set for fabrication in April and installation in July. Public Works, which assisted in constructing the New Year’s Eve Ball for “The Drop,” will help build concrete elements securing the fence. We have designed permanent archways made from the same materials for the front and east sidewalks.
Beyond infrastructure, I want to highlight the Mary C.’s thriving arts community. We rotate four theater groups who collaborate to bring performances to life, sharing resources and responsibilities. In the last year alone, nearly 100 performances have been staged here. We are still so excited to be working with the Ocean Springs High School Theater to bring Spooky Springs @ The Scary C. to the community! This year Spooky Springs will be held at Fort Maurepas and will be Renaissance Faire Themed! Additionally, don’t forget to join us in December for our annual O.S. Christmas Tree lighting and the lighting of the avenue oaks. Through these efforts, our partners and staff have generated significant revenue, directly benefiting local creative entrepreneurs.
The Mary C.'s mission is to "Connect Community & Creatives Through Arts-Based Education & Experiences," and I am proud to see creative careers flourishing as more opportunities are created for our talented local artists.
Throughout my career as an artist and now as director of the Mary C., my ultimate goal has been finding balance—knowing what I can and cannot control and staying true to my passions while embracing challenges. I hope my actions and dedication have left an impression on those familiar with my work. For those who may not know me well, I’d like to share a personal journey. Today marks day 25 of my 31-day fast for Ramadan. Fasting cultivates empathy for those less fortunate and strengthens spiritual discipline. Taking time to check in on one’s mind, body, and soul is a transformative gift. Balance, change, enlightenment, and inspiration all start within, creating a ripple effect that extends outward.
As I transition into discussing the state of our city’s infrastructure, I challenge each of you to reflect on your own internal "power supply." Do you feel in control, fulfilled, and inspired? We all crave more for our community, our children, our elders, and ourselves. Achieving this begins with self-reflection and balance. By strengthening ourselves, we strengthen our city. Let’s move forward together, embracing growth and opportunity for Ocean Springs.
Thank you!