Deadline: 1/26/22

Amount: $5,000-$20,000

Website: https://www.artsmidwest.org/programs/neabigread/guidelines

Description:

An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the power of a shared reading experience. Showcasing a diverse range of contemporary themes, voices, and perspectives, the NEA Big Read aims to inspire meaningful conversations, artistic responses, and new discoveries and connections in each community.

The NEA Big Read annually provides support to selected nonprofit organizations around the country to host dynamic community-wide reading programs. Each awarded organization works in collaboration with local community partners to develop and conduct engaging virtual and/or in-person events and activities.

Each NEA Big Read program includes: a kick-off event to mark the start of the program; book discussions; events inspired by the content and themes from the book (e.g., panel discussions, lectures, film screenings); and projects that engage the community and/or respond creatively to the book (e.g., art exhibitions, theatrical and/or musical performances, poetry slams, writing workshops and contests, activities related to collecting and sharing oral/written stories from members of the community). Collectively, events and programming should: reach a variety of audiences; be held in a variety of spaces (can be virtual and physical); when possible, encourage community participants to engage with one another and/or the book; and span a timeframe that makes sense for the community (as short as a week or as long as several months) within the programming period.

Funding may support: Supplies, artistic fees, speaker fees, project overhead costs, promotional fees, salaries, venue rental fees, travel costs, book purchases, and other expenses directly related and necessary to conducting a community-wide multidisciplinary arts program.

Reading Selections: Applicants must choose one of 15 reading selections from the 2022-23 NEA Big Read list as inspiration for programming. These 15 titles together present an array of voices, perspectives, time periods, and genres. In addition to these titles, applicants may choose to develop certain events and/or activities around other literary titles that relate in some way (thematically, historically, etc.) to the NEA Big Read book for the purpose of broadening audience participation. These “companion” titles may span other genres, such as Young Adult, children’s books, poetry, graphic novels, etc.

Eligible applicants:

To be eligible for a NEA Big Read grant, your organization must be one of the following.

– 501c(3) Nonprofit

– School district, local, state, or regional education agency

– Division of state, local, or tribal government

– Tax-exempt public library

PROGRAM CONTACT

If you have questions about the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read, application components, or the application guidelines, please call Arts Midwest at (612)-238-8010 or email neabigread@artsmidwest.org.