National Endowment of the Arts - The Big Read

Press Releases

National Endowment for the Arts Announces Grants to Four U.S. Organizations for The Big Read Egypt/U.S.
April 21, 2008
In an effort to deepen and broaden cultural understanding, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), in partnership with the U.S. Department of State and Arts Midwest, today announced a second international component of the NEA's national reading program The Big Read. Four U.S. organizations will receive grants ranging from $10,000-$20,000 to present Big Read projects focusing on The Thief and the Dogs by Egyptian Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz. The selected organizations are Columbia University in the City of New York (New York, NY), Florida Center for the Literary Arts at Miami Dade College Miami, FL), Huntsville-Madison County Public Library (Huntsville, AL), and the South Dakota Humanities Council/South Dakota Center for the Book (Brookings, SD). Read more...

National Endowment for the Arts Announces More Than $1.5 Million in Big Read Grants for First Half of 2008
November 13, 2007
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) today continued its drive toward making the Big Read the largest federal reading program in U.S. history. The NEA announced that it will award grants totaling $1,598,800 to 127 libraries, municipalities, and arts, culture, higher education, and science organizations to host Big Read celebrations of 16 classic novels from January-June 2008. Read more...

"The Big Read on XM" Premiere Features NEA Chairman Dana Gioia and Mrs. Laura Bush
September 6, 2007
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Dana Gioia and Mrs. Laura Bush will appear on the premiere episode of the XM Satellite Radio series The Big Read on XM on September 10 to discuss books, the importance of literacy, the National Book Festival, and the NEA’s national reading project, the Big Read. Read more...

National Endowment for the Arts and XM Radio Launch The Big Read on XM National Radio Series
August 29, 2007
Today the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), in partnership with XM Radio, announced the launch of The Big Read on XM, a radio series based on the NEA's national reading program of the same name. Read more...

The Big Read Becomes The Largest Federal Literature Program Since The W.P.A.
June 25, 2007
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) today more than doubled the number of communities taking part in its nationwide reading program, the Big Read. One hundred seventeen cities were awarded grants to produce celebrations of American literature from September through December 2007. Read more...

Or view the complete list of the grant recipients on the NEA's Web site.

National Endowment for the Arts Announces 2008 Plans for the Big Read National Reading Program
April 18, 2007

Today National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Dana Gioia announced the agency's plans for expanding the national Big Read program for 2008 including introducing the Big Read to Russia, adding nine new books to the Big Read library, and using a grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to support the Big Read in communities in the Pacific Northwest. Read more...

City of Bridgeport and National Endowment for the Arts Host Mrs. Laura Bush for Big Read Celebration
April 16, 2007

Bridgeport, Connecticut continued its Big Read celebration of Harper Lee's classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird with a special event today at the Barnum Museum. The highlight of the program was an appearance by Mrs. Laura Bush, honorary chair of the Big Read. Read more...

National Endowment for the Arts Announces Big Read Grants in Celebration of Great American Books
October 31, 2006

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) today announced that 72 organizations will receive grants to support Big Read programs between January and June 2007. The Big Read is a new national program by the NEA, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and Arts Midwest, that encourages literary reading by asking communities to come together to read and discuss one book. The organizations selected to participate in the Big Read will receive grants ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 to promote and carry out month-long, community-based programs. Read more...

National Endowment for the Arts and Library of Congress Host Washington Celebration of The Big Read
July 20, 2006

In an effort to inspire members of Congress to encourage their constituents to join a nationwide reading initiative, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) today invited them to a Washington celebration of the Big Read. The Big Read is a new program designed to revitalize reading in American culture. Today’s event was held at the Library of Congress with NEA Chairman Dana Gioia joined by General Donald L. Scott, Deputy Librarian of Congress.

The highlight of today’s event was an appearance by Mrs. Laura Bush who is enthusiastically joining the Big Read as its Honorary Chair. Read more...

National Endowment for the Arts Launches The Big Read, Nation's Largest Book Club
May 9, 2006

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) today announced the Big Read, a new national reading program designed to revitalize the role of reading in American public culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which provides leadership and funding for the nation's 17,500 museums and 122,000 libraries. Read more...

National Endowment for the Arts Announces The Big Read
December 20, 2005

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), in partnership with Arts Midwest, today announced the pilot phase of The Big Read, a national initiative to encourage literary reading by asking communities to come together to read and discuss one book. Ten organizations were selected from a pool of 45 applicants to receive grants ranging from $15,000 to $40,000 to promote and carry out four- to six-week, community-based programs to encourage reading by teens and adults. The NEA's Big Read is modeled on successful "city reads" programs. Pilot communities, ranging in population from 7,000 to more than 4 million people, will read one of four classic novels: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury; The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald; Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston; or To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Read more...