{"id":12058,"date":"2025-07-29T14:50:48","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T14:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artsmidwest.org\/?post_type=update&p=12058"},"modified":"2025-07-29T15:00:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T15:00:20","slug":"announcing-the-2025-26-nea-big-read-grantees","status":"publish","type":"update","link":"https:\/\/artsmidwest.org\/about\/updates\/announcing-the-2025-26-nea-big-read-grantees\/","title":{"rendered":"Announcing the 2025-26 NEA Big Read Grantees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today, Arts Midwest announced $1.09 million ($1,094,670) in NEA Big Read<\/a> grants going to 65 nonprofit organizations to present community literature programming in 2025\u201326.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These grants will support programming centered around a book from the\u00a0NEA Big Read Library<\/a>, with the goal of inspiring meaningful conversations, celebrating local creativity, elevating a wide variety of voices and perspectives, and building stronger connections in each community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community programming during this cycle of the NEA Big Read is focused on the theme \u201cOur Nature.\u201d Using their book selection as inspiration, grantees will offer book discussions, writing workshops, and creative activities that explore our relationship with the physical environment. In addition, all NEA Big Read grantees are hosting an event in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grantees are from 33 states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico, with 38 percent of the recipients receiving their first NEA Big Read grant this year. Each NEA Big Read grantee will receive a matching grant ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 to support their project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NEA Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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\n Artist Bo Bartlett talks about the influence of his hometown of Columbus on his work as part of Chattahoochee Valley Libraries’ NEA Big Read programming.\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n \n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n
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