FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Patricia Spencer, Public Information Officer
447-1690 ext 124 pspencer@lclibrary.org
LEWIS & CLARK LIBRARY RECEIVES A RECORD 10TH NEA BIG READ GRANT!
May 24, 2016—[Helena, MT]—Your Lewis & Clark Library is a recipient of a grant to host the NEA Big Read in Lewis and Clark County for a record 10th time. A program of the National Endowment for the Arts, the NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Your Lewis & Clark Library is one of 77 nonprofit organizations to receive a grant to host an NEA Big Read project between September 2016 and June 2017. The NEA Big Read in Lewis and Clark County will focus on The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K LeGuin. Activities will take place September-October 2016.
This will mark Lewis & Clark Library Director John Finn’s first Big Read and he couldn’t be more thrilled, “I'm excited to be a part of my very first Big Read, and look forward to all that a communal reading experience has to offer.” The selection committee, led by Lewis & Clark Library Adult Services Librarian Suzanne Swichtenberg, selected The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K LeGuin out of a list of possible titles provided by the NEA and Finn believes that “the book will allow many readers a chance to step outside of their comfort zone.” The Wizard of Earthsea is a 1968 young adult fantasy novel and was one of the final recipients of the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, an award that recognized outstanding children's literature
“The Big Read allows for great community building that a shared experience can offer; it is going to be fun to witness,” commented Finn. “This year's schedule of events will provide a wonderful reading and participation experience for everyone.” As in years past, the Library’s website, www.lclibrary.org, will be the primary source of information for Big Read events.
Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, said, “I have the opportunity to travel around the country and see the way the arts can inspire, allow for reflection, and create new experiences. I look forward to the creative ways these 77 organizations will bring their communities together around a great work of literature through their participation in the NEA Big Read.”
Managed by Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read offers grants to support innovative community reading programs designed around a single book. The program supports organizations across the country in developing community-wide reading programs which encourage reading and participation by diverse audiences. Organizations selected to participate in the NEA Big Read receive a grant, access to online training resources and opportunities, and educational and promotional materials designed to support widespread community involvement.
For more information about the NEA Big Read, please visit neabigread.org.
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts and the agency is celebrating this milestone with events and activities through September 2016. Go to arts.gov/50th to enjoy art stories from around the nation, peruse Facts & Figures, and check out the anniversary timeline.
Arts Midwest promotes creativity, nurtures cultural leadership, and engages people in meaningful arts experiences, bringing vitality to Midwest communities and enriching people’s lives. Based in Minneapolis, Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest’s history spans more than 25 years. For more information, please visit artsmidwest.org.
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