AUGUST 15, 2007-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEST VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL AWARDED $20,000 BIG READ GRANT
BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
OCTOBER 27-NOVEMBER 30, 2007
(Avondale, AZ)—August 15, 2007—The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has awarded the West Valley Arts Council (WVAC) with a $20,000 Big Read grant. The Big Read, launched nationally in 2006 by the NEA, encourages literary reading by asking communities to come together to read and discuss a single book. The organizations selected to participate in The Big Read receive grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 to promote and carry out community-based programs.
WVAC is one of 117 organizations that has received a grant to support Big Read programs between September and December 2007. The Big Read in the Valley will run from October 27-November 30, 2007 and will include more than 40 activities, including an area-wide kick-off event, planned to celebrate To Kill A Mockingbird. Events will include Valley-wide book readings and discussions, lectures, movie screenings, art exhibits, and other events celebrating the novel and time period.
Modeled on successful “one book, one community” programs, the Big Read was created to address the national decline in literary reading as documented in the NEA’s 2004 landmark survey Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America. The survey showed that less than half the American adult population now reads literature.
To encourage community-wide participation for The Big Read, WVAC is partnering with the following organizations to develop a program of month-long activities related to the novel: Maricopa County Library District, Glendale Public Library, Phoenix Art Museum, Luke Air Force Base, Black Theatre Troupe, Tolleson Public Library, Phoenix Public Library and the Arizona Humanities Council.
“By joining the Big Read, these cities and towns are showing that reading is necessary to the cultural, civic, even economic fabric of their communities. They understand the benefit of having people from different generations and walks of life reading and discussing a great book,” said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia.
“Yes, this is about reading, but it’s also about getting people to leave their homes and offices, unplug themselves for a few hours, and enjoy the pleasures of literature with their neighbors,” says Gioia.
For more information on the program, please visit www.neabigread.org or call the West Valley Arts Council at 623.935.6384.
The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts—both new and established—bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Endowment is the nation’s largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit www.arts.gov.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit: www.imls.gov.
Arts Midwest connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge, and understanding across boundaries. 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 www.artsmidwest.org.
###