The Big Read, a national program to encourage literary reading and revitalize the role of literature in American culture, is accepting applications from non-profit organizations to conduct month-long, community-wide reads between September 2008 and June 2009.

Organizations selected to participate in The Big Read will receive a grant ranging from $2,500 to $20,000, financial support to attend the national orientation meeting, educational and promotional materials for broad distribution, Organizer’s Guide for developing and managing Big Read activities, inclusion of your organization and activities on The Big Read website, and the prestige of participating in a highly visible national initiative. Approximately 300 organizations of varying sizes across the country will be selected for this cycle.

To download the guidelines and application, visit www.NEABigREad.org.

Questions? Call Arts Midwest at 612.341.0755 or email TheBigRead@artsmidwest.org.