Arts News
Applications Open for 2026-27 NEA Big Read / Arts Midwest
2026-27 NEA Big Read | Arts Midwest
Applications are now open for the NEA Big Read, a national program that offers matching grants of up to $20,000 to support community-wide reading programs.
Who can apply? Nonprofit arts organizations, universities, libraries, service organizations, museums, school districts, and tribal governments are all encouraged to apply.
This year’s NEA Big Read centers around the theme America250, honoring the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The 24 books that applicants can choose to program this cycle celebrate America’s culture, history, and resilience through the eyes of its people.
Learn More and Apply at ArtsMidwest.org
A mandatory Intent to Apply is due January 15, 2026
About NEA Big Read
The National Endowment for the Arts Big Read is a program that awards grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 to organizations.
These grants support community reading programs designed around a single NEA Big Read book. As our nation moves into its 250thyear, the goal of this program is to honor America’s rich artistic and cultural heritage, inspire meaningful conversations, celebrate local creativity, elevate a wide variety of voices and perspectives, and build stronger connections in each community.
Grantees will receive funding for their programming and purchasing books, and tools to support them in working with local partners, developing public relations strategies, and leading meaningful book discussions.
NEA Big Read programs vary and can be as short as a week or as long as several months. Beyond discussions of the book, organizations may choose to include a kick-off event, invite the author for a visit, or have other events inspired by the content and themes of the book. These may include panel discussions, lectures, film screenings, art exhibitions, theatrical and musical performances, poetry slams, writing workshops and contests, and community storytelling events.
In total, Arts Midwest will be awarding $1,090,000 in project grants through NEA Big Read this year. We anticipate making approximately 75 grants.
This Year’s Theme and Books
Programming for the 2026-2027 grant cycle will center around the theme America250.
Applicants will choose a book from these 24 titles available in the NEA Big Read Library. This year’s NEA Big Read titles celebrate and honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, marking America’s Semiquincentennial. These books celebrate the country’s culture, history, and resilience through the eyes of its citizens.
Using a book selection as inspiration, applicants will facilitate discussions, writing workshops, and creative programming activities that explore this theme and celebrate the unique aspects of their communities.
Applications for the 2026-2027 cycle are now open.
The deadline to submit an Intent to Apply is January 15, 2026.
Full applications are due January 29, 2026.
NEA and Arts Midwest offer grants to theater companies for young audiences
NEA and Arts Midwest Offer Theater Arts Opportunity for Young Audiences
Shakespeare in American Communities Opportunity
About Shakespeare in American Communities
Shakespeare in American Communities is a theater program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. Through grants to theater companies, this program supports productions and educational activities for young audiences throughout the United States. Applicants can choose from two paths: Schools or Juvenile Justice. Grants range from $15,000 to $25,000 each.
What: Shakespeare in American Communities is a project-based, matching grant that helps theater companies and organizations bring Shakespeare and works inspired by Shakespeare to students.
When: The mandatory Intent to Apply is due January 25, with final applications due February 8, 2024, and funded projects must occur between August 2024 – July 2025.
Where: Nonprofit theater companies and organizations located across the United States and the Native nations that share this geography can apply.
Who: The schools program is available to theater companies producing a play that is a work written or inspired by Shakespeare, an adaption of Shakespeare’s text, or a production that incorporates scenes, monologues, and/or sonnets by Shakespeare, with related educational activities in partnership with schools. The Juvenile Justice program is available to nonprofit organizations providing Shakespeare educational activities in partnership with the Juvenile Justice System.
Ready to Apply?
Learn more about Shakespeare in American Communities, review eligibility requirements, and read the guidelines on Arts Midwest website.
Arts Midwest and NEA Big Read “Where We Live” Accepting Applications
Arts Midwest and the National Endowment for the Arts Accepting Applications for the NEA Big Read
About the NEA Big Read
An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read supports community reading programs designed around a single NEA Big Read book. The goal of this program is to inspire meaningful conversations, celebrate local creativity, elevate a wide variety of voices and perspectives, and build stronger connections in each community. Grants range from $5,000 to $20,000 each.
What: The NEA Big Read is a reading program that brings communities together around the central theme, "Where We Live," using one of 50 available NEA Big Read Books as inspiration.
When: The mandatory Intent to Apply is due January 10, with final applications due January 24, 2024 , and funded projects must occur between September 2024 and June 2025.
Where: Nonprofit organizations and public libraries located across the United States and the Native nations that share this geography can apply.
Who: Arts organizations, universities, libraries, service organizations, museums, school districts, and tribal governments are all encouraged to apply.
Ready to Apply?
Learn more about the NEA Big Read review eligibility requirements, and read the guidelines on Arts Midwest website.
Request for Applications for the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design
National Endowment for the Arts
Citizens' Institute on Rural Design
The National Endowment for the Arts has opened a Request for Applications for the Citizens' Institute on Rural Design.
The Citizens' Institute on Rural Design (CIRD) is a program of the NEA in partnership with the Housing Assistance Council and design partner, To Be Done Studio. Communities selected to participate will receive at least four Local Design Workshops that address the community's specific rural design challenge, and a Design Learning Cohort program that will invite approximately twenty rural communities to engage in peer learning and expert led sessions online.
All rural communities with populations of 50,000 or less are eligible to apply for the CIRD opportunities. The NEA welcomes applications from nonprofits, tribal or municipal governments, regional planning organizations, arts organizations, and other community partners. The NEA will hold open office hours on April 11 from 12:00 - 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (Zoom link here) to assist applicants.
The city of Spring Grove, MN (population 1,200) recently participated in CIRD's 2021-2022 cycle. Read more about Spring Grove's Local Design Workshop with CIRD (link here) and the resulting plan to create a one-room schoolhouse for the 21st century (link here).
Will yours be the next Minnesota community to participate?
The Request for Applications contains further details about the program goals, eligibility, benefits, expectations, and a preview of all the application questions.
The deadline to apply is April 21, 2023. Apply now!
Click here to learn how to apply
NEA Big Read
NEA Big Read
An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEABig Read broadens our understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the power of a shared reading experience. Showcasing a diverse range of contemporary themes, voices, and perspectives, the NEA Big Read aims to inspire meaningful conversations, artistic responses, and new discoveries and connections in each community. Grants range from $5,000 to $20,000 each, and the Intent to Apply is due on January 18, 2023.
WHAT: The NEA Big Read is a reading program that brings communities together around a selected book title.
WHEN: Applications are due January 25, 2023 (with the Intent to Apply due January 18), and funded projects must occur between September 2023 – June 2024.
WHERE: Nonprofit organizations and public libraries located across the United States and the Native nations that share this geography can apply.
WHO: Arts organizations, universities, libraries, service organizations, museums, school districts, and tribal governments are all encouraged to apply.
Applicants are now required to submit an Intent to Apply at least one week prior to the application deadline.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2023-2024 granting cycle. Visit How to Apply for more information.
Contact:
612.238.8024 neabigread@artsmidwest.org