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NEA National Initiatives

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) began the national initiatives program in 2003 to deliver arts programs to all communities across the country. Arts Midwest currently manages the following NEA national initiatives.

The Big Read

The Big Read provides citizens with the opportunity to read and discuss a single book within their communities. To support innovative reading programs in selected cities and towns, the initiative provides grants, comprehensive resources, and support for reading and discussing literature.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It was created in response to Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America, a report issued in July 2004 by the National Endowment for the Arts that identified critical issues facing literary reading. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment.

For information about participating communities, featured books, and more, visit www.NEABigRead.org or e-mail thebigread@artsmidwest.org.

Shakespeare in American Communities

Now accepting applications!

Arts Midwest invites proposals from nonprofit professional theater companies to perform works by Shakespeare for middle- and high-school students between June 1, 2010 and May 31, 2011. Approximately 40 theater companies will receive matching grants to support performances and educational activities for students from a minimum of 10 schools. Learn more >>

Shakespeare for a New Generation, part of the NEA’s Shakespeare in American Communities initiative, provides grants to professional theater companies to introduce middle and high school students to the power of live theater and William Shakespeare. Theater companies selected present productions of Shakespeare plays with accompanying educational activities to students from at least 10 schools in their communities.

Educational outreach is an integral component of the initiative. The National Endowment for the Arts provides multimedia educational resource kits for teachers free of charge. Educational toolkits can be ordered from Video Placement Worldwide.

Theater partners for Shakespeare in American Communities are selected annually through a competitive application and panel review process.

For information about participating theater companies, Shakespeare’s plays, and more, visit www.ShakespeareinAmericanCommunities.org or e-mail shakespeare@artsmidwest.org.

NEA Jazz Masters Live

Celebrating the living legends who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of jazz, NEA Jazz Masters Live supports meaningful, in-depth, extended engagements featuring NEA Jazz Masters that honor their body of work, history, or style; provide understanding of their significance to jazz through thematically-designed or retrospective programming; and broaden audiences’ awareness of their unique contributions to this original American art form.

For more information, visit NEA Jazz Masters.

Tools for 2009-2010 Selected Organizations

  • NEA Jazz Masters Logo.
  • Calendar of Activities:. Please complete and submit an initial Calendar of Activities at least six weeks prior to your first activity (performance or outreach activity). Your initial Calendar should not include attendance figures. Remember to save a copy of the Calendar in order to report on the attendance for these activities as part of your Final Report.
  • Final Report:. To enable us to compile a comprehensive report, a Final Report must be submitted within six weeks following the conclusion of your NEA Jazz Masters Live activities.