Grant for Literacy Initiatives | National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read
The Newburgh Enlarged City School District and Newburgh Free Library, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read are collaborating to provide programming to our community. Through a grant, the collaboration will provide a series of literacy initiatives to educate and collaborate with our local community. In collaboration, the Newburgh Free Library is one of 62 communities nationwide participating in the 2024-2025 NEA Big Read. Newburgh Enlarged City School District is the only school district in the country to receive a National Endowment for the Arts Big Read Community grant.
From September 2024 through June 2025, Newburgh will explore the theme of "Where We Live" through poetry utilizing the featured reading of Hustle by David Tomas Martinez. With a focus on the rich history of our community, programming will inspire meaningful conversations and celebrate local creativity and voices.
Programming will focus on literacy in our community. Throughout the year, we plan for book giveaways, book discussions, Q&A with the author, an artistic project or activity that engages the community around the theme, creative writing workshops, public readings, book clubs, poetry workshops, infusion of dance as it relates to the theme and focus, oral history and family writing workshop, open mic events, walking tours, food sampling, and so much more! Additional events to look forward to include:
- Little Read Storytime & Discussion at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center on October 5th
- A bilingual book club focusing on Latino Literature with Dr. Adolfo Béjar Lara on October 22nd, February 18th, & March 25th;
- A Two-part Hispanic Genealogy and Oral History Writing workshop in November;
- An author talk with the Big Read author David Tomas Martinez on April 30th;
- and more to be announced!
The NEA Big Read: Newburgh programming series will launch with a Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration and Big Read Announcement and Hustle book distribution in the Newburgh Enlarged City District Schools and through the Newburgh Free Library in September 2024. The Newburgh Free Library will launch its National Endowment for the Arts Big Read program exploring Hustle by David Tomas Martinez with a Hispanic Heritage Month Kick Off on Saturday, September 21st, from 12:00-3:00 p.m. The NEA Big Read in Newburgh is presented in partnership with the Newburgh Enlarged City School District, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Subsequent programming will focus on poetry, and Hispanic culture including discussions of the book Hustle with Library, school district and other local area book clubs, poetry, and hip-hop writing workshops for teens and adults, themed monthly poetry readings hosted by local poets and community groups, a city-wide poetry walk installation, a community open mic night, a celebration of Hispanic artists and street art, cooking demonstrations from Latino/a food business owners, and a Hispanic genealogy and oral history family writing workshop.
The final event for the Big Read series will be a visit, poetry reading, and question and answer sessions with author David Tomas Martinez at Newburgh Free Academy and the Newburgh Free Library.
More about the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read:
The National Endowment for the Arts Big Read—a partnership with Arts Midwest—broadens our understanding of ourselves and our neighbors through the power of a shared reading experience. The goals of the NEA Big Read are to inspire meaningful conversations, celebrate local creativity, elevate a wide variety of voices and perspectives, and build stronger connections in each community.
ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!
