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CAC to participate in the NEA's Big Read

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PRESS RELEASE:

THE BIG READ

For immediate release:
Through October 31, 2008                                         For more information:
Laura Lieberman 770/949-2787
  

THE BIG READ-- CAC AWARDED FEDERAL FUNDING -- ONE OF 208 ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE SELECTED FOR THE NEA’S BIG READ Douglasville will read and celebrate Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird

                                                                                         

Douglasville, Georgia – The Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville/Douglas County, in partnership with Douglas County Libraries and the Douglas County School System, is proud to have been chosen to participate in the nationwide project. THE BIG READ was launched nationally in 2006 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and Arts Midwest. The NEA’s initiative encourages literary reading by asking communities to come together to read and discuss a single book. Modeled on successful "one book, one community" programs, THE BIG READ was created to address the national decline in literary reading. The NEA's 2004 landmark survey, “Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America” showed that less than half the American adult population now reads literature.           

For THE BIG READ in Douglasville and Douglas County in 2008, we selected Harper Lee’s acclaimed 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Our THE BIG READ includes book discussion groups, exhibits, special public events, lectures, teacher trainings, readings, film screenings, performances of the play based on the novel by the One Dollar Players, and even a bird walk during September and October at locations throughout our community. For more details and a full schedule of the wide range of fun, stimulating, community-building activities scheduled for this year's program, please click here. For more information on the nation wide programming, visit www.neabigread.org.

If you would like to find out how you can be a vital part of this initiative (or for more information on any of the events), please call 770.949.2787 or email cultureadmin@earthlink.net.Click here for a full schedule of events

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.Click here to read about David Kipen's visit in Douglasville!

The mission of the Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville/Douglas County is to nurture, guide and stimulate the enjoyment of and participation in the arts among Douglas County residents by providing an atmosphere conducive to the arts, broadening the spectrum of quality exhibits and performances available to the community, and fostering individual interactions with the arts through a wide range of satellite organizations. The Cultural Arts Council and its programs are supported by its members, sponsors, the City of Douglasville, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, and Georgia Council for the Arts through appropriations from the State General Assembly. The GCA is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes a great nation deserves great art.  

www.artsdouglas.org