Raven Theatre Receives NEA grant for The Big Read

Raven Theatre has been awarded a grant to host The Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. Raven Theatre represents the initiative for The Edgewater and Rogers Park neighborhoods for the 2011-2012 school year. Raven's "Take Flight" program was chosen for its work in connecting with students in the community and for success in fostering relationships with under-served students through arts outreach.

For The Big Read, Raven takes on their first bilingual project through focus on Sun, Stone, and Shadows: 20 Great Mexican Short Stories (Jorge F. Hernández, Editor), a collection of the best Mexican fiction published during the first half of the twentieth century and featuring some of the most important writers of Hispanic-American literature.

Raven Theatre Education Director, Kelli Strickland, states, "Our goal in executing this project is to unite members of the Rogers Park and Edgewater communities through great literature. We aim to bring together participants from a broad spectrum of experiences, circumstances and backgrounds to bridge a cultural gap in our community."

NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman said, "Since 2006, nearly three million Americans have attended a Big Read event, more than 39,000 volunteers have participated locally, and nearly 27,000 community partner organizations have been involved. The Big Read's success depends on these commitments of time, energy, and enthusiasm and I look forward to seeing these 76 communities come together in celebration of a great work of literature."
Raven Theatre is collaborating with the following partners for The Big Read: Centro Romero, a community-based organization that serves the refugee immigrant population on the northeast side of Chicago; Chicago Public Schools including Hayt Elementary, Stone Scholastic, Peirce Elementary, Senn High School and Sullivan High School; Chicago Public Library, Rogers Park Branch; and Congresswoman Jan Schakowski. For the Chicago Public School partnership, Raven is conducting residencies in the schools to create performance pieces based on their readings of the short stories. Using the text as a launching point, relevant themes are incorporated including Mexican culture, heritage and the impact on the immigrant experience.

Members of The Edgewater and Rogers Park communities are invited to be a part of this project through attending any of these free, public events (no advance registration required):
Kick-off party at the Rogers Park Branch of the Chicago Public Library (6907 N. Clark St.). Saturday, November 19th at 3:30p.m.
Readings from The Sun, Stones and Shadows in both English and Spanish by members of Chicago Fusion Theatre at the Rogers Park Branch of the Chicago Public Library (6907 N. Clark St.). Wednesday, November 30th at 6:30p.m.
Book club for adults including a free copy of the book and free childcare during the book club. Raven Theatre (6157 N. Clark St.) on Tuesdays November 15th and 29th at 6:00p.m
The Big Read Big Show, a culminating event featuring dramatic pieces inspired by the text and created in the CPS residencies. Raven Theatre (6157 N. Clark St.) on Tuesday, December 6th at 6:30p.m.
Selected organizations receive Big Read grants ranging from $2,500 to $17,000 to promote and carry out community-based reading programs featuring activities such as read-a-thons, book discussions, lectures, movie screenings, and performing arts events. Participating communities also receive high-quality, free-of-charge educational materials to supplement each title, including Reader's, Teacher's, and Audio Guides. The NEA presents The Big Read in cooperation with Arts Midwest. For more information about The Big Read please visit neabigread.org. The Big Read...inspiring people across the country to pick up a good book.

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.

Arts Midwest promotes creativity, nurtures cultural leadership, and engages people in meaningful arts experiences, bringing vitality to Midwest communities and enriching people's lives. Based in Minneapolis, Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest's history spans more than 25 years. For more information, please visit artsmidwest.org.

Founded in 1983, Raven Theatre is dedicated to breathing new life into American classics and exploring other works that illuminate the American experience. In addition to its regular season, Raven produces a Workshop Series of new and experimental productions, as well as teaching partnerships with various Chicago Public Schools, year-round youth classes and original children's shows performed at Raven Theatre.