Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – The Bradbury Art Museum (BAM) at Arkansas State University has been awarded a 2026–27 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read grant, making it the only organization in Arkansas selected to receive this award. 

NEA, in partnership with Arts Midwest, recently announced grants to 71 nonprofit organizations across the United States for NEA Big Read programming. 

BAM will lead a year-long series of exhibitions, lectures, workshops, educational programs, and community conversations inspired by “An American Sunrise” by Joy Harjo, poet, musician and former U.S. Poet Laureate, and the companion children’s book “The Girl Warrior.” 

“We are deeply honored to receive this award,” said Julia Wintner, director of BAM. “Being selected as Arkansas’s only NEA Big Read organization reflects the strength of our partnerships and our commitment to making literature, art and culture accessible throughout our region. We look forward to bringing people together to explore Harjo’s remarkable work through reading, conversation, visual art, and shared community experiences.” 

Throughout the academic year, BAM will collaborate with A-State departments and community organizations across Northeast Arkansas to present a wide range of public programs.  

The initiative will include the distribution of free copies of both books, teacher workshops and classroom resources, family literacy and printmaking activities, public lectures, panel discussions, community conversations, poetry readings, interdisciplinary arts programming, student exhibitions, and creative responses inspired by the books.  

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“We also plan to collaborate with libraries, schools, museums, and nonprofit organizations throughout the region,” added Wintner.  

The project will officially launch with the opening reception of BAM’s fall exhibition, “More Than Human,” at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 24, serving as the kickoff event for the NEA Big Read.

The program will culminate with a special visit by Harjo, who will deliver a keynote presentation as part of the Lecture Concert Series at A-State on Tuesday, March 2. Her visit will provide students, educators and community members with the opportunity to engage directly with one of America’s most celebrated contemporary writers. 

As the only art museum within an 80-mile radius, the Bradbury Art Museum serves A-State and communities throughout the Mississippi Delta. Through this initiative, the Museum seeks to strengthen connections with the region. 

Community members are invited to participate by picking up a free book at BAM, attending public programs, and joining the conversation throughout the year.

For program updates, event announcements, and information about participating in the NEA Big Read, click here or follow BAM on social media. 

BAM presents nationally recognized exhibitions of contemporary and historical art while caring for a permanent collection of nearly 2,000 works of art. Through exhibitions, education, research, and community engagement, it serves as a cultural and educational resource for the university and the broader Mississippi Delta region. 

In total, the Arts Endowment is investing $1,089,030 to support community-wide reading
initiatives centered around books from the NEA Big Read Library. This year’s program commemorates 250 years of the American story by celebrating the nation’s culture, history, and resilience through the voices and experiences of its people. 

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