Marygrove College Receives NEA Grant to Support 2013 Contemporary American Authors Lecture Series

DETROIT, Dec. 10, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman announced today that Marygrove College is one of 153 not-for-profit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Challenge America Fast-Track grant. Marygrove is recommended for a $10,000 grant to support the 2013 Contemporary American Authors Lecture Series. Since its inception 24 years ago, the series has emphasized the importance of African American literature and fulfilled the community's desire to hear nationally recognized African-American writers discuss their work before a diverse audience. Marygrove celebrates the 25^th anniversary of the series in 2013 by featuring National Book Award winner Terrance Hayes, author of four collections of poetry (Muscular Music, Hip Logic, Wind in a Box, and Lighthead). Each installment of this distinctive series has four components: a class session conducted by the author for students from Marygrove College and Detroit area high schools, a VIP reception and dinner honoring the author, two writing contests, and the Lillian and Don Bauder Lecture—a reading open to the public. Hundreds of people—community leaders, students, and lovers of literature—from the metro area participate in each year's event. New this year is a fifth component: an art exhibit which expands awareness of the selected series authors and their influence on social and cultural environments.

In this FY 2013 funding round, the NEA received 393 eligible Challenge America Fast-Track applications, requesting a total of $3,930,000. The NEA will award 153 Challenge America Fast-Track grants totaling $1.53 million awarded to organizations in 41 states, Washington, DC, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These include 49 first-time Arts Endowment grantees. The Challenge America Fast-Track category offers support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to populations whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability.

"We're gratified that the NEA has recognized the significant role that the Contemporary American Authors Lecture Series plays in the cultural life of this community," said Donald Levin, chair of Marygrove's English and Modern Languages Department. "This grant will help us to pay fitting tribute to the work of the authors who have visited our campus over the past quarter century."

"The NEA was founded on the principle that the arts belong to all the people of the United States," said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. "We're proud that Challenge America Fast-Track grants bring more opportunities for arts engagement to underserved communities."

See the complete listing of projects recommended for Challenge America Fast-Track grant support at www.arts.gov.

ABOUT MARYGROVE COLLEGE

Founded by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) in 1905, Marygrove College is an independent liberal arts college and a Catholic institution of higher learning committed to developing leaders for the new global society. The main campus is situated on 53 wooded acres in northwest Detroit.

8425 W. McNichols Rd., Detroit, MI 48221
www.marygrove.edu

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