The National Endowment for the Arts Big Read is designed to broaden our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. McMahon Auditorium Authority is one of 60+ nonprofit organizations to receive a grant to host an NEA Big Read project.

We are honored to be the only entity in the state of Oklahoma to receive an NEA BIG Read Grant for 2023.

The City of Lawton Arts and Humanities and McMahon Auditorium Authority is thrilled to announce the book they have chosen for the community "Catalogue of Unabashed Gratitude" by Ross Gay, as part of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read program throughout the entire month of October.

Lawton, Oklahoma, is honored to be one of the sixty-two communities nationwide participating in the 2023-2024 NEA Big Read. The city has been awarded a grant of $20,000 to support this endeavor. Throughout the entire month of October, our community will come together to celebrate the "Catalogue of Unabashed Gratitude" with a rich calendar of events.

The program will kick off early in October with exciting events featuring a series of discussions and ancillary events throughout the month. The culmination will include a special reading and discussion session with Ross Gay, our keynote speaker.

For more information on this event, please contact arts@lawtonok.gov or our office at (580)-581-3570. Further details will be shared as we approach the Fall season. Stay informed by signing up for our newsletter on our website at SWOKarts.com.