🔒Portland arts nonprofit lands second straight ‘Big Read’ grant

For the second consecutive year, Portland-based Mechanics’ Hall has received a prestigious $20,000 federal matching grant to support a year-long "Big Read" literary series. The organization, a member-supported nonprofit cultural hub and library led by Executive Director Annie Leahy, received the funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to lead programming around Nathaniel Philbrick’s “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex.” Published in 2000, the award-winning nonfiction work recounts the true story of the 1820 sinking of the whaleship Essex, an event that inspired Herman Melville to write “Moby-Dick," an epic novel first published in 1851. “This award is exciting in its own right, but what feels most meaningful is what it says about how far Mechanics' Hall has come,” Leahy said. Mechanics' Hall is located at 519 Congress St. in the heart of Portland's Arts District. “What began as an effort to preserve a historic landmark has grown into a year-round literary and civic institution that brings together nationally recognized authors, local writers, readers and community partners,” Leahy added. "Receiving a second consecutive Big Read grant is a powerful affirmation not only of that growth, but of the idea that the humanities matter.” The 2015 film version of "In the Heart of the Sea" was directed by Ron Howard and starred Chris Helmsworth.

'Clear choice'

Asked how the work was chosen, Leahy told Mainebiz that organizations are given a list of eligible titles to choose from — there were 24 this year —  with selections tied to the theme of America's 250th anniversary. “For Mechanics' Hall, ‘In the Heart of the Sea’ was the clear choice,” she said. “The true story behind ‘Moby-Dick’ aligns with our mission of using literature and history to bring people together, while offering a compelling way to explore Maine's maritime heritage and spark conversations about leadership, resilience, technological change and how communities preserve and interpret their shared history.” The grant provides $20,000 in federal support and requires a dollar-for-dollar match, so Mechanics’ Hall is now raising an additional $20,000 to bring the year-long program to life, Leahy said. The NEA launched its Big Read program in 2006.

July 15 event

Last year, Mechanics’ Hall received a $20,000 Big Read grant for a year-long series inspired by Daniel Mason’s acclaimed novel, “North Woods.” That series is scheduled to culminate with a July 15 evening conversation between Mason and journalist Rebecca Traister, presented in partnership with Print: A Bookstore. The event is scheduled to take place at Halo at the Point, located at Thompson’s Point, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Traister, a Northwestern grad, may be best known for "Big Girls Don't Cry: The Election That Changed Everything for American Women."