The Big Read - Cape Cod, 2024-2025

The Big Read - Cape Cod, 2024-2025

Embark on The Big Read: A journey through art, literature, and social justice.

Be part of a six-month series of events, inspired by Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An American Lyric, as we explore this year’s theme, “Where We Live.”

Keynote Event

Join us for an unforgettable evening with Claudia Rankine, award-winning author of Citizen: An American Lyric, with opening remarks by activist and writer, Marley Dias.

📅 February 10, 2025

⌚ 5 p.m. Reception; 6 p.m. Keynote Speech

📍 Cotuit Center for the Arts

  • Foster Deeper Connections

    Through shared reading experiences and community events, The Big Read brings people together, creating opportunities to build stronger relationships with neighbors and explore diverse perspectives.

  • Engage with Local Creatives

    Discover and celebrate the vibrant local arts scene with events showcasing the talents of Cape Cod’s artists, writers, and musicians, all inspired by the themes of Citizen.

  • Have BIG Conversations

    Participate in discussions on social justice, identity, and community, empowering individuals to reflect on the world around them and become more engaged citizens in shaping a better future for Cape Cod.

What is THe Big Read?

Exploring place, identity, and belonging on Cape Cod

From October 2024 to May 2025, The Arts & Justice Collective will hold various literary, art and social justice events and programs centering around Claudia Rankine's "Citizen: An American Lyric." The Big Read Cape Cod is in collaboration with a wide range of community partners, including libraries, cultural centers, social/racial justice organizations, theaters, literary and art organizations and local artists.

The national theme for this year’s NEA Big Read is “Where We Live,” and is designed to have communities exploring their sense of place and all of the ramifications of living in and belonging to a certain place.

We live on Cape Cod, known to be a vacation destination with beautiful beaches and fancy houses. But Cape Cod is so much more than beaches, fried seafood and ice cream. We are a community made up of people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and dreams.

Undeniably, Cape Cod is full of white space, and people of color can often feel othered and experience racism on a daily basis here. Sometimes it’s subtle. Sometimes it’s not. Claudia Rankine’s “Citizen: An American Lyric” will have our community exploring how racism and microaggressions show up in these current times. It will have our community taking a hard long look at its impact on the members of our community. At the same time, it will speak volumes to our BIPOC community - that we are heard, we are understood and we are not alone.

See below for specific programming and events. Dates and locations will be updated as The Big Read Cape Cod program unfolds.

Upcoming Event:

EASTHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK DISCUSSION

Join Annisha Romney for an in-person book discussion of Citizen by Claudia Rankine at the Eastham Public Library.

  • Tuesday, January 21, 2025

  • 6 p.m.

  • 190 Samoset Rd., Eastham

  • Click on image or below to RSVP!

There will be SIX other book discussions across Cape Cod. Find the right one for you!

Belonging Books|November 13|6 p.m. |the knack hyannis | Concluded

Eastham Public Library| January 21 |6 p.m.|190 Samoset Rd., Eastham | Register

Provincetown Public Library|January 30 |6 p.m.| 356 Commercial St., Provincetown| Register

Wellfleet Public Library|February 5 |5 p.m.| 55 W Main St, Wellfleet| Register

Falmouth Public Library|February 25 |5:30 p.m.| 300 Main St, Falmouth| Register

Cape Cod High School Group|March 5 |4 p.m.| Belonging Books, 438 Main Street, Hyannis| Register

MLK Action Team with St. David’s Episcopal Church|March 16 |Time 12 p.m.| 205 Old Main St, South Yarmouth| Register TBD

Hyannis Public Library|April 16 |5:30 p.m.| 401 Main Street, Hyannis| Register TBD

Book Discussions

Writing WOrkshops

Belonging Books |December 11|5 p.m. |The Zion Union Heritage Museum | Concluded

Cape Cod Poetry Review | January 11 | 11 a.m. |204 Sisson Rd., Harwich | Concluded

Wellfleet Preservation Hall | March 12 |Time 6 p.m. |335 Main Street, Wellfleet | Register TBD

The Cordial Eye’s Community Art Making Event| December 7|1 p.m.|255 Main Street, Hyannis | Concluded

Poetry From My Brain by Tamora Israel|February 8 @ 7 p.m. | February 9 @ 2 p.m. |Tilden Arts Center, 2240 Iyannough Road|Tickets ($15/$10/$5)

Claudia Rankine Keynote Lecture|February 10|5 p.m.|Cotuit Center for the Arts, 4404 Falmouth Rd., Cotuit|Register

Unitarian Church of Barnstable: Where We Live: Poems and Essay Reading and Open Mic|March 14| 6 p.m.|Unitarian Church of Barnstable, 3330 Main Street, Barnstable

Cape Cod Voices and Belonging Books: Raise Your Voice Unveiled|April 25|Time TBD|Location TBD

A-Way with Words: Conclusion to The Big Read|May 31|Time TBD| Hyannis Village Green

Art, Performances, Speakers and more!

RAISE YOUR VOICE: ANTHOLOGY OF BIPOC VOICES oF CAPE COD

Share Your Story in Raise Your Voice: Anthology of BIPOC Voices of Cape Cod! Belonging Books and Cape Cod Voices are collecting poems, essays, and visual reflections from BIPOC Cape Codders to create a powerful collection of community voices. Join us in amplifying diverse stories and experiences—your voice matters! These submissions will be hosted on a dedicated webpage for "Raise Your Voice," where the project will live and grow as we continue to add stories.

Hosted By

In Partnership With

Tamora Israel

Bobbi Rose Brown

Thank you to our Sponsors

NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

This program is funded in part by grants from the Falmouth and Provincetown Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.