PBS News Hour - Segments Literary Arts Fund created to rekindle a love for reading
Jan 12, 2026
Elizabeth Alexander, President of the Mellon Foundation and a celebrated poet, discusses the alarming decline in pleasure reading, noting a 40% drop over the last two decades. She unveils a bold $50 million initiative aimed at revitalizing the literary landscape by supporting nonprofit literary organizations. Alexander links this reading crisis to issues like book banning and funding cuts, emphasizing literature's vital role in fostering empathy and understanding amidst divisive times.
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Roots In Small Literary Spaces
- Elizabeth Alexander describes attending small literary spaces like the Loft, bookstores, and artist colonies that shaped her as a young poet.
- Those personal connections and residencies taught her what sustains literary communities and audiences.
Fund Targets Literary Infrastructure
- The new literary arts fund will invest $50 million over five years to support nonprofit writers' infrastructure like small presses and residencies.
- Alexander frames these spaces as essential for making literature, from production to readings and community hubs.
Decline In Reading Is A Crisis
- Alexander calls the decline in reading and pleasure reading a crisis and links it to reduced leisure and pressures like book bans.
- She notes the fund won't solve bans directly but responds to the broader environment threatening literary life.
