The Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) is honored to announce that it has received a $90,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to offer expanded outreach opportunities to public libraries and theaters across the Midwest.
Building on the foundation of the East Asia in Wisconsin Library Program, which provided mini-grants to public libraries beginning in 2020, the new “East Asia in the Upper Midwest Library Program” will allow CEAS to continue and expand this work.
The grant also includes funding for a new pilot program to help local theaters screen East Asia related films.
Between 2020 and 2025, CEAS awarded 124 mini-grants to 91 individual libraries, totaling over 5000 volumes and covering all 15 public library systems across the state. With the suspension of National Resource Center funding from the Department of Education in Spring 2025, this and many other CEAS outreach programs had to be paused.
Luce Foundation funding will not only allow this program to continue, but expand to include libraries in neighboring states and local theaters as potential partners.
“This program means so much to us,” said CEAS associate director David Fields. “Public libraries have been indispensable partners of CEAS over the decade and we are excited to explore the possibilities of working with theaters also.”
The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world. Established in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time, Inc., the Luce Foundation advances its mission by nurturing knowledge communities and institutions, fostering dialogue across divides, enriching public discourse, amplifying diverse voices, and investing in leadership development.
To find more information about the 2026 East Asia in the Upper Midwest Library Program, including how to apply, click here.
To find more information about the pilot program for theaters, click here.