CANTON -- The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will award SUNY Canton $10,000 to support the college's Living Writers Series.

The series, which began in 2012, has hosted 15 literary guest speakers from across the country. All events are free and open to the public. According to SUNY Canton Assistant Professor of English Phil K. LaMarche, the award funding will be used specifically to bring globally recognized authors to campus in conjunction with African American and Native American History months.

"I'd like to thank the National Endowment for the Arts for supporting the Living Writers Series," said LaMarche, who created and directs the series. "This award will help foster discussions of diversity on campus at a time when they are greatly needed across our country."

Throughout the past several years, the series has grown and guests have included renowned writers such as New York Times bestselling authors Mary Karr and George Saunders. This year leading environmental activist and climate change pioneer Bill McKibben drew a crowd of more than 700 attendees from throughout the North Country region.

"The Living Writers Series has proven to be a valuable asset to SUNY Canton and the community," LaMarche said. "We have brought a diverse list of creative artists and intellectual minds to our campus to engage with our students and the greater community."

The award is part of the NEA's "Challenge America" program, which aims to support projects that benefit populations whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability.