Readers of all ages are invited to attend the Payson Book Festival on Saturday, July 22nd in the ballroom of Mazatzal Hotel and Casino in Payson. This free, family-friendly event offers book-lovers an opportunity to meet more than 80 Arizona authors from throughout the state, story time sessions for kids, author presentations, writing workshops, and more. The festival takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and features notable Arizona authors such as State Historian Marshall Trimble, noted Irish and Latina author Stella Pope Duarte, outdoor travel writer Roger Naylor, biographer and AZ Speaks presenter, Jan Cleere. The Payson Book Festival is supported by a grant from Arizona Humanities.

Learn more about the Payson Book Festival.

	Courtesy of The Loft Cinema

Rolling Reels: Bringing Movies to You is a project of Tucson's renowned The Loft Cinema. The community-building program takes carefully curated family-friendly films for free screenings in underserved rural areas, providing a unique cultural experience. The movies travel across Southern Arizona in a van outfitted with solar panels that will power a 20-foot inflatable screen and state-of-the-art mobile projection system. At each film, scholars lead an interactive community dialogue that explores the relationships between film and rural life, cultural identity, Native Peoples, history of west and contemporary western culture. 

Check out the upcoming films:

• Rango (July 15 in Arivaca)
• An Injury to One (July 16 in Bisbee)
• Hunt for the Wilderpeople (July 21 on the Pascua Yaqui Reservation)

Learn more about the Rolling Reels project.

FRANK Talks e ngage Arizona communities with 'in the news' topics for discussion at local libraries. Check out the topics below and request to host them at your local library.

FRANK Talks are free for libraries and made possible by a partnership between Arizona Humanities and the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records .

Questions? Contact Ellie Hutchison, Programs Manager at [email protected]. 

Energy in an Uncertain World with Dr. Jennifer Richter "Fake News": The Impact of Fake News in the Real World with Jamie Bowen Immigrants and the American Dream: We the People Today and Tomorrow with Dr. T.J. Davis Is This Racist? Racial Literacy and Social Media with Dr. Kathy Nakagawa Local Democracy and Politics in Education: Does it help or hinder student achievement? with Dr. Carrie Sampson

Mothering & Conversations on Reproductive Health with Dr. Kathy Nakagawa School Choice in Arizona with Dr. Angelina Castagno Securing the Borders and Stopping Terrorism: A Constitutional Framework with Dr. T.J. Davis Weaponized Narrative: Information Warfare as the New Battlespace with Dr. Braden Allenby What is racial disproportionality in schools and why does it matter? with Dr. Angelina Castagno

Learn more about FRANK Talks and book a program.

	AZ Speaks Presenters

The new AZ Speaks catalog is now available for booking presentations November 1, 2017 - October 31, 2018. AZ Speaks is the longest-running and most popular program of Arizona Humanities. Each year, AZ Speaks presenters deliver hundreds of engaging presentations throughout Arizona.

Read over the new guidelines and check out the new instructional videos for how your organization can bring humanities scholars to your community.

Read more about AZ Speaks and explore the new catalog.

Are you looking for a unique space to host your next event? The Ellis-Shackelford House has been home to Arizona Humanities for 30 years, and we have the opportunity to share our space with the community. Built in 1917 and completely restored in 2013, the last original structure of Central Avenue's "Millionaire's Row" offers a unique space for meetings or receptions. Facility rental is available for businesses, corporations, individuals, and non-profit organizations. 

Learn more about Facility Rental and current rates.

Attention project directors! Arizona Humanities still has funds available to support your humanities projects. 

Mini Grants Quick Facts:

• Small grants of up to $2,000
• Available on rolling basis
• Used for capacity-building, program planning, and implementation of programs
• Watch the Mini Grants webinar to learn more

Do you need a humanities scholar for a grant project? Are you looking for more information on a particular research topic?  The Arizona Humanities Scholar Database is a resource for prospective grant-seekers and community partners. The database lists scholars available to work as consultants, speakers, and evaluators on public humanities programs.  Check out scholar fields of study, areas of expertise, and contact information.  The database is updated frequently so keep it bookmarked for future reference.

	Bob Booker and Jamie Dempsey

Arizona Humanities would like to extend warm wishes to Robert Booker and Jamie Dempsey of the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Earlier this summer, Robert Booker announced his retirement from the agency. Bob Booker has been a distinguished leader in the arts for over 40 years, and the past ten as Executive Director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts. His successor  Jamie Dempsey has been the agency's Deputy Director since 2006. We look forward to celebrating the Commission's 50th anniversary  and continuing to support and nourish Arizona's creative community.

Ryan Bruce* Tina Clark* Julie Codell* David Edwards Christine Marin Elizabeth Martin

Mary Lu Nunley* Kathryn & David Schwarz Naomi & Gerald Weiner Sara White Emerson Yearwood* Thrivent Choice

*current Board Member

Important Dates

• July 17 - Project Grants Application Deadline
• August 20 - Board of Directors Meeting

Mission: Arizona Humanities builds a just and civil society by creating opportunities to explore our shared human experiences through discussion, learning and reflection.

Arizona Humanities is a statewide 501(c)3 non-profit organization and the Arizona affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Arizona Humanities supports public programs that promote understanding of the human experience with cultural, educational, and non-profit organizations across Arizona.