Michigan Humanities ~ Michigan Stories
Executive Update
Greetings!

As fall approaches and sweeps in the change in the air, we see change sweeping into MHC. Our treasured Associate Director, Robbe DiPietro, will begin her retirement to enjoy family, travel, and gardening. Robbe’s gentle, intelligent, and steady leadership played an immeasurable role in keeping the Council moving forward despite many shifts. When I began, she welcomed me and bolstered me through many learning opportunities and leadership decisions. The MHC team will be forever grateful for her contributions, as will countless humanities leaders around the state. We will also be welcoming two new members to our team sometime in October. Stay tuned for the latest details in additions to our team. 

With the government returning to session this month, we shall see if the National Endowment for the Humanities remains funded as was intended in the appropriations committee. We will keep our constituents well informed of funding decisions on our website and social media accounts. As always, please speak up for the humanities. Help us ensure our legislators know the value of our collective stories.

Enjoy the end of summer and the change of Autumn. And thank you for believing that humanities matter .

Shelly Kasprzycki
Executive Director 

Water/Ways Comes to Michigan in 2018-19

The Michigan Humanities Council is pleased to announce the selected host sites for a 2017-2018 tour of a national Smithsonian Institution exhibition throughout Michigan.  Water/Ways is a unique exhibit that explores the essential role that water plays in our environment and society. 

The  Water/Ways  exhibit will begin travel in June 2018 and close in April 2019, stopping at each site for a six-week period.  Water/Ways  is funded by Michigan Humanities Council and The National Endowment for the Humanities, and sponsored by WATTS.

The six host sites and dates of the exhibit are:

Beaver Island (North) Charlevoix County
Venue:  Beaver Island Historical Society
June 23 – August 5, 2018

East Jordan (North) Charlevoix County
Venue:  Raven Hill Discovery Center
August 11 – September 23, 2018

Big Rapids (West Central) Mecosta County
Venue:  Artworks
September 29 – November 11, 2018

Harrisville (East Central) Alcona County
Venue:  Alcona Public Library
November 17 – December 30, 2018

Niles (Southwest) Berrien County
Venue:  Niles Public Library
January 5 – February 17, 2019

Owosso (East Central) Shiawassee County
Venue:  Shiawassee Arts Center
February 23 – April 7, 2019

Congratulations to all of our host locations!

Sign up to be a Program Partner.
Take a look at our Partner Program Resources.
SAVE THE DATE

GREAT MICHIGAN READ KICK-OFF EVENT

7:00 – 8:30 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
315 East Warren Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201

Great Michigan Read Author Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcom X, will discuss “X: A Novel” at 7:00 pm in The Ford Freedom Rotunda at the Charles Wright Museum in Detroit. Ms. Shabazz will be interviewed by Dr. Melba Joyce Boyd, Michigan Humanities Council Board Member and Distinguished Professor in African American Studies at Wayne State University.

Books will be available for purchase and signing after the event. This Free event is open to the public.
Prime Time Family Reading Time is Now Accepting Spring Applications! 
Prime Time is a free six-week program of reading, discussion, and storytelling that targets families of non-active library users. Each week a storyteller reads up to three books, followed by facilitated discussion with a humanities scholar who engages participants with questions that promote critical thinking skills. At the end of each session, families keep the books that were read to create home libraries. 

To learn more or to sign up, please visit our website.
Michigan Teachers: Sign up for Poetry Out Loud 2017-18!
It’s that time of year again to begin planning for Poetry Out Loud! Poetry Out Loud is an accessible, free way to get poetry education and recitation into the classroom. Students who have participated in past years have reported gaining confidence in their public speaking skills and a greater appreciation for poetry thanks to this program!
To sign up head to  www.michiganhumanities.org/poetry-out-loud to fill out the simple application, and this fall we will send you all of the information you need to get started. 
CALL FOR GUEST BLOGGERS

Were you a participant in an MHC program or event? Has the humanities played a key role in your life? Tell us!
We're looking for guest bloggers to write about their experiences with Michigan Humanities Council and the humanities in general. Your post may even be featured on our website! For additional information and to submit your post, email Carol Taggart at ctaggart@mihumanities.org . 
  The 2017 Quick Grant Application is Open 


Please allow up to four weeks for your application to be processed.

Quick Grants provide up to $500 to Michigan-based nonprofit organizations in support of public humanities programs.  Visit our website for more information.

Organizations interested in participating in the Great Michigan Read can apply for a quick grant to cover the cost of books, speakers, special events, and more!
Check Out the Heritage Grants Web Portal 

Click here to visit the Web Portal!

As our latest round of Heritage Grants wraps up, we are excited to roll out the Heritage Grants Digital Portal, a platform to showcase the digital media produced by our grantees. We invite you to visit the site and explore video, audio, and photos that reflect the hard work and dedication of the Heritage grantees, and the rich and diverse history of Michigan's communities. Visitors can utilize an interactive map of Michigan to identify grantees and learn more about their various programs and projects. 
 2017 Touring Grantees' Final Reports
Final Reports are due for Touring Grant events which have been completed.
Receipt of your grant funds is dependent upon receipt of your final report and the return of your signed Arts/Humanities Services Contract. If you haven’t already, please return your contract and/or final report to krhodes@mihumanities.org as soon as possible. We want you to receive your funding!

The final report provides valuable information that collectively helps Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) and Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) to advocate with Michigan legislators for the continuation of financial support.

Please contact Karen Rhodes at krhodes@mihumanities.org if you have questions.
Prospective Performers of the Arts & Humanities Touring Directory
Are you a musician, actor, story-teller, or performer? We want you to be a part of our Arts & Humanities Touring Directory! In partnership with the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs, this directory lists a variety of performers from all kinds of art forms, including dance, Native arts, story-telling, music, theatre, and even puppetry! Non-profit organizations use the Arts & Humanities Touring Directory to identify and hire performers for various events and activities, so if you’re looking to book some gigs, then this is the perfect opportunity. More information about the application will be released in the fall, so keep an eye out! To learn more about the last directory cycle, visit http://www.michiganhumanities.org/touring-grants/. 
#HumanitiesMatter   #SupportNEH

 #NEHinYourState    # MIHumanities
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