Honoring Humanities Work Throughout Michigan |
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Dear Humanities Friends,
February has come to pass once again, bringing with it exciting steps forward for Michigan Humanities. As we prepared our materials for this year's virtual Humanities on the Hill, an advocacy event for state humanities councils, we reviewed our impact and reach from 2016 to where we are now. Our Board and staff are so excited about this expanded reach, which has allowed us to increase access to the humanities across Michigan. We marvel at how much we learn every day as this humanities network grows!
This makes me think of a funny quote by Milton Berle, who said, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” That is true! As we wrap up the current cycle of the Great Michigan Read, we are at 99 percent of our goal to be in every Michigan county. The Board and staff are also preparing for strategic planning, and with that process in mind, we seek to identify what opportunities -- and doors! -- need to be explored and built. An important part of preparing for that is our recent survey regarding Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA), which 98 people participated in. Once our IDEA Action Council has processed the data, we will share results. Thank you for helping us do better and to prepare for the future.
We are gratified by the strength of your support, and thankful to the National Endowment for the Humanities and Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs for continuing to fund our work. I hope that if you have thoughts about the future of Michigan Humanities, or wish to support our work, that you contact me. I feel more optimistic than ever about what we can accomplish together.
Shelly Hendrick Kasprzycki
President & CEO
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What makes community life worthwhile? Is it the relationships you build over time with family, friends, and co-workers? What about the good times and memories from attending annual festivals and events? Or is it the experience of working through difficult times that bonds us together? Read more...
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Last month, we invited you to partake in the future of MH by participating in our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) survey. Ninety-eight people took the survey and these thoughtful recommendations are being carefully reviewed by our IDEA Action Council. Stay tuned and thank you for being part of this crucial work! |
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Grants and Programs Virtual Workshops |
Want to learn about Michigan Humanities funding opportunities and how to write a successful grant application?
In early 2021, we hosted two virtual workshops to share information about our current grant and program opportunities and how to prepare MH grant applications.
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A recording of the Grants & Programs Workshop can be found here.
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The recording of the Tips and Tricks for a Successful Application Workshop can be found here.
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Join us March 4 at 7 p.m. as we talk with Marcus Collins, marketing lecturer at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, about how information becomes misinformation. We are also looking forward to welcoming Dr. Dannagal Young from the University of Delaware on March 25 at 7 p.m. to discuss the psychology of misinformation.
Both of these events are free, but registration is required to receive a link to the event. Information can be found here to register and learn more about the upcoming “Why It Matters” events! |
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Did you know that March is National Reading Month?
What a perfect time to celebrate the current and upcoming Great Michigan Read!
Save the date and register for these upcoming GMR virtual author tour events and partner events:
Plus, get ready for our virtual announcement of the next Great Michigan Read in late March! Later this month, we’ll share an invitation with details about how you can join us in looking ahead to the 2021-22 GMR program.
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As noted in the 2020 Poetry Out Loud video above, this national poetry recitation program for students continues to evolve and grow! This year’s State Finals are virtual, and we can’t wait for you to join us in celebrating high school students from across Michigan on March 11 from 7 to 9 p.m.
Register here for the March 11 showcase of student recitations and original poetry, plus the announcement of this year’s State Champion and runners-up! |
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Bridging Michigan is an event series and grant opportunity that we launched in fall, 2020, to spark in-depth conversation and action around systemic inequities. Grant applications are now open, and available for up to $1,500. Find additional grant details here.
Recordings of previous events and grant application details are available on the Bridging Michigan website.
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Arts & Humanities Touring Directory |
Arts and Humanities Touring Grants opened February 1 -- don't forget to apply! The Arts and Humanities Touring Program is a joint collaboration of Michigan Humanities and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Requests for a grant may not exceed $3,000 per application, and an organization may not submit more than four grant applications or request more than $4,000 during the program period. Applications opened February 1 for performances that will take place between March 1, 2021, and May 31, 2021.
Please refer to our website for other 2021 funding window dates and application deadlines. Be sure to check out the new “Virtual Programming” category.
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Submit your Humanities Grant application by March 18!
Spring 2021 Humanities Grant are open with a final deadline of March 18. It is not too late to submit a draft or final proposal!
We also invite you to check out the work of past grantees. View the current MSU Museum exhibit about Afrofuturism and American comics here, and Detroit Public Television's latest Religious Diversity Journeys video here.
Learn about other works from past grantees by clicking below.
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Museum on Main Street: Voices and Votes is launching its Michigan tour on March 27 at Artworks Big Rapids.
This year's exhibit is centered around the questions that the American revolutionaries who waged a war for independence put forward to concretize their vision about what an independent American nation should look like and how these questions continue to frame our nation today.
Click here to access the complete calendar for this exhibit. |
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The Women's Suffrage Project- "It Happened Here: A Story of the Women's Suffrage Movement"
To honor Women's History Month, we reached out to our 2019 Humanities Grant awardee at The Center for the Arts of Greater Lapeer. The Center has been working on The Women's Suffrage Project -- A play titled It Happened Here: A Story of the Women's Suffrage Movement. This month, we are featuring their work in retelling and rediscovering the stories of Lapeer women who led the Women's Suffrage Movement in their region of Michigan.
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To inspire us to come together in creative and freely expressed ways to deepen our understanding of ourselves and enrich our communities. |
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For all people of Michigan to experience and understand the importance of humanities to enrich lives. |
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Values
- Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity
- Discovery and Understanding
- Authentic Conversation
- Respectful Collaboration
- Meaningful Experiences
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Pillars
- Build awareness and excitement for humanities in everyday life.
- Achieve best practices and sustainability for all humanities programs and services in Michigan.
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2364 Woodlake Drive, Suite 100
Okemos, MI 48864
517-372-7770
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