Virginia Humanities announces $76,000 in recent grants to twelve nonprofit organizations in support of public humanities programs for audiences throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.
The Virginia Humanities Grant Program responds directly to the interests and concerns of local communities across Virginia. Since 1974, Virginia Humanities has awarded more than 4,000 grants, creating opportunities for Virginians to share their stories, explore what makes us each unique, and connect through what we have in common.
“Giving grants is one of the most effective ways Virginia Humanities reaches every part of the Commonwealth and supports organizations that are doing incredible work,” said Matthew Gibson, Virginia Humanities executive director. “Storytelling is central to our mission, and this most recent grant cycle will help tell some amazing community-based stories that highlight the breadth and diversity of our great state.” Virginia Humanities grant projects reach an estimated annual audience of 1.5 million, with an average 4:1 dollar match.
As a result of Virginia Humanities grant funding, educational and cultural organizations across the state have harnessed the power of the humanities to address important contemporary issues and enrich the lives of all Virginians.
The following organizations received grants from Virginia Humanities in June 2018:
Center for Documentary Studies (Durham, NC): $6,000 – Research, filming, and initial editing costs for a documentary film on the Rock Castle Gorge Community in Patrick County, which was displaced by the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway in the 1930’s.
Columbia Pike Documentary Project (Arlington): $9,000 – An exhibit, book publication and related programs exploring ongoing and recent changes along Columbia Pike in Arlington, built over 200 years ago as a toll road connecting Washington, D.C. to greater Virginia, and now known for its ethnic diversity.
Embrace Richmond (Richmond): $7,500 – An inter-generational community engagement project exploring the legacies of segregation and re-segregation in Richmond, using the Brookland Park community as a focus.
Ferrum College (Ferrum): $6,500 – Research, production, and promotion costs for an exhibit on the cultural history of Virginia Souvenirs.
Fractured Atlas (New York, NY): $9,000 – A multi-layered project including interviews and interpretive performances designed to connect the traditional forms of Son Jarocho, the music and dance of Veracruz, to the experience of Mexican immigrants and migrants in Virginia today.
Philippine Nurses Association of Virginia (Virginia Beach): $6,500 – Oral history interviews, a photo exhibit, a printed brochure, and a panel discussion exploring the stories of Filipino nurses in Virginia and their impact on the nursing profession locally and statewide.
Staniar Gallery at Washington and Lee University (Lexington): $7,000 – A bilingual English/Spanish publication to complement an exhibit of works by the artist Adriana Corral, inspired by the history of the Bracero Mexican guest-worker program and exposing the historical roots of the nation’s current and longstanding ambivalence regarding Mexican migrant workers.
Studio Two Three (Richmond): $5,000 – A week-long series of book arts workshops, storytelling activities, panel discussions, and other events organized around the theme “The Power of the Press”.
The Futuro Media Group (New York, NY): $6,000 – Research and production of a short film on the life, times, and achievements of Richmond native and African-American business pioneer Maggie Lena Walker, part of a larger (31-part) series profiling notable women from the Progressive Era.
The Prizery (South Boston): $6,000 – A series of lectures, film screenings, community discussions, and other events, offered as part of an ongoing “One Community” initiative addressing racism and segregation in South Boston and Halifax County.
University of Virginia (Charlottesville): $5,000 – An exhibit and community event, the first phase of a longer-term effort to identify the subjects of a large group of African American photographic portraits from the Rufus Holsinger collection at UVa; and at the same time to encourage African American families in the Charlottesville area to share portraits of their ancestors as depicted by Mr. Holsinger.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Blacksburg): $2,500 – A one-day public humanities summit produced collaboratively by Virginia Tech and Virginia Union University, exploring Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of a “Beloved Community”, its roots in the Civil Rights Movement, and its meaning in the present day.
About Virginia Humanities Grants
The Open Grant Program welcomes proposals on a wide range of subjects, for projects in any format, with awards up to $10,000. Deadlines are April 15th and October 15th. Draft proposals are strongly encouraged. The Discretionary Grant Program provides smaller grants of up to $3,000. There is no deadline for this program, but applicants should contact Virginia Humanities staff in advance before submitting a proposal.
For more information, visit VirginiaHumanities.org/Grants.
