Get involved with humanities initiatives in your community.
Want to make a difference in your local community? To participate in art, culture, or literature? To promote civil conversation and deeper understanding of others? Whatever you’re interested in, Utah Humanities has a way for you to get involved in your community.
In the Humanities Center on May 25, 2023, Jodi Graham, executive director of the organization Utah Humanities, presented the purpose of the organization, the work that it has done in Utah communities, and how we can get involved.
Utah Humanities is a federally funded program with the goal to “strengthen communities by cultivating connection, deepening understanding, and exploring our human experience” (Utah Humanities mission statement). This broad goal allows Utah Humanities to create an impact in many facets of the community; in the past, Utah Humanities has offered research fellowships, hosted book festivals, taught college classes to adults, and brought the arts to rural communities with traveling Smithsonian exhibits. In fact, the flexibility of Utah Humanities is one of its great strengths because it allows them to adapt to a community’s needs and provide tailored programs. Graham said, “If you tell me what you like, I can tell you how my work intersects with what you do, whether it's through history, whether it's through books, whether it's through conversation.”
Some of the most impactful projects emerge through partnerships, which help Utah Humanities reach more people than they could on their own. Community and university collaborations allow Utah Humanities to organize further-reaching projects and foster critical conversations and interpersonal connections between people from different walks of life. Graham said, “The exchange of ideas is where the magic happens.”
One partnership with Weber State University created the Venture Course in the Humanities, a year-long seminar for adults who were unable to attend college when they were younger. The seminar, taught by university professors, offers classes in history, art, philosophy, and literature. Many community members who participated never had an opportunity to take classes in these subjects. Graham shared her experience attending the graduation ceremony and hearing people say, “I never knew that this was a possibility for me; I always thought that was something for other people.” Graham spoke of the Venture Course, saying, “It’s not something big or flashy, but it has a lifechanging impact.”
Utah Humanities’ vision brings together individuals to “create a Utah where mutual respect is prevalent, difference is celebrated, diverse perspectives are welcome, and civic dialogue is rooted in curiosity” (Utah Humanities Vision). You can get involved by attending an exhibition, engaging in a community conversation, attending the book festival this fall, visiting their website, and more (see left).