2016 Celebration of the Humanities

The Celebration of the Humanities will be held on Thursday, October 6, 2016 at the Providence Public Library. The occasion will bring together community and business leaders, government officials, scholars, artists, and Rhode Islanders to raise funds to support the public humanities including culture, history, heritage, and civic education in our state. The event will feature hors d’oeuvres, an open wine bar provided by Campus Fine Wines, a silent auction featuring unique humanities experiences, and the award presentation. Purchase your tickets today! Proceeds benefit public history, cultural heritage, civic education, and community engagement by and for all Rhode Islanders.

Four distinguished awards will be presented to honorees whose work demonstrates how the humanities Amplify – heightening awareness of voices and stories that need to be heard, resonating with current issues and future possibilities, and magnifying connections between economy, community, and culture:

Honorary Chairs’ Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities
Tom Roberts, Founding Executive Director of the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and Senior Lecturer in History at the Rhode Island School of Design 
The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates an individual whose career achievements demonstrate humanities excellence, reflect the Council’s mission and core values, and enrich public life in Rhode Island. This year, the award recognizes Tom Roberts’ extensive body of diverse cultural work as an educator, writer, performer, producer, and leader. In particular, we celebrate his two decades of visionary leadership at the Council (1973-1995), which inspired civic dialogue and creative humanities programming that continues to connect scholarship to key issues in our state.

Tom Roberts Prize for Creative Achievement in the Humanities
Lorén Spears, Executive Director of the Tomaquag Museum
The Tom Roberts Prize celebrates creativity in topics, disciplines, and formats that extend the field of the humanities. This year, the Prize honors Lorén Spears for her compelling work as an advocate of Indigenous peoples’ history and cultural heritage in preservation, the arts, and education. As a leader, culture bearer, educator, and artist, Spears amplifies Rhode Island’s collective awareness and understanding of Indigenous peoples’ histories, and inspires pioneering practices in educational and cultural institutions throughout the state.

Innovation in the Humanities Award
Providence Children’s Film Festival
The Innovation Award recognizes the innovative implementation of the humanities by an organization to achieve a specific goal. This year, the Award is presented to the Providence Children’s Film Festival for cultivating critical thinking and media literacy in the next generation. Through partnerships with libraries, the PCFF amplifies its community impact and connects librarians, educators, and families with resources and programming to discover, explore, and inspire storytelling and literacy through film year-round.

Public Humanities Scholar Award
Marta Martínez, Executive Director of Rhode Island Latino Arts
The Scholar Award recognizes outstanding public humanities work in teaching and scholarship that advances the civic and cultural life of Rhode Island. This year, the Award honors Marta Martínez for her work to capture the stories of Rhode Island’s burgeoning Latino community and advance previously untold histories of our state. As an oral historian, cultural programmer, and educator, Martínez promotes collecting history as a way to amplify community pride and spark creative community engagement.

The event is open to the public; tickets are $100 per person ($50 for students), and can be purchased at 2016humanities.eventbrite.com. Proceeds benefit public history, cultural heritage, civic education, and community engagement by and for all Rhode Islanders.

Opportunities for sponsorships are still available! For more information about sponsorships, please call Carole Ann Penney at 401-273-2250 or e-mail caroleann@rihumanities.org.