2015 Celebration of the Humanities
Presented by
Rhode Island Council for the Humanities
and honorary co-chairs Senator Jack Reed & Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
Thursday, October 8, 2015
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Center by the Blackstone
Pawtucket, RI
Register Now
Join the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities to celebrate and support our humanities community and honor leaders who demonstrate the power of the humanities to create meaningful connections across sectors, disciplines, and communities. We look forward to presenting four distinguished awards:
Honorary Chairs’ Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities
Roger Mandle, art historian, curator, and former president of the Rhode Island School of Design
The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates an individual or group 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 celebrates Roger Mandle for his leadership in the field of education in the arts and humanities and his lifelong dedication to cultural preservation and development in Rhode Island and worldwide.
Tom Roberts Prize for Creative Achievement in the Humanities
Consuelo Sherba, artistic director and co-founder of Aurea
The Tom Roberts Prize celebrates creativity in topics, disciplines, and formats that extend the field of the humanities. This year, the Prize honors Consuelo Sherba for her innovative, cross-disciplinary work with Aurea, a performance ensemble that inspires diverse audiences through imaginative concert programming and educational workshops. Through performances that interface music with the spoken word, Aurea connects the humanities and fine arts in dynamic, accessible, and engaging ways.
Innovation in the Humanities Award
Rhode Island’s Shellfish: An Ecological History – University of Rhode Island
The Innovation Award recognizes the innovative implementation of the humanities by a group of organizations to achieve a common goal. This year, the Award is presented to the University of Rhode Island’s Coastal Institute, Coastal Resources Center, and RI Sea Grant for their powerful use of the humanities to connect cross-sector stakeholders including the RI Department of Environmental Management and Coastal Resources Management Council in the process of designing RI’s Shellfish Management Plan, by examining shellfish as resources interwoven with our state’s identity and history.
Public Humanities Scholar Award
Matthew Lawrence, writer, editor, curator, and founder of Not About the Buildings
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 Matthew Lawrence for his work to enrich our state through unique and lively literary events and publications that connect diverse people, organizations, and ideas. By collaborating with organizations and libraries across the state, Lawrence sparks rich community engagement with the humanities.
The Celebration will also feature an open wine bar provided by Campus Fine Wines, hors d’oeuvres, and silent and live auctions.
$100 individuals | $35 students
Purchase tickets online or by calling 401-273-2250
Thank you to our lead sponsors!
Joan & Richard Abrams
Adler, Pollock & Sheehan PC
Accounting Management Solutions
Christina Bevilacqua
Brown University
Bryant University
Campus Fine Wines
Coastal Institute at University of Rhode Island
Cogut Center for the Humanities
Stephen & Melanie Coon
Lauren K. Drury & Todd Drury
Sandra Enos, PhD
Polly Hutcheson & George Rice
John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities & Cultural Heritage
Kate & Howard Kilguss
Paula Krebs & Claire Buck
Nancy Potter
ProMail, Etc.
Providence College
Members of the Board & Staff – RI Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
Sarah B. Richardson & Craig Richardson
Tom & Elizabeth Roberts
UMass Dartmouth
University of Rhode Island Center for the Humanities
University of Rhode Island College of Arts & Sciences
University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography
University of Rhode Island Libraries
University of Rhode Island Office of the President
University of Rhode Island Research & Economic Development
Wheaton College
Wheaton Institute for the Interdisciplinary Humanities
William Vareika Fine Arts Ltd