Jul 11, 2022
MANY is applying to the National Endowment for the Humanities to produce a humanities discussion series “A New Agora for New York: Museums as Spaces for Democracy." The goal of the project is to support the work of twelve museums and their communities to explore, reflect on, and tell the story of their role in the evolution of American Democracy and envision the future of our nation as they approach the semiquincentennial.
They are reaching out to ask for your support as part of our grant application. Your response to this survey is equivalent to signing a letter of support for the project. Your response to this survey does not imply a commitment on your part or on MANY's part.
MANY will partner with Humanities New York (HNY), to use the Smithsonian Institution's Museum on Main Street Exhibition Voices and Votes: Democracy in America as a launching point for “A New Agora for New York" series of humanities programs. The Voices and Votes exhibition will be installed for six weeks at twelve museums from March of 2024 through January of 2026.
This grant will fund a project scholar advisory committee, two planning symposia for 24 museum staff, the development and installation of an exhibition of materials from the museum's collection that tell the story of their community's relationship with democracy, a lecture by a project scholar, an oral history gathering project, a Community Conversation discussion program led by HNY staff, a Community Conversation training for museum staff and a workshop for local teachers to help build their knowledge and leadership skills. The New York State Museum will also be lending their staff resources to ensure the project is well grounded in our state's history, art, and culture.
They will be accepting responses to this survey expressing your support and your interest in participating through 5 PM Tuesday, July 19.
NEH notification is anticipated in April 2023. Project start date is October 2023.