October 2022 NMHC Major Grant Awards Recipients:

The New Mexico Humanities Council awards grants to nonprofit organizations that promote humanities in the state through our Major Grants program, with applications accepted and funds traditionally awarded twice a year. However, in 2023 the NMHC will not be taking new applications in May.

This December, the board of directors awarded $80,000 in grant funds to cultural organizations and institutions within New Mexico.

- AfroMundo, $18,316.00
- Archaeological Conservancy, $5,188.00
- Basement Films, Inc., $7,225.00
- Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe, $10,000.00
- Congregation Nahalat Shalom, $4,500.00
- GallupARTS, Inc., $5,650.00
- Santa Fe Women's Ensemble, Inc., $4,506.00
- Society of the Muse of the Southwest, $7,500.00
- ROUTE 66: The Road Ahead Initiative, $7,236.00
- University of New Mexico - Harwood Museum of Art, $9,879.00

 

May 2022 NMHC Major Grant Awards Recipients:

The New Mexico Humanities Council awards grants to nonprofit organizations that promote humanities in the state through our Major Grants program, with applications accepted and funds awarded twice a year.

Through our May 2022 grant cycle, the board of directors awarded over $43,000 in grant funds to cultural organizations and institutions within New Mexico.

 

516 Arts-$9,500

[Albuquerque, NM]

www.516arts.org info@516arts.org

Project Title: Minerva Cuevas: MIGRATORY

Project Description: 516 ARTS will present “Minerva Cuevas: MIGRATORY,” an exhibition and two accompanying public talks: “Minerva Cuevas in conversation with Kerry Doyle” and the panel “Art and Migration in the US/Mexico Borderlands.” This project is created by Mexico City artist Minerva Cuevas as part of her “International Understanding Foundation,” a conceptual structure highlighting solidarity networks and environments in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez. The exhibition was originally developed by the Rubin Center for the Visual Arts at UTEP. 516 ARTS is bringing the exhibition to Albuquerque to expand the audience for this subject matter that is so important to New Mexico as US/Mexico border state and to reflect on this subject in relation to global migration issues.



Filmmakers Collaborative-$9,925

[San Francisco, CA]

www.filmmakerscollaborative.org  kevin@filmmakerscollaborative.org

Project Title: Stewart Udall Public Programs

Project Description: Join community members in a free. open-to-everyone screening of the new documentary film, STEWART UDALL AND THE POLITICS OF BEAUTY, about the life of America's most famous Interior Secretary and advocate of environmental sustainability, the father of former senator Tom Udall.  The screening will be followed by audience discussion with a panel of humanities scholars and sustainability experts as well as film director John de Graaf.

 

Gila Resources Information Project-$3,293.10

[Silver City, NM]

www.gilaresources.info  grip@gilaresources.info

Project Title: 18th Annual Gila River Festival

Project Description: The Gila Conservation Coalition hosts the 18th annual Gila River Festival - One Water, Many Currents - September 22 - 25, 2022. The festival explores the many ways in which water is the common thread weaving together the Gila River watershed's human and ecological communities of the past, present and into the future with Nuevomexicana writer Leeanna Torres, Indigenous advocate Skylar Begay, Gila River Indian Community historic preservation officer Barnaby Lewis, Fort Sill Apache Tribe chairwoman Lori Gooday Ware and Tribal Historian Michael Darrow and Dine anthropologist Alex Mares. Expert-guided field trips will also investigate the human relationships with the Gila River through our many uses of water and cultural perspectives related to water and facilitate understanding of the ecological systems of the Gila River watershed and human dependence on these systems.

 

SciArt Santa Fe-$5,950

[Santa Fe, NM]

www.sciartsantafe.org   sciartsantafe@gmail.com

Project Title: In Place: Rethinking Monuments Along the Camino Real

Project Description: SciArt Santa Fe will host a series of talks and a curated contemporary art exhibition called 'In Place: Rethinking Monuments along the Camino Real' in partnership with Vital Spaces, The University of New Mexico's STEAM NM program, and the Leonardo/International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology.

 

Three Sisters Kitchen-$15,000

[Albuquerque, NM]

www.threesisterskitchen.org   hello@threesisterskitchen.org

Project Title: Cooking for Generations

Project Description: Three Sisters Kitchen invites you to join us for a Community Listening Picnic to celebrate the launch of our Cooking for Generations podcast! Part listening party, part tasting menu, part community conversation, this virtual event celebrates New Mexico food stories and traditions through a community meal, podcast screening, and livestream discussion.

Additional information about these grantees and their projects will be available soon. Find out more about these recent grant recipients and their projects by watching our website for updates. To learn more about our grant program please click here and check out the application announcement above.

October 2021 NMHC Major Grant Awards Recipients:

The New Mexico Humanities Council awards grants to nonprofit organizations that promote humanities in the state through our Major Grants program, with applications accepted and funds awarded twice a year.

Through our October 2021 grant cycle, the board of directors awarded over $58,000 in grant funds to cultural organizations and institutions within New Mexico.

 

Axle Projects, Inc.-$7,067

[Santa Fe, NM]

www.axleprojects.org   art@axleprojects.org

Project Title: E Pluribus Unum: El Norte

Projection Description: E Pluribus Unum is Axle’s free mobile photo portrait studio, traveling to communities across Northern New Mexico to make photographs to distribute to the people and exhibit in a mobile exhibition. The phrase "e pluribus unum" is explored as people sit for a portrait while holding a small personally significant object. The following year a museum exhibition and roundtable discussion are produced in Taos. The project, supported by NEH and NMHC, will be published in its entirety as a book along with essays that explore history, culture, and identity.

 

 The Dellsly Group-$14,830

[Albuquerque, NM]

dellslygrp@gmail.com

Project Title: 1st Annual AfroMundo Festival

Project Description:The 1st Annual AfroMundo Festival featured the Quisqueya, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Spain.  This weeklong series was multifaceted, humanistic approach to culture uniquely designed to engage audiences and to share Afro-Latin histories, traditions, literatures and films.

 

IndigenousWays-$10,000

[Santa Fe]

www.indigenousways.org   hello@indigenousways.org

Project Title: Indigenous People in the Parks

Project Description: IndigenousWays collaborated with local organizations to showcase and support Native American / Indigenous musicians, poets, comedians, and traditional storytellers; utilizing hybrid technology to bring arts, humanities and music into the tribal lands of the O’ga P’ogeh Owingeh (Santa Fe) and to share it with a broader community. This project promoted a post-COVID emergence of traditional and contemporary arts onto traditional lands to be shared with our beloved communities locally and globally.

 

Millicent Rogers Museum-$7,029

[Taos, NM]

www.millicentrogers.org   greta@millicentrogers.org

Project Title: Following the Manito Trail Cultural Heritage Exhibit & Humanities Discussion Series

Project Description: The Following the Manito Trail cultural heritage exhibit, gallery guide, and Humanities Discussion Series shared the stories of migrant Manitos (Hispanic New Mexicans) to create public dialogue about their legacies to the area and their migration patterns. Through interviews, poetry, stories, photographs, and cultural arts, the Millicent Rogers Museum highlighted Manito contributions in the exhibit at the Millicent Rogers Museum and two additional venues in northern New Mexico. The dynamics of Manito identity and community in New Mexico and the American West continue to be influenced by the ways Manito families carried their culture to diasporas—their new homes—while continuing to impact northern New Mexico.

 

 

National Institute of Flamenco-$7,000

[Albuquerque, NM]

www.nifnm.org   flamencoabq@nifnm.org

Project Title: 35th Annual Festival Flamenco Albuquerque: The Flamenco New Mexico Lecture Series

Project Description: The Flamenco New Mexico Lecture Series, presented in conjunction with the 35th Annual Festival Flamenco Albuquerque, featured the voices and stories of prominent New Mexican flamenco scholars and practitioners. This lecture series uplifted our region while connecting us with the global cultural phenomenon that is flamenco.

 

 New Mexico Chapter of the Japanese-American Citizens League-$6,670

[Albuquerque, NM]

www.nmjacl.org    info@nmjacl.org

Project Title: Memories, Stories, Legacies: The Santa Fe Internment Camp and its Historic Marker

Project Description: On April 23, 2022, the New Mexico History Museum hosted a symposium on the WWII Santa Fe Internment Camp and the controversy surrounding the creation of a historic reminder of the camp.  In 2002, at the dedication of the Santa Fe Internment Camp Marker in Frank Ortiz Dog Park, Dr. Thomas Chávez, then director of the Palace of the Governors, stated:  "We are here not to celebrate an event about which none of us is proud.  We are here to commemorate an event that happened. It is our history."

 

Santa Fe Desert Chorale-$2,478

[Santa Fe, NM]

www.desertchorale.org  info@desertchorale.org

Project Title: 2022 Summer Festival Season Free Pre-Concert Lectures

Project: Description: These free video lectures led by Robert Kyr, PhD, Gregory Grabowski, DMA, and Kerry Ginger, DMA introduced and expanded upon the three distinct choral programs for the 2022 Summer Festival: Mystics and Mavericks celebrated ancient and modern women composers, The Sounding Sea reflected on our relationship with water through the choral music lens, and Mediterranea explored the shared musical inspirations and relationships between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam from the Mediterranean basin to New Mexico’s Sephardic Jewish community.

 

University of New Mexico-$2,998

[Albuquerque, NM]

www.osp.unm.edu   osp@unm.edu

Project Title: The World Premier of D.H. Lawrence's unfinished play, "Altitude" - A Public Program

Project Description: The 4th D.H. Lawrence Lecturer is Dr. James Moran, Professor of Modern English Literature and Drama at the University of Nottingham, UK, who, in collaboration with ten Taoseño thespians, staged the world premiere of D.H. Lawrence's satiric, unfinished play, "Altitude," written in Taos in 1924. The pre-performance talk contextualized the performance, and the talkback (Dr. Moran and actors) was an opportunity for audience engagement.

May 2021 NMHC Major Grant Awards Recipients:

The New Mexico Humanities Council award grants to nonprofit organizations that promote humanities in the state through our Major Grants program, with applications accepted and funds awarded twice a year.

This August, the board of directors awarded over $90,000 in grant funds to 12 cultural organizations and institutions across the state.

516 Arts - $12,000
[Albuquerque, NM]

www.516Arts.org    Info@516Arts.org
Project Title: Counter Mapping
Project Description: 516 ARTS will present the exhibition Counter Mapping, curated by Jim Enote and Viola Arduini, in which diverse contemporary artists will challenge conventional mapping by employing practices that tell the stories embedded in the land. A series of accompanying programs will include: a public forum with the curators and several featured artists; a roundtable on Western cartography versus Indigenous ways of knowing, space-telling and mapping; a film screening and conversation; and other related activities that will inform and inspire conversation about the impact of mapping on perceptions of place. 



Bernalillo County Museum - $12,000

[Bernalillo, NM]

www.TownOfBernalillo.org      Museum@TownOfBernalillo.org
Project Title: Electric Heritage at the Town of Bernalillo
Project Director: Calling all Bernalillo area influencers! The Bernalillo Community Museum (BCM) is electrifying local heritage. In partnership with young filmmakers, the BCM is crafting videos of local stories and will hosts drive-through screenings to project the videos against town buildings. Locals are encouraged to contribute their own stories by recording their own videos and submitting them to the Museum at museum@townofbernalillo.org. Join the BCM to make community bigger than life! Help use stories to spark conversations about the future of the greater Bernalillo area.



Gila Conservation Coalition - $4,500

[Silver City, NM]

www.GilaConservation.org    Info@GilaConservation.org
Project Title: 17th Annual Gila River Festival
Project Description: Thanks to ongoing support from the New Mexico Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Gila Conservation Coalition hosts the 17th annual Gila River Festival (Re)connecting with the Gila. The festival examines our connection to nature with philosopher Kathleen Dean Moore, entomologist Doug Tallamy, author Sharman Apt Russell, poet Michelle Otero and conservationist Michael Casaus. Expert-guided field trips will also explore the variety of connections and interrelationships reflected in the Gila’s natural and cultural history.



Instituto Cervantes (USA) Inc. - $7,000

[Albuquerque, NM]

www.Albuquerque.Cervantes.es      DirABQ@Cervantes.es
Project Title: Oralidad. Festival of oral tradition, Storytelling and Spoken Word
Project Description: Instituto Cervantes will present the Oralidad FestivalOralidad will bring together scholars of the oral tradition with internationally renowned storytellers. Come enjoy musical performances, conferences, workshops and round tables that incorporate samples of oral traditions from Native American Pueblos, Flamenco and Latin American history. Listen to tales of Mexican ghosts and the stories surrounding traditional characters of their folklore such as the Sombrer?n, Llorona and the Marimonda.



Littleglobe Productions - $10,253

[Santa Fe, NM]

www.LittleGlobe.org     Info@LittleGlobe.org
Project Title: 
¡Presente!: Stories of Belonging and Displacement
Project Description: ¡Presente!: Stories of Belonging and Displacement is a story-based multi-arts project providing humanistic reflections on belonging, gentrification and displacement in Santa Fe. The 2021 project will include working with residents of different ages and demographic backgrounds, to reflect on Santa Fe as a home, both in terms of challenges and areas of pride. The project will generate a multi-arts collection of stories through Littleglobe’s participatory film and performance process. A library of resident videos and performance modules will be amplified through Littleglobe TV, a Neighborhood Fiesta, and through a map-based archive. 



Nahalat Shalom - $3,300

[Albuquerque, NM]

www.NahalatShalom.org       office@nahalatshalom.org
Project Title: 
Festival sefardí: La canción en la diáspora
Project Description: Festival sefardí: La canción en la diáspora is a celebration of Sephardic culture in New Mexico, featuring a staged bilingual reading of Sephardic poetry from Hebrew Spain to the present day with musical accompaniment. 



National Atomic Museum Foundation - $3,000

[Albuquerque, NM]

www.NuclearMuseum.org    Info@NuclearMuseum.org
Project Title: 
Special Exhibition: Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and WWII
Project Description: Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and WWII will be on display at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History. In 1942, the U.S. government rounded up more than 120,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese nationals living in the United States and sent them to incarceration camps. The exhibit will examine the tragic history and grave injustice inflicted on the Japanese American community during WWII. It will feature personal stories, documents, photographs, posters, cartoons, prints, and interactive elements that delve into the larger topics of immigration, prejudice/discrimination, racism, oppression, civil rights, heroism, and what it means to be American.



NM Ethics Watch - $11,000

[Albuquerque, NM]

www.NMEthicsWatch.org     Contact@NMEthicsWatch.org
Project Title: Ethics NOW: Conversations About Ethics In Everyday Life
Project Description: In partnership with KUNM Public Radio, New Mexico Ethics Watch will produce eight episodes of EthicsNOW, an audio program dedicated to discussing ethics in everyday life. Through discussions with humanities scholars Will Barnes, Ph.D., and Paul Biderman, J.D., as well as with direct engagement with the public, EthicsNOW will explore the ethical dimensions of social and public policy issues impacting the citizens of New Mexico. This free audio program will be available on all major podcast platforms and NM Ethics Watch's website and social media channels.



Santa Fe Council on International Relations - $9,000
[Santa Fe, NM]

www.SFCIR.org      Jim@FCIR.org
Project Title: Support for Journalism under Fire 2021: Covering Conflict
Project Description: In partnership with the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Santa Fe Council on International Relations (CIR) is proud to offer its fourth annual Journalism under Fire Conference. This year will explore the theme of "Covering Conflict.The conference will feature leading photojournalists presenting and discussing their work in covering conflict—and its underlying causes and effects—around the globe. Significant time will be dedicated to exploring lessons learned from the current pandemic; from racial and ethnic tensions at home and abroad; from the ongoing impacts and challenges of migration and immigration; from continued climate disruption; and from geopolitical strife and warfare around the world.


Sierra County Arts Council - $3,260
[Truth or Consequences, NM]

www.SierraCountyArts.org    scacnewmexico@gmail.com
Project Title: Women Engaging Audiences With Women's Films: 50 Years Since the Founding of Women Make Movies, Inc.n in film
Project Description: 
Engaging Audiences With Women's Films: 50 Years Since the Founding of Women Make Movies, Inc. is a screening and discussion series with audiences in six New Mexico communities. Sponsored by Sierra County Arts Council and New Mexico Film Foundation, Ariel Dougherty, a co-founded of Women Make Movies in 1972, will discuss the formation and activities with audiences in this celebration of the organization's 50th anniversary. 



Society of the Muse of the Southwest (SOMOS) - $5,500
[Taos, NM]

www.SOMOSTaos.org     SOMOS@SOMOSTaos.org
Project Title: SOMOS Writers Showcase
Project Director: The SOMOS Writers Showcase seeks to bring nationally known writers and poets to Taos, New Mexico for readings and craft workshops. These writers and poets have earned acclaim through awards, fellowships, university teaching posts, and book sales. They will inspire, challenge, engage, and inform their audiences on themes relevant to our global community. 



Southwest Word Fiesta - $10,000
[Silver City, NM]

www.SWWordFiesta.org    Info@SWWordFiesta.org
Project Title: Lift Every Voice
Project Description: The 2021 Southwest Word Fiesta is a  three-day celebration of the power and beauty of the written word, hosted in the rural border town of Silver City New Mexico. Twelve humanities scholars will address the theme Lift Every Voice by exploring diverse social issues and inviting audience members to participate in discussing agency and how it shapes culture and society. These novelists, poets, historians, environmental writers and essayists will deliver free presentations to all visitors. They will be delve into discussing how personal narratives have the potential to uncover common ground and improve cultural understanding.


To learn more about the New Mexico Humanities Council's grant program please visit our main grants page.


2021 NM Organizations Funded Directly Through 
The National Endowment For The Humanities:

Congratulations to each organization who recently received a grant directly through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Within New Mexico only a handful of organizations have been selected as grant recipients for this national level grant award. Grantees and their selected projects are listed below.


New Mexico State University - $9,649
[Las Cruces, NM] Preservation Assistance Grants

Project Director:
 Kristin Otto Project
Project Title: Purchase of Furniture and Supplies to Rehouse Native Three-Dimensional Object Collections at the NMSU University Museum
Project Description: Purchase of storage and environmental-monitoring equipment for the Native American material culture collection at the University Museum of New Mexico State University (NMSU). The museum’s collection includes material from archaeological digs in the Southwest. Project will rehouse approximately 400 items of Native material culture, including katsina dolls by Hopi artists, examples of three-dimensional basketry, beaded buckskin bags and belts, objects related to public ceremonies and rituals, and pieces made for tourists or made by contemporary artists.



CENTER - $162,500
[Santa Fe, NM] Humanities Discussions

Project Director: Matthew Contos Project
Project Title: The Democratic Lens: Photography and Civic Engagement
Project Description: Implementation of a lecture series examining the historical and contemporary role of photography in civic participation.



Georgia O’Keeffe Museum - $10,000
[Santa Fe, NM] Preservation Assistance Grants

Project Director:
 Elizabeth Ehrnst Project
Project Title: Item-Level Collections Survey of Georgia O’Keeffe's Bound Material
Project Description: Conservation assessment of bound materials collected by modern artist Georgia O’Keeffe. The collection includes handmade and rare titles such as Some French Moderns Says McBride, a collection of articles by art critic Henry McBride that were selected, designed, and formatted by Marcel Duchamp; a leather-bound edition of The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde adorned with original drawings by photographer Edward Steichen; and numerous books gifted to O’Keeffe by her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz, that include ephemera, photographs, and original sketches by O’Keeffe placed within the pages.

October 2023 NMHC Major Grant Awards Recipients:

1 Jan 2024

In December, the New Mexico Humanities Council Board of Directors selected 11 diverse and impactful projects for sponsorship through its Major Grant Program. A total of $127,452.76 is being awarded to organizations based in the Pueblo of Zuni, Taos, Ruidoso, Silver City, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque. We are excited about how these projects will feature scholars, tradition-bearers, elders, historians and tribal leaders from around the state, from various parts of South America, and Australia.

Instead of having another major grant cycle in May, 2024 NMHC is seeking to launch a new quick grants program. Once solidified this new program will be accessible year round. Please watch our website for updates as this new program is still in development.

AWARD: $8,040.00
PROJECT: Experiments in Cinema: Future Trends in Cultural Representation
ORGANIZATION: Basement Films Inc based in Albuquerque

AWARD: $4,008.20
PROJECT: 2024 Ruidoso Books and Writing Festival
ORGANIZATION: Eastern New Mexico University — Ruidoso Branch Community College

AWARD: $15,592.50
PROJECT: Indigenous Australian Cultural Exchange
ORGANIZATION: Gathering of Nations Limited based in Albuquerque

AWARD: $8,779.00
PROJECT: Community in Conflict: The Legacy of the Santa Fe Internment Camp Marker
ORGANIZATION: Japanese American Citizens League New Mexico Chapter based in Albuquerque

AWARD: $12,685.00
PROJECT: Community Conversations: Presenting Voices
ORGANIZATION: Keshet Dance Company based in Albuquerque

AWARD: $15,000.00
PROJECT: 9th Biennial New Perspectives in Flamenco History and Research Symposium 2024
ORGANIZATION: National Institute of Flamenco based in Albuquerque

AWARD: $9,035.00
PROJECT: Nuestra Voz: The Chihuahua Hill Story
ORGANIZATION: Silver City Museum Society based in Silver City

AWARD: $10,000.00
PROJECT: SOMOS Writers Showcase
ORGANIZATION: Society of the Muse of the Southwest (SOMOS) based in Taos

AWARD: $16,639.56
PROJECT: 2024 AfromMundo Festival: Maroons, Rebels, Dreamers and Visionaries
ORGANIZATION: Teatro Nuevo Mexico DBA AfroMundo based in Albuquerque

AWARD: $12,673.50
PROJECT: Family Community Engagement in Santa Fe's Preservation and History
ORGANIZATION: The Historic Santa Fe Foundation based in Santa Fe

AWARD: $15,000.00
PROJECT: Oral History Theater Project (Delapna:we)
ORGANIZATION: Zuni Youth Enrichment Project based in the Pueblo of Zuni

2021 American Rescue Plan Grant Recipients 

8 Apr 2022

With American Rescue Plan (ARP) grant funds channeled from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the New Mexico Humanities Council is providing recovery funding to humanities nonprofits impacted by the pandemic.

The primary purpose of ARP is to provide assistance to entities that have suffered major setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NMHC ARP grant funds are intended to help prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from the coronavirus in order to sustain and grow the public humanities in the state.

The NMHC recently distributed a total of $558,269.00 in ARP grants to thirty three organizations throughout New Mexico, with some grants reaching up to $25,000.00. Below is the list of nonprofits that received funding.



516 ARTS - $15,000.00

[Albuquerque, NM]

Albuquerque Oasis - $10,000.00
[Albuquerque, NM]

CENTER - $15,000.00
[Santa Fe, NM]

Children's Reading Alliance - $14,515.00
[Las Cruces, NM]

Corrales Historical Society - $5,134.00
[Corrales, NM]

East Mountain Historical Society - $15,000.00
[Tijeras, NM]

Eastern New Mexico University - $15,000.00
[Portales, NM]

Embudo Valley Library and Community Center - $15,000.00
[Dixon, NM]

Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society - $20,000.00
[Silver City, NM]

Friends of the City of Las Vegas Museum & Rough Rider Memorial Collection - $20,000.00
[Las Vegas, NM]

Gallup Cultural Center / Southwest Indian Foundation - $25,000.00
[Gallup, NM]

Glenwood Community Library - $14,882.00
[Glenwood, NM]

IndigenousWays - $20,000.00
[Santa Fe, NM]

Institute for Medieval Studies - $20,000.00
[Albuquerque, NM]

Institute for Tolerance Studies - $9,574.00
[Santa Fe, NM]

Keshet Dance Company - $10,000.00
[Albuquerque, NM]

Leopold Writing Program - $10,000.00
[Albuquerque, NM]

Littleglobe Productions - $20,000.00
[Santa Fe, NM]

Manzano Mountain Art Council - $10,600.00
[Mountainair, NM]

Millicent Rogers Museum - $21,000.00
[Taos, NM]

Museum of Heritage & Arts - $3,820.00
[Los Lunas, NM]

Museum of New Mexico Foundation - $17,000.00
[Santa Fe, NM]

Museum of the American Military Family - $8,000.00
[Tijeras, NM]

National New Deal Preservation Association - $18,000.00
[Santa Fe, NM]

New Mexico Advocates for the Arts - $20,000.00
[Las Cruces, NM]

New Mexico Black Leadership Council - $20,000.00
[Albuquerque, NM]

New Mexico Highlands University - $18,000.00
[Las Vegas, NM]

New Mexico Jewish Historical Society - $2,844.00
[Albuquerque, NM]

RENESAN Institute for Lifelong Learning - $20,000.00
[Santa Fe, NM]

Santa Fe Art Institute - $15,000.00
[Santa Fe, NM]

Silver City Museum Society - $23,500.00
[Silver City, NM]

Sol Arts dba 7000 BC - $20,000.00
[Albuquerque, NM]

Southwest Seminars - $18,000.00
[Santa Fe, NM]

The Children's Hour Inc - $20,000.00
[Albuquerque, NM]

The Regents of New Mexico State University - $20,000.00
[Las Cruces, NM]

Virus Theater - $8,400.00
[Silver City, NM]

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2019 October Major Grant Awardees

25 Nov 2019

The NMHC Board of Directors recently met and approved the awards for six cultural and scholarly projects that includes a variety of uncommon and innovative programming, with several being hosted in or reaching underserved communities, in addition to Santa Fe and Albuquerque. With the assistance of the NMHC grant award, sponsor organizations offer these programs to the public free of charge or at a minimal entrance fee. The following projects were awarded grant funding by the NMHC Board of Directors in November 2019:

Silver City, NM: Transcending Borders Film and Presentation Series at Fiesta Latina ($6,105)

Project Director: Faye McCalmont, WNMU, faye.mccalmont@wnmu.edu

Western New Mexico University's (WNMU) 4th annual Fiesta Latina will again include the successful Transcending Borders Film and Presentation series. Fiesta Latina is a cultural event designed to highlight and celebrate New Mexico's connection to its Mexican heritage. The event will be held at WNMU in Silver City, NM on June 19 - 21, 2020 and is free and open to the public. Transcending Borders is a film and presentation series that will screen a five-part film documentary and feature artist presentations and discussions. The focus of the festival and presentations is to deepen participants' appreciation and understanding of the historical, economical, social and cultural influence of New Mexico's southern neighbors. More information for Fiesta Latina and the Transcending Borders Film and Presentation Series can be found at http://fiestalatina.org/.

Albuquerque, NM: Opera Southwest Pre-Performance Lectures ($2,000)

Project Director: Jeremy Wirths, Opera Southwest, jwirths@operasouthwest.org

Opera Southwest will present 10 pre-performance lectures for its 2020 performance series. Pre-performance lectures have traditionally been an informal staple of Opera Southwest's programming. In 2020 the organization has committed to providing their audiences with expanded humanities lectures related to the opera performance. Three operas will be featured in the lecture series, delving into the philosophy, religion, language and history reflected in each opera. The operas to be featured are Il Postino, La Traviata, and Pelleas et Melisande. Performances will be held at the Bank of America Theatre at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, in Albuquerque, NM. More information on the 2020 season of Opera Southwest can be found at https://www.operasouthwest.org/.

Albuquerque, NM: Experiments in Cinema: Future Trends in Cultural Representation ($8,100)

Project Director: Bryan Konefsky, Basement Films, bkonefsky@gmail.com

Basement Films will kick off its 15th annual film festival, Experiments in Cinema, celebrating the history and future trends of international cinematic experimentation. The week-long film festival is the oldest and most comprehensive experimental cinematic film festival in New Mexico, and a staple in the Southwest attracting 700 attendees annually. "Experiments in Cinema: Future Trends in Cultural Representation" will take place April 14-18, 2020 at the Guild Cinema and University of New Mexico Art Museum, in Albuquerque, NM. Invited scholars will travel from Switzerland, Scotland, Canada and the United States, and film screenings will include movies from countries around the globe. More information on the 2020 Experiments in Cinema festival can be found at https://www.experimentsincinema.org/.

Abiquiu, NM: Abiquiu Talks 2020 ($5,000)

Project Director: Rebecca Rose Smith, Si Abiquiu, rebecca@siabiquiu.org

Rural northern New Mexico will be host to an ongoing series of public humanities presentations and performances aimed at reaching local Rio Arriba communities, and the 22,000+ visitors to the Abiquiu area. Drawn in by the landscapes and vistas that inspired iconic painter, Georgia O'Keefe, local residents and tourists alike are often left wanting more. Si Abiquiu aims to satiate that appetite for inspiration by delivering high quality humanities programming from the NMHC Speakers Bureau catalog at Ghost Ranch, with 12 presentations planned January - August 2020. More information on Si Abiquiu can be found at https://siabiquiu.org/index.html.

Taos, NM: Fourth Annual Lawrence Lecture: World Premiere of D.H. Lawrence's Unfinished Play- Altitude ($2,623)

Project Director: Sharon Oard Warner, University of New Mexico, swarner@unm.edu

Coinciding with the 2020 International D.H. Lawrence Conference, the fourth annual D.H. Lawrence Lecture and world premiere of "Altitude," will be presented in Taos, NM on July 14, 2020. Dr. James Moran, professor of Modern English Literature and Drama at the University of Nottingham, UK will present the 2020 lecture. Additionally, with the help of 10 Taos thespians, Dr. Moran will stage the world premiere of Lawrence's unfinished two-act play, "Altitude." Written in 1924, "Altitude" is a satiric look at Lawrence's life during his time in Taos. More information on the D.H. Lawrence Ranch Initiatives can be found at https://dhlawrenceranch.unm.edu/.

New Mexico, statewide: Courage and Compassion: The Japanese American WWII Experience in New Mexico and Beyond ($10,000)

Project Director: Tony Rusty Chan, Asian American Association of NM, abqtrc@aol.com

The New Mexico Japanese American Citizens League (NMJACL) will present a series of Living History reenactments designed to chronicle the small and scattered Japanese American communities in NM, and the challenges that WWII presented. The little-known stories of the prison camps of New Mexico are brought to life by examining the lives of the internees, their guards, and the people who lived in the towns that held the camps. Stories range from the first Japanese workers settling in New Mexico, to the state's Japanese American Medal of Honor awardee, to the 2014 return of three survivors who were ousted from their community in 1942. Attendees can expect to be moved by the living history presented in the production and are invited to participate in the post-play discussion at each presentation. The presentations will be hosted in communities across New Mexico. More information on dates and locations will be posted at https://nmhumanities.org/.

2018 February Major Grant Awards

The New Mexico Humanities Council awarded 10 grants to non-profits around the state totaling $55,000 in funding.  The organizations receiving the grant awards will match them with more than $184,969 in in-kind contributions. These grants help promote and advance discussions in their respective topics, promoting community conversations and civic dialogue to take place at each public program.  With the assistance of the New Mexico Humanities Council, these programs are offered to the public free of charge or at a minimal entrance fee. 

The New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC) supports these non-profit organizations to help develop their public humanities programs for New Mexico audiences and provides general support to help accomplish their core humanities missions.

The NMHC board of directors approved funding for the following projects in the February 2018 Grant cycle:

  • $6,000 to El Rito Public Library for From Sapawe to El Rito: A Community Explores Its Rich Heritage, a non-traditional scholarly conference that is free and open to the public.  Archaeologists who have done research in the region around El Rito present their unpublished findings. Panelists will lead interpretive tours to Casitas Viejas and Sapawe. The conference takes place the first weekend in September at the El Rito Campus of Northern New Mexico College. For more information, please contact project director Dr. Susan Boyle at susanboyle769@gmail.com.
  • $5,000 to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science for the Da Vinci Dialogues. A series of panel discussions, lectures and workshops will take place during the "DaVinci-The Genius" exhibition that illustrates the many facets of Leonardo's genius as an artist, inventor, and scientist.  For a listing of program dates and times, please visit www.nmnaturalhistory.org or contact project director, Ayesha Burdett at Ayesha.Burdett@state.nm.us.
  • $3,000 to the Questa Creative Council for Questa History & Community Trail Events.  This program will will bring historians and other community leaders to speak to the issues of archaeology, history, diversity, religion, past and living traditions of the area. An interpretive tour of the Questa Trail with local historian Flavio Cisneros will be held Saturday, June 2, 2018 on National Trails Day. A second program with Dr. Rael-Galvez will be held later in the summer.  These programs bring attention to the trail-development project that is underway in Questa. For further information, please contact the project director Alberta Bouyer at albertalatir@yahoo.com or visit www.QuestaCreative.org.
  • $5,000 to Western New Mexico University for ¡Fiesta Latina!  The three-day event will present Transcending Borders, a free, five-part documentary film discussion series featuring the stories behind the art of five world-renowned Mexican folk artists. This program fosters understanding of the historical, economic, social and cultural significance of forms of traditional Hispanic folk art.  The film discussion series will be held in the historic WNMU Light Hall on June 22-24, 2018.  Artists include Patricia Castillo, Porfirio Gutierrez, Don Habacuc Avendano, Brothers Roberto Abraham and Jose Manuel Ruiz, and photographer Eric Minding.  For further information, please visit www.fiestalatina.org or contact the project director Faye McCalmont at faye.mccalmont@wnmu.edu
  • $4,500 to the City of Roswell-Roswell Museum and Art Center for Magical & Real: A Lecture Series Examining the Life and Work of Artists Henrietta Wyeth and Peter Hurd.  The series will include a panel discussion and five lectures presented during a retrospective exhibition of the artist's paintings at the Roswell Museum.  Topics include biographies of the artists, an examination of their work and influences, the importance of place to the artists, and the significance of the artistic contributions of Peter Hurd and Henriette Wyeth and their place in the larger dialogue of 20th century American art. For further information, contact project director Caroline Michelle Brooks at c.brooks@roswell-nm.gov or visit www.roswellmuseum.org.
  • $5,500 to Cinefemme for Route 66 Women in New Mexico:  Film Screening and Discussion Programs.  This program is based around the documentary film "The Women on The Mother Road" by filmmaker Katrina Parks.  In Fall 2018, Katrina Parks and a panel of experts will take the film to Gallup, Tucumcari, Albuquerque and Santa Fe, towns that are tied to the historic highway and have strong interest in Route 66 preservation and interpretation. Historian Dr. Virginia Sharff, author Sharon Neiderman and historian Dr. Rose Diaz will discuss New Mexico's rich Route 66 heritage and diverse women's experiences in New Mexico along the mother road.  For more information, please contact project director Katrina Parks at katrinaparks@mac.com
  • $4500 to the Santa Fe Desert Chorale for Ten Free Public Adult Lectures in conjunction with the 2018 Santa Fe Desert Chorale Summer Festival Programming.  The Santa Fe Desert Chorale (SFDC) will present 10 adult lectures before each of its 2018 performances.  Concert programs include: Bernstein, Bolcom and Barber: Twentieth Century American Masters, Sure on this Shinning Night: Choral Works that Evoke the Beauty of the Natural World, and The New World: Journey from the Inca Trail. The lectures will be given by experts on the music performed on each concert program.  Lectures are free and open to the public.  For more information, contact the project director Janice L. Mayer at Janice@desertchorale.org or visit www.desertchorale.org.
  • $4500 to New Mexico State University for New Mexican Rural Heritage Oral History Project. This project will gather information about the daily lives of individuals in rural New Mexico, especially the large and sparsely populated ranches that occupied much of central and eastern NM during the early 20th century. The project will include oral history interviews from Tularosa, Roswell, Estancia, and Black Lake. Interviews and associated materials will be curated at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces, and transcripts will be accessible via their website.  For more information, please contact project director Kelly Lee Jenks at kjenks@nmsu.edu.
  • $6,000 to the Gila Conservation Coalition for the 14th Annual Gila River Festival.  The 14th annual festival honors the 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and celebrates the rivers of New Mexico and the nation.  Senator Tom Udall will give the keynote address. Lecture topics from distinguished scholars will include river histories and current threats, our insatiable quest for water, river photos and stories, water law in the American West, and Navajo filmmaker Tony Estrada will introduce his film about Native American's water protection activities.  For more information, contact project director Donna Stevens at director@ugwa.org or visit www.gilaconservation.org.

2018 October Major Grant Awards

The New Mexico Humanities Council awarded eight grants to nonprofits around the state totaling nearly $45,000 in funding for the 2018 October Major Grants cycle. The organizations receiving the grant awards will match them with $129,024 in in-kind contributions.

These grants help promote and advance discussions in their respective topics, promoting community conversations and civic dialogue at each public program.  With the assistance of the New Mexico Humanities Council, sponsors offer these programs to the public free of charge or at a minimal entrance fee.  The New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC) supports these nonprofit organizations to help develop their public humanities programs for New Mexico audiences and provides general support to help accomplish their core humanities missions. 

The NMHC board of directors awarded funding for the following projects in the October 2018 Major Grant cycle: 

  • Keres Summer Institute ($8,000) The Language Conservancy, in partnership with the Pueblo of Acoma and the Acoma Pueblo Education Department, has developed a program critical to the preservation and revitalization of the Keres language, as well as the cultural and historic knowledge of New Mexico. The Keres Summer Institute will take place from May 20-24, 2019 at New Mexico State University in Grants.  For more information, contact Project Director Willem De Reuse at Willem.DeReuse@unt.edu.
  • Telepoem Booth Speaker Series ($8,000) “The Center for the Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe is sponsoring this project to install a Telepoem Booth and Telephone Kiosks in Santa Fe and New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, NM. These engaging public art pieces consist of vintage phone booths that allow users to dial-a-poem and listen to recordings of over 320 new poems from New Mexico poets, as well as poetry from other Telepoem Booth directories.  A panel presentation will kickoff National Poetry Month in April 2019 and five poetry readings with Telepoets will follow weekly until mid-May, 2019.  For more information, contact Project Director Elizabeth Hellstern at elizabeth@telepoembooth.com.
  • Riders on the Orphan Train ($4,881) The National Orphan Train Complex Museum and Research Center will bring a presentation to four New Mexico communities regarding the nearly 250,000 orphans moved from New York City to nearly every state of the union between 1854 and 1929. The presentations will include a music/literary portion, a historical lecture/discussion and a video presentation, inviting audience interaction and engagement to explore the part New Mexico played in the largest child migration in America.  Programs are planned at public libraries in Socorro on February 27, Magdalena on February 28, Ruidoso on March 1 and Truth or Consequences on March 4, 2019.  For more information, contact project director Alison Moore at alisonmoorebooks@gmail.com.
  • Presenting the Medieval World ($6,866) UNM's Institute for Medieval Studies will host its 34th Spring Lecture Series on the theme Presenting the Medieval World. Three of the project's six lectures will focus on pre-modern assemblages of medieval materials and three will cover the preservation and display of the medieval world in modern museums and libraries.  Presentations will include discussions of the Cairo Geniza collection and the practice of collecting and displaying of relics of saints in medieval churches.  The program will take place in Room 101 of Woodward Hall on the main UNM Campus in Albuquerque, March 25-March 28, 2019. For more information, contact project director Timothy C. Graham at tgraham@unm.edu.
  • Feminist Border Arts Film Festival ($4,450) New Mexico State University in Las Cruces will host a two-part Feminist Film Festival on March 8-9, 2019. A Video Art Exhibition of avant garde and unconventional short form video will be on a continuous loop in the NMSU Art Gallery from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm on March 8.  In celebration of International Women's Day, the Film Festival will kick off on the evening of March 8 with a filmmaker showcase:  presentations by a diverse group of women filmmakers speaking about inclusive filmmaking and storytelling, followed by a screening of their short films and an open Q&A with the audience. The film festival continues the following day with short film screenings, panel presentations and discussions with filmmakers and scholars.  Films selected will explore gender, gender identity, race, sexuality, transgender experience, indigeneity, class, dis/ability, transnationality and diaspora, migration, refugees and displaced persons, activisms, the environment, food/water insecurity and other social justice perspectives and experiences.  For more information, please contact project director Laura Anh Williams at lawill@nmsu.edu.
  • Experiments in Cinema: Future Trends in Cultural Representation ($6,400) - This 14th annual Basement Films event celebrates transcultural cinematic history includes screenings, lectures and workshops that explore diverse, alternative approaches to transnational media ethnography. Attendees will have multiple opportunities to engage with filmmakers and scholars traveling from Switzerland, Scotland, Canada and the U.S. for movie screenings from around the globe. The program will take place at the Guild Cinema and KiMo Theatre in Albuquerque, April 16-20, 2019 with four 50-min blocks of programming each day. For more information, contact project director Bryan Konefsky at bkonefsky@gmail.com.
  • A World of Music with Todd Green ($3,700) Carrizozo Music, Inc. and Carlsbad community concert Association are collaborating on this project to bring Global Multi-Instrumentalist Todd Green to each community to demonstrate 25 string, flute and percussion instruments from different areas of the Middle East, Central Asia, Far East and South America. Each concert will be followed by a discussion moderated by humanities scholars to discuss music's role as a cultural delineator in rituals and religion, its quality as a Universal Language and a powerful means of connecting humans of all cultures.  Programs are scheduled for February 5 in Carlsbad and February 14 in Carrizozo.  For more information, contact project director Elaine Louise Brannen at ebrannen@gmail.com.
  • A Social History as seen by Laura Ingalls Wilder ($2,052) - Roswell Public Library will be engaging their community in discussions of several books about life and social history of the US Frontier in the period 1870-1880: "Little House on the Prairie" and "Farmer Boy" by Laura Ingalls Wilder, "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich and "Prairie Fires" by Caroline Fraser.  On April 13, 2019, the library will host Pulitzer Prize winning author Caroline Fraser and former NM State Historian Robert Torrez for an exploration and analytical look at the myths created in these books surrounding prairie life in this time period, including the New Mexico frontier.   For more information, contact project director Matthew Gormley at gormley@roswell-nm.gov.

2020 May Major Grant Awards

The NMHC Board of Directors recently met and approved awards for the following 13 cultural and public programs in the humanities that includes a variety of uncommon and innovative programming, with several being hosted in or reaching underserved communities across New Mexico. With the assistance of the NMHC grant award, sponsor organizations offer these programs to the public free of charge or at a minimal fee. The following projects were awarded grant funding by the NMHC Board of Directors in July 2020:

**Due to COVID-19, details for programs are still being determined. NMHC will update this page with up to date information as it becomes available. Please also follow facebook.com/nmhumanities for up to date information.

See All Grantees:

516 Arts "Feminisms"

516 Arts was awarded $10,850 to host a group exhibition and series of public programs, “Feminisms” (Sept. 26, 2020–Jan. 2, 2021). 516 ARTS will host “Feminisms” in partnership with Southwest Contemporary and the Wheelwright Museum for the American Indian in Santa Fe. The exhibition features artists of various cultures who are broadly from the West, and whose creative possibilities use the theme of feminism in its most expansive meaning. Works are far reaching from a diasporic experience, the politics of body, resilience, self-determination and land. These artists approach their process and practice in a variety of mediums including video, performance, installation, two and three-dimensional works, all of which are connected to current cultural, political, historical and semiotic climates. The exhibition is guest curated by Andrea R. Hanley (Navajo), Chief Curator at the Wheelwright Museum, who focuses on both non-traditional and contemporary Native American artwork by artists from the Americas. This exhibition is in conjunction with a national initiative spearheaded by the Feminist Art Coalition that centralizes feminist perspectives and concerns in the cultural consciousness leading into and after the 2020 election. This endeavor takes feminist thought and practice as its point of departure and considers art as a catalyst for discourse and civic engagement. For more information contact 516 Arts executive director, Suzanne Sbarge at suzanne@516arts.org.

 

Bernalillo Community Museum “Community Voices”

The Bernalillo Community Museum was awarded $7,458 to support their public programs online, posting “Community Voices” videos for families on YouTube. The “Community Voices” videos will explore local traditions, stories, and food and will be accompanied by activities to complete at home that encourage deeper connection with local history. Two local scholars will build video content and family activity packets. Bernalillo County Museum will also schedule surveys and small family focus groups (online or in person depending on State regulations) to determine the most effective topics and methods to build awareness of the museum through an active digital community. Families will be able to post replies and complete family packets for prizes and take advantage of future online programming. For more information contact Museum Director Emily Stovel at estovel@townofbernalillo.org.

 

Carrizozo Museum “Bill Evans: The Banjo in America" 

The Carrizozo Museum was awarded $1,800 to host “Bill Evans: The Banjo in America,” an hour- long virtual lecture/demonstration which takes the listener on a musical adventure, following the banjo from its West African roots to the New World, and performing musical examples from the 1700’s to the present day on vintage instruments. Beginning with an 18th century African dance tune to the music of the Civil War, and from early 20th century ragtime to folk and bluegrass banjo styles and then moving on to Bill’s own original music and arrangements, “The Banjo in America” illuminates, as well as entertains. The lecture will expose audiences to over 250 years of musical traditions. For more information contact Museum President Fran Altieri at franf55@yahoo.com.

 

CENTER Santa Fe Annual Review Santa Fe Photographer Presentations

CENTER Santa Fe was awarded $7,500 for their Annual Review Santa Fe Photo Festival and conference. The festival and conference will be held in October 2020.  The 2020 CENTER award winners will present documentary and fine art projects over the course of an afternoon. New Mexicans are invited to engage directly with the photographic artists and storytellers to learn more about today's social, environmental, and humanitarian issues. This program will take place on October 17, concurrent to the 20th Review Santa Fe Photo Festival, hosting professional development programs for photographers, editors, curators, and publishers. The Festival is a platform for public and professional discourse around lens-based media’s exploration of the human condition in contemporary history. Over the course of the weekend, there are several panel discussions, networking events, a scholar presentation, an award-winners exhibition, and a photographic book fair. These programs, and the associated featured photographers, are published in a catalog to include project statements from the winning photographic projects. Live streaming and watch parties on social media will be made available to reach those who cannot attend in person. For more information, contact CENTER’s executive director Laura Wzorek Pressley at laura@visitcenter.org.

  

Couse Foundation “Stitched in Sovereignty: Contemporary Beadwork from Indigenous North America”

The Couse-Sharp Historic Site has been awarded $5,000 for their 2020 seasonal exhibition, “Stitched in Sovereignty: Contemporary Beadwork from Indigenous North America.” The exhibitions will include a public interactive panel discussion in partnership with the Harwood Museum of Art, an open house with informal talks by guest curator and artists plus in-depth discussions with visitors inside the exhibition. For more information contact Davison Koenig, Executive Director and Curator, The Couse Foundation at dkoenig@couse-sharp.org.

 

El Rancho de las Golondrinas Lectures 2020-2021

El Rancho de las Golondrinas was awarded $4,000 to support and sponsor their 2020-2021 season, “Speaking of Traditions” lecture series.  These programs offer opportunities to engage and inform the public about New Mexico History.  “Speaking of Traditions,” Las Golondrinas' longtime series, features both local and visiting scholars, authors, historians and other experts. These lectures and presentations are followed by an interactive question and answer session, and audience members are encouraged to add to the dialogue.  “Speaking of Traditions” is set to begin in the fall of 2020. For more information about these programs, contact Jackie Camborde, Director of Development, El Rancho de las Golondrinas at jackiecamborde@golondrinas.org. 

 

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum “O’Keeffe from Anywhere”

The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum was awarded $10,000 to host ten virtual monthly webinars between August 2020 and July 2021. The webinar series “O’Keeffe from Anywhere” will bring humanities scholars, O’Keeffe experts and the public together for an interactive lecture series. “O’Keeffe from Anywhere” will be free and open to the public.  For more information contact Katrina Stacy, Curator of Education and Interpretation, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum at kstacy@gokm.org. 

 

Gila Conservation Coalition “16th Annual Gila River Festival”

The Gila Conservation Coalition was awarded $6,200 for the 16th Annual Gila River Festival. The annual festival features speakers who will challenge Gila River residents and visitors to examine societal assumptions and introduce them to new ways of being in relation to the natural world. COVID-19 has allowed organizers to reimagine this year’s festival in new and exciting ways. The entire festival will take place online, with keynote speakers, and a film series will be made available to the public for free. For more information contact Donna Stevens, director of Gila Conservation Coalition at director@ugwa.org.

  

Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project Virtual Tours and Lectures

The Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project was awarded $5,983 to host virtual tours and lectures. For over 20 years, the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project (MPPP) has organized volunteers and developed public education programs devoted to recording, preserving, and communicating the historical and cultural significance of petroglyphs on a 12-mile long, 32,000-acre mesa along the Rio Grande in Northern New Mexico. The MPPP Virtual Tours and Digital Outreach program will bring their programs and the experience of visiting the Wells Petroglyph Preserve to New Mexicans digitally through production of videos of the preserve trails, 360-degree interactive panoramas, and 3-D modeling of petroglyph panels. Through creating and offering free online experiences, MPPP will be able to provide access to the incredible cultural heritage of Mesa Prieta in a way never before possible. For more information, contact project director and board member Linda Brown, of the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project, at labrown.sfe@gmail.com.

 

NM Association of Museums “Future-proofing Museums: Collecting the Past – Protecting the Future”

The New Mexico Association of Museums, Inc. (NMAM) was awarded $14,700 to host a series of virtual presentations on ““Future-proofing Museums: Collecting the Past – Protecting the Future,” for its annual conference theme. Through workshops, presentations, and virtual tours, participants will explore how New Mexico’s  museums and cultural centers can work to ensure the relevance and vitality of their organizations for generations to come. For more information contact Adrienne Boggs, Board President, New Mexico Association of Museums, Inc. at contact.nmam@gmail.com. 

 

SF Council on International Relations 3rd Annual Journalism under Fire: From Pandemic to Climate Change

The Santa Fe Council on International Relations was awarded $7,200 to support their third annual “Journalism under Fire” Conference. The conference will take place in November 2020, and will explore the key question:  "How can we capture climate change?" This year, the conference will feature two distinct components: in Santa Fe, a small group of speakers and a socially distanced audience (including journalists, students and members of the public) will offer their answers to this question; and then a virtual component will be offered to engage a global cross-section of speakers and participants. For more information contact Sandy Campbell, Executive Director of Santa Fe Council for International Affairs, at sandy@sfcir.org

 

Silver City Museum Society “Unpacking Silver City: An online exploration of the history and culture of Southwest New Mexico”

The Silver City Museum Society was awarded $6,000 to host a series of virtual discussions, “Unpacking Silver City: An online exploration of the history and culture of Southwest New Mexico.” The series will explore seven major themes for understanding the region’s history and culture, helping the museum continue its mission during the COVID-19 crisis. The museum’s event listing can be found at https://www.silvercitymuseum.org/211/Programs-Events. For more information contact Bart Roselli, Museum Director, Silver City Museum, at director@silvercitymuseum.org.

 

Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers “Indigenous Futurisms: Digital Conversations”

Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers was awarded $8,000 to engage some leading Indigenous scholars and artists in conversations around Indigenous Futurisms. Initially, the term (Indigenous Futurisms) was conceptualized by Dr. Grace Dillon (Anishinaabe) and has revolved around efforts in art, literature, comics, games, and other forms of media to express Indigenous perspectives of past, present and, most importantly the future, by utilizing Indigenous ways of knowing, traditional stories, historical or contemporary politics, and cultural realities. During these times of pandemic, when Native communities are incredibly hard hit, it is even more critical to have dynamic conversations around the future of Indigenous Peoples and how the various aspects of arts and literature, science fiction and philosophy can have a dramatic impact on the Indigenous psyche. Wordcraft Circle will host five two-hour digital conversations throughout the Fall of 2020, to be broadcast to multiple networks throughout New Mexico and North America discussing aspects of Indigenous Futurisms and its implications in a post-pandemic world. For more information contact project director Dr. Lee Francis, Executive Director of Wordcraft Circle, at wordcraft.director@gmail.com.

Grants Update: October 2020 Deadline Awardees

21 Feb 2022

The NMHC Board of Directors recently met and approved awards for the following nine cultural and public programs in the humanities that includes a variety of uncommon and innovative programming, with several being hosted in or reaching underserved communities across New Mexico. With the assistance of the NMHC grant award, sponsor organizations offer these programs to the public free of charge or at a minimal fee. The following projects were awarded grant funding by the NMHC Board of Directors for the October 1, 2020 deadline:

**Due to COVID-19, some details for programs are still being determined. NMHC will update this page with up to date information as it becomes available. Please also follow facebook.com/nmhumanities for up to date information.

Experiments in Cinema: Future Trends in Cultural Presentation

Basement Films will present an annual film festival, Experiments in Cinema (EIC). The theme for 2021 will be Future Trends in Cultural Presentation, taking place online over a three-week period between May 1 - 22, 2021. The film festival is an annual, transnational festival celebrating the history and future trends of international cinematic experimentation. Experiments in Cinema has been a past recipient of NMHC grant funding, including for their 2020 festival, which was moved to an online format due to COVID-19. The 2021 EIC festival will also take place online due to the pandemic. The festival is a non-competitive event designed to nurture community. Screenings, conversations and lectures inspire attendees to recognize their media-connectedness with communities around the world. For the 2021 festival, EIC has invited a slate of scholars that are entirely made up of Native Americans with roots in New Mexico, and their programming for the festival will address Native representation in media. Additional screenings will include movies from international submissions. EIC was awarded $7,800 to support their efforts in their 2021 online film festival. The project director for this program is Bryan Konefsky; for more information bkonefsky@gmail.com.

 

Urban Ecologies: 2021 Art Park 21 Outdoor Eco-centric Artwork Exhibition

In April of 2021 Art Park 21 will host its second biennial juried exhibition of outdoor eco-centric artworks with the partnership of The Santa Fe Railyard Park + Plaza. The exhibition will feature the temporary installation of several works on the Santa Fe Railyard plaza for this event. Many of these temporary outdoor eco-art installations are the product of interdisciplinary collaboration. The installations will have relevance to the environment of New Mexico and will be created by artists from the region. Urban Ecologies received a $3,387 grant from the New Mexico Humanities Council to support the exhibition. The project director for this program is John Davis, and his email for more information is jtdavisart@gmail.com.

 

Children’s Reading Alliance: Talking Stories/Cuentos Que Hablan

The Children’s Reading Alliance in Las Cruces will host a remote reading program, “Talking Stories/Cuentos Que Hablan” in 2021. The program will bring humanities scholars together with Dona Aña County families to explore classic children’s literature and delve deeply into underlying themes of the interconnections, beauty and power of all human beings. “Talking Stories” will take place monthly, from February 2021 through November 2021. Children’s Reading Alliance is also exploring options to broadcast the program virtually or via local radio (KTAL Community Radio). The Children’s Reading Alliance was awarded $6,000 from the New Mexico Humanities Council to assist with the Talking Stories/Cuentos Que Hablan programming for 2021. The project director for this program is Jennifer Alvarado; for more information jalvarado@cralc.org.

 

Keshet Dance Company: Intersection of Arts and Justice - Panel Discussion

The Keshet Dance Company’s “Intersection of Arts and Justice – Panel Conversation” is a virtual panel discussion between humanities scholars and members of the juvenile justice community, interspersed with moments from Keshet’s “Movement for Mercy” production, co-created by professional artists and currently and formerly incarcerated youth. The panel discussion will serve to instigate an introspective dialogue about the US prison system and broaden the understanding of community members who might not otherwise have access to a window into this broken and destructive system; in addition to predetermined humanities topics, questions will be taken from a virtual audience. The Keshet Dance Company was awarded $4,000 from the New Mexico Humanities Council to support the panel conversation. The program director for this program is Shira Green; for more information shira@keshetarts.org.

 

New Mexico In Depth: Ernie Mills online archive

New Mexico In Depth invites New Mexicans to come meet and remember Ernie Mills, a highly-respected political journalist in New Mexico during the last half of the 20th century. The archive will go live in August 2021, with events planned through the end of 2021. Through this presentation of Ernie’s life’s work, audiences will witness 50 years of New Mexico political history, much of its culture, and the work ethic of a journalist beloved by politicians and citizens on all sides of the political divide. NM In Depth was awarded $7,000 to support the Ernie Mills archival collection and to provide an online archive for the collection and act as a platform to publicize events. The project director for this effort is Christine Snyder; for more information mamachri9@gmail.com.

 

Museum of New Mexico: Painted Reflections- Isomeric Design in Ancestral Pueblo Pottery

The Museum of New Mexico will host, at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (MIAC), “Painted Reflections: Isomeric Design in Ancestral Pueblo Pottery,” opening on August 8, 2021 at MIAC. The exhibition will investigate optical and spatial illusions in Pueblo art. The exhibition will open with a day-long event, including lectures, panel discussions, demonstrations, exhibition tours and a book signing. The Museum of New Mexico was awarded $5,000 to support the Painted Reflections opening day programs at MIAC. The project director for this exhibition is Della Warrior; for more information, contact della.warrior@state.nm.us.

 

Juntos Art Association: Icons and Symbols of the Borderland, Art from the US-Mexico Crossroads

The Juntos Art Association and the Carlsbad Museum and Art Center will present the “Icons and Symbols of the Borderland” exhibition and virtual programs that explore tradition, culture, history, and nature. The exhibition and virtual programs will take place February through August 2021.  This project will address the infinitely nuanced story of the New Mexican borderland identity and explore imagery that communicates the experience of New Mexico’s place at the crossroads. In addition to the exhibition, Juntos will host several live-stream discussions exploring varying aspects of the New Mexico borderlands. The Juntos Art Association was awarded $10,000 by the New Mexico Humanities Council to support the exhibition and virtual events. The project director for Icons and Symbols is Diana Molina; for more information borderline_media@yahoo.com.

 

SciArt Santa Fe: In Place- Centering Ecocritical Knowledge of the Natural World

SciArt Santa Fe will host four webinars called LASERs in 2021 through their partnership with the Leonardo/International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology. The webinars will take place January through July 2021. The LASERs programs will be expanded to be inclusive of scientists and artists of color. The series of four LASER webinars will examine our region’s position as a borderland between two nations and the multiple indigenous tribes therein, and at the intersection between art, land-based knowledge, and cutting-edge advances in science. Specifically, humanities scholars and interdisciplinary and intercultural artists and scientists will address four themes: aesthetics and land use histories; seeds and community building; environmental racism and Indigenous methods of remediation; and ecologies of sound. SciArt Santa Fe was awarded $6,000 by the New Mexico Humanities Council to support the In Place webinar series. The project director for this program is Amy Pilling, and their email for more information is sciartsantafe@gmail.com.

 

National Institute of Flamenco: Building Festival Flamenco- an Archival Endeavor

The history, criticism, and theory behind the art of Flamenco is a severely under-researched area, both in the United States and abroad. The National Institute of Flamenco (NIF) will launch their digital archive during their 34th Annual Festival Flamenco in June 2021. The digitization of over 30 years of Festival Flamenco Alburquerque performances, workshops and lectures, coupled with a series of free-to-the public events and the opening of a publicly accessible archive by the National Institute of Flamenco, will be of great use to future humanities researchers and scholars, sustaining this integral artform through the preservation of American humanities and New Mexican cultural heritage. The New Mexico Humanities Council awarded National Institute of Flamenco, $10,000 to support their archival efforts leading to their 34th annual conference. The project director for this program is Marisol Encinas; for more information: mari@nifnm.org

2019 May Major Grants

The New Mexico Humanities Council awarded eight grants to nonprofits around the state totaling over $53,000 in funding. Total in-kind matching for this cycle's grant funding is $102,994.

For nearly 50 years, the New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC) has sought to engage New Mexicans with history, culture, and diverse humanities topics through Council-conducted public programs and grant funding for special projects. NMHC supports public programs in New Mexico communities which inspire inclusive conversations that strengthen our civil society and celebrate diverse human experiences.

These grants help promote and advance discussions in their respective topics, promoting community conversations and civic dialogue at each public program.  With the assistance of the New Mexico Humanities Council, sponsors offer these programs to the public free of charge or at a minimal entrance fee.  The New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC) supports these nonprofit organizations to help develop their public humanities programs for New Mexico audiences and provides general support to help accomplish their core humanities missions.

The NMHC board of directors awarded funding for the following projects in the May 2019 Major Grant cycle:

  • "Diamonds in the Rough: Baseball's Legacy in Southwestern New Mexico" Symposium ($5,000)  The symposium, held in Fort Bayard, will provide an in-depth examination of importance of baseball in the history and culture of southwest New Mexico, through panel discussions, an original play, and live vintage baseball games. The symposium will also feature exhibits of artifacts and documents from local museum collections for viewing, contemplation, and consideration by the event audiences. In addition, one scholar will present an original play that she has written based on the experiences of one player (an ancestor of hers) in the Copper League. Additionally, the weekend of the symposium, live baseball games will be played according to 19th century rules. For more information, contact Project Director Douglas Dinwiddie at historyguy51b@gmail.com.
  • Peacemaking in Africa ($7,400)  Africa has largely been portrayed as a site of perpetual misery. These stereotypes abound in the public and among students and scholars, making it one of the most misunderstood social, political, and cultural spaces today. "Peacemaking in Africa" is the theme of the Fall 2019 Lecture Series organized by the International Studies Institute (ISI) at the University of New Mexico. UNM's Fall Lecture Series addresses the question of "Peacemaking in Africa" to foster a greater understanding of Africa's past and colonial-era narratives that shape this negative perception. Speakers explore alternative ways to understand Africa's troubles and examine efforts to counter this view by focusing on peace-making and community-building efforts across Africa. For more information, contact Project Director Ian Stewart at ianstew@unm.
  • Traditional Spanish Christmas Music - Ronda Los Carrozas de Cifuentes ($6,310) - The project consists of a presentation of traditional popular music from the rural Castile region in Spain, the Christmas Rondas. This term defines a group of people that plays and sings in the streets. Today, this Christmas tradition is little known in Spain, and on the verge of disappearing. The 15-member group arrives in New Mexico on Dec 15 and travels for six days presenting this program at venues in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Tularosa, and Acoma. For more information, contact Project Director Natalia Diaz Martinez at yerbaluisa@gmail.com.
  • Journalism Under Fire ($6,000)  The Santa Fe Council on International Relations (CIR) will convene its second annual Journalism under Fire conference in Santa Fe. This will bring 25 international journalists; major journalist speakers from Washington DC, New York, and New Mexico; several renowned photojournalists; and a keynote speaker from Mumbai, India to Santa Fe to share their perspectives and experiences on how technology is shaping the truth. For more information, contact Project Director Sandy Campbell at sandy@sficr.org.
  • 15th Annual Gila River Festival ($4,975) The Gila River Festival, a southwest New Mexico tradition, draws people from the region, and beyond. The festival theme is "Our River, Our Future." In this four-day event, speakers and programs will address- through several disciplines, humanity's relationship to the natural world. For more information, contact Project Director Donna Stevens at director@ugwa.org.
  • Reimagining Borders, Re-Visioning Lives ($11,071) - The 2019 Southwest Festival of the Written Word, a three-day celebration of the power and beauty of the written word, will take place October 4-6, 2019, in the rural border town of Silver City, New Mexico. Focusing on the theme of "Reimagining Borders, Re-Visioning Lives," 12 humanities scholars will explore the multiple dimensions of borders; physical social, intellectual, and invite audience members to participate in re-envisioning borders and how they function in our world. For more information, contact Project Director Paul Burton Hotvedt at blueheron@sbcglobal.net.
  • Review Santa Fe Photograph Presentations ($6,000) The 19th Annual Review Santa Fe Photo Festival and conference hosts Photographer Presentations on October 19, 2019 at the Drury Plaza Hotel in Santa Fe. A free and open to the public event, the Photographer Presentations highlight CENTER's 2019 award and grant winning photographic projects. Up to seventeen photographers chosen by an independent jury of industry leaders travel to Santa Fe to discuss their bodies of work and the relevant themes of the visual stories. The afternoon of presentations will be moderated by an esteemed museum photographic curator, Dr. Mary Statzer, Curator of Prints and Photographs at the UNM Art Museum, who will discuss each of the themes brought forth by the photo series and engage the audience with a question and answer session. For more information, contact Project Director Angie Grace Rizzo at angie@visitcenter.org
  • SITE Santa Fe Presents: DIGEST This! ($7,000) - "Digest This!" is an interdisciplinary public program series at SITE Santa Fe that offers audiences "bite-sized" talks presented by humanities scholars and a tasting prepared by a local chef followed by a group discussion. Each program explores ideas and themes related to the artwork in the current contemporary art exhibition at SITE. In 2020, "Displaced: Contemporary Artists Confront the Global Refugee Crisis" and its concurrent "Digest This!" programs will bring this vast crisis to the forefront of our visitors' consciousness, cultivate an understanding of refugees that reside in New Mexico, and inspire a continued conversation about the local and global impact of the crisis. For more information, contact Project Director Joanne Lefrak at lefrak@sitesantafe.org
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