Amid unprecedented concerns about environmental health, war, economic downturn, and our national dependence on nonrenewable resources, we must ask how might the humanities offer hope for renewal and cultural sustainability. Who decides what matters culturally? What can we learn from the unique American traditions of philanthropy, partnership, and volunteerism in the post-pioneer heartland? What new methods of program delivery must we consider in light of our challenges, and how do we fund it all? And how can we sustain our own work in organizations facing tight budgets and increasing demand for services? With the evolving mix of public and private support for humanities programming comes a need for innovation, collaboration, and inspired personal investment.
The 2009 National Conference in Omaha will examine how state humanities councils traditionally have fostered greater public awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the humanities, and how councils can continue to shape public discourse on the nation’s pressing problems. The conference will showcase our best practices, but also challenge us to re-envision how the humanities can inspire a nation, in the face of cynicism and apathy, to explore the common landscapes of the heart, sow the seeds of hope, and cultivate dreams of cultural enrichment, civic engagement, and sustainable sources of intellectual renewal.