About

The mission of the New York Council for the Humanities is to help all New Yorkers lead vibrant intellectual lives by strengthening traditions of cultural literacy, critical inquiry, and civic engagement. Funded by federal, state, and private sources, the Council is a private 501(c)3 founded in 1975 by a distinguished group of scholars, citizens, and public representatives to be the voice of the public humanities in New York State. The humanities are the study and interpretation of what human beings have done and thought throughout the ages; they are the very basis of an informed and civil society. The Council’s vision is to create a vibrant, growing public humanities community that engages all New Yorkers in civic participation, volunteerism, philanthropy, and community involvement, and reconnects people to our rich state and local history.

Internships:

Reading Between the Lines Summer 2010 Internship Position >
The RBTL Summer intern will assist in the administration, evaluation and outreach efforts of this distinctive reading and discussion program for adults. Part book club, part seminar, RBTL programs offer thoughtful facilitated discussion sessions that center around provocative and enriching texts.

Highlights of our programs include:

Reading Between the Lines >

An innovative book discussion program for people who love to read and who thrive in a setting that provides stimulating conversation through an open exchange of ideas and opinions. We work with university-based scholars to offer these free, monthly reading groups at local libraries, museums, historical societies, and civic forums throughout the state.

Speakers in the Humanities >

A feast of more than 200 lectures by a renowned and diverse group of some 150 scholars is available to hundreds of cultural organizations and community groups across the state, an exciting program open to any not-for-profit organization in New York, including high schools.

The Grants Program >

A statewide resource for support of a wide variety of lectures, festivals, panel discussions, walking tours, and the planning and implementation of exhibitions and other ventures at small and large not-for-profit institutions throughout New York State. Through this program, the Council distributes federal funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities directly to notable projects created by museums, libraries, historical societies, and other cultural and educational organizations.

State Humanities Month >

Each October we produce an extensive calendar and statewide publicity campaign centered on all the public programs funded through the Council's Grants and Speakers Programs in October, celebrated as State Humanities Month.