Launched in 1983, the Speakers in the Humanities program brings the best in humanities scholarship to thousands of people at hundreds of cultural organizations in virtually every corner of New York. To host a lecture in your town, just select a topic, contact the Speaker, and apply for funding through the Council. Any not-for-profit organization in New York State is eligible to use the program. Speakers events must be open to the public and free of charge. If your application is successful, the Council covers the cost of the Speaker's honorarium and travel expenses.

Confirm Your Eligibility
Speakers in the Humanities is available to most not-for-profit

organizations. Read more >

Select a lecture
Search or browse presentation listings to find the right topic for your audience. Find a lecture >

Contact the Speaker to arrange a date and time
Get in touch with the Speaker you have selected, using his or her listed contact information. Browse Speaker directory >

Apply to the Council for Funds
Once you have completed steps 1 through 3, apply to the Council for funding. Apply now >

Plan and Promote Your Event
Start publicizing your lecture as soon as you receive notice of Council funding approval. View Planning Tips >

The New York Council for the Humanities would like to thank the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation for its generous support of Speakers in the Humanities.

Spectacles of Religiosity: Sacred Theater in Peru Wilma Feliciano Peru celebrates its history in dance-dramas and festivals that combine native spirituality with Catholic icons. These performances explore mestizo identity amidst mass culture and globalization.

Don't see what you're looking for? Apply for funding to create your own program. Read more >