Celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month with PA Humanities!

October in Pennsylvania means scenic drives to view the changing leaves, small town fall festivals, and the return of cooler days and crisp nights.

It’s also National Arts and Humanities month, recognizing and celebrating the importance of culture in the United States. In addition to encouraging individuals, organizations and diverse communities to participate in the arts and humanities, the goals of NAHM include raising public awareness about the positive impact of the arts and humanities in our communities and lives and focusing on equitable access to them at local, state and national levels.

Take advantage of this opportunity to help support and promote the crucial role of the humanities in Pennsylvania with a celebration of your own! 

Maybe you visit your local library to check out a banned book or join with others in your community for their fall programming. It’s also a great time to visit a museum or historical site, attend a lecture or a talk, check out some spoken word and see what special projects, performances, classes and other events that local arts and humanities organizations have to offer. Check out the page on our PA SHARP grantees and scroll down to find a full list and map — you might discovery something new near to you! 

Or take a listen to our We Are Here podcast, which spotlights the work of some of our incredible grantees, for inspiration. Listen to how a community-wide book club is blooming in Norristown, how a library in Tredyffrin is helping young people (and not-so-young-people!) to put their own spin on classic tales, how young people are learning to embrace history in Gettysburg and Philadelphia, and so much more. 

It’s also a great time to get caught up on PA Humanities’ new podcast series, Re-vision, which brings together Constitutional scholars, humanities practitioners and young people to discuss the history and current implementation of different pieces of our nation’s founding document.

• Episode 1 discusses the First Amendment, and how we reconcile our right to freedom of speech with contemporary issues such as book banning and misinformation.
• Episode 2 wonders in an era of mass incarceration, what relevance do our Founders’ intentions for a fair and legal justice system as laid out in the Sixth Amendment have for us today?
• Episode 3 tackles how we should interpret our historic right to bear arms presented in the Second Amendment in light of America’s current gun violence epidemic, while Episode 4 looks at the Fourteenth Amendment and what we can do to ensure that today we all have equal protections and rights under the law.
• Finally, we speak with Jeffrey Rosen, CEO of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, about the enduring relevance of the US Constitution and why it is still so important for everyone, especially young people, to have meaningful conversations about it in our Capstone Episode. 

Of course the fall is such a beautiful time to get out and explore some of our PA Heart & Soul communities, where you’ll find natural beauty, plenty of recreational opportunities and the chance to get out and connect with people. Never been to Cameron County, Carbondale, Tidioute, Youngsville, Wyoming County or Williamsport? Learn more about these communities and more here and then plan your trip to explore the unique beauty and offerings of these Pennsylvania townsa! 

Want to help support PA Humanities’ mission to champion the humanities in Pennsylvania year-round? Make your gift today!