Grant Recipients

October 2007

Humanities Council awards grants totaling $94,159

The Nebraska Humanities Council (NHC) recently awarded $94,159 in grants to 19 Nebraska organizations.

Grant recipients and the amount of each grant:

Peru State College, College of Arts and Sciences, Peru, $15,450 for “Trails and Tales VI: Conflict, Compromise and Coexistence on the Contested Plains, “ an interdisciplinary history and literature institute and tour next June that will focus on Plains Indians in Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Friends of Arts Are Basic, Lincoln, $8,900 for “Exploring Our Heritage Through Oral Tradition,” a year-long project designed to incorporate storytelling, culture and history to teach students in Cherry County rural schools about their heritage. Participating teachers will learn how to identify elements of the storytelling process and how it fits into the curriculum.

Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, $8,020 for “National History Day: Nebraska,” a statewide humanities education program that will provide students in grades six through 12 the opportunity to learn historical content and develop research, thinking and communication skills.

University of Nebraska at Omaha, $7,697 for “Death, Murder and Mayhem: Stories of Violence and Healing on the Plains,” the Center for Great Plains Studies’ 34th interdisciplinary symposium, April 16-19, 2008.

Opera Omaha Inc., $6,800 for “Opera Insights,” a series of lectures, seminars and related essays for Opera Omaha’s 2007-2008 season, scheduled through next June at Lauritzen Botanical Gardens, Joslyn Art Museum, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Film Streams, the Rose Theater, Westroads Mall and the Orpheum Theater.

El Museo Latino, Omaha, $6,700 for the “Latino Heritage and Culture” series of gallery talks, lectures, musical presentations and food samplings, with a focus on the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela, through next February at El Museo Latino.

Nebraska Folklife Network, Lincoln, $6,300 for the creation of Nebraska farm and ranch teaching kits, two sets of trunks that will illustrate the history and traditions of Nebraska agriculture. The trunks, which will target upper elementary and middle school youth, as well as adult community audiences, will be available on loan beginning in late 2008.

Willa Cather Pioneer, Memorial and Educational Foundation, Red Cloud, $5,835 for “America: A Kaleidoscope of Worlds,” a series of presentations, films and performances addressing Nebraska’s new immigrants and examining the past, present and future of rural, urban and suburban America, throughout 2008 at the Red Cloud Opera house and the Cather Center.

Nebraska Writing Project, Lincoln, $5,000 for events showcasing place-conscious teaching implemented by teachers who attended a writing institute this summer in North Platte. Events Oct. 13 and Nov. 3 at North Platte Community College and May 15 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will provide a public forum at which teachers will present their projects.

The Groundwater Foundation, Lincoln, $5,000 for “Water Ways: Education for Rural and Urban Youth,” several interactive mini-camps for Nebraska youth to be scheduled through August in Nebraska City, Denton, Bellevue and other locations in the state.

International Quilt Study Center, Lincoln, $4,950 for the “Quilts in Common” lecture series and gallery guide to accompany the inaugural exhibition in the new museum, scheduled to open in April at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Friends of Joslyn Castle, Omaha, $4,000 to develop automated self-guided tours of the historic Joslyn Castle to allow more visitors to access information without relying on volunteer tour guides.

Center for Faith Studies at Countryside Community Church, Omaha, $2,606 for “American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers and the Making of a Nation,” an Oct. 28 lecture at the church by Jon Meacham, editor of Newsweek magazine.

Norfolk Library Foundation, $1,500 for “Christmas with Laura Ingalls Wilder,” as portrayed by Betty Jean Steinshouer, Dec. 8 in Kearney, Dec. 10 in Columbus, Dec. 11 in Norfolk, Dec. 13 in Fremont, Dec. 15 in Hastings, Dec. 16 in Omaha and Dec. 20 in Bellevue.

Omaha Public Library, $1,446 for speaking appearances Oct. 30 by author Pete Hautman at Westside Middle School, Central Middle School and the Omaha Public Library. Hautman wrote “Godless,” winner of the 2004 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

Omaha Public Library, $1,250 for a Chautauqua-style portrayal of the Rev. Adam Clayton Powell by Preston Love Jr., during the 2008 Black History Month in February at the W. Dale Clark Library.

John G. Neihardt Foundation, Bancroft, $1,109 for the 27th Annual Spring Conference, April 26 at the J.G. Neihardt State Historic Site. The conference will explore how various authors, poets, performers and historians have, like Neihardt, gained inspiration from the Plains.

Merryman Performing Arts Center, Kearney, $800 for “Prayers for the People,” a “presentation Nov. 16 by former U.S. poet laureate Ted Kooser celebrating Carl Sandburg’s songs, poetry and proverbs from the Great Plains and Nebraska.

Gage County Heritage Preservation, Beatrice, $796 for a living-history weekend Nov. 2-3 at the Mission School in Barneston and Nov. 4 at the Homestead National Monument and the First Mennonite Church in Beatrice.

Major grants are for more than $1,500 and there are two grant cycles a year. Applications must be postmarked by March 1 or Aug. 1. Mini grants are for $1,500 or less and there are six grant cycles a year. Applications must by postmarked by Jan. 1, March 1, May 1, July 1, Sept. 1 or Nov. 1.

Through its grants, the NHC works with non-profit groups statewide to create high-quality programs that add to the understanding and appreciation of Nebraska and the world, and that foster a better understanding of the humanities. The NHC staff is available for consultation and will read proposal drafts. Contact the NHC office if you need assistance with a project idea.

For details on applying for a grant, call Mary Yager at (402) 474-2131 ext. 103 or Erika Hamilton at ext. 104.

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September 2007

NHC awards grants totaling $12,555

The Nebraska Humanities Council (NHC) recently awarded $12,555 in grants to 11 Nebraska organizations.

Grant recipients and the amount of each grant:

Native American Public Telecommunications Inc. Lincoln, $1,500 for the Vision Maker Film Festival, a series of film screenings, lectures and workshops Nov. 16-29 at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, the Lincoln Indian Center and in Lincoln Public Schools. The festival aims to provide a biannual showcase for films by and about Native Americans.

Friends of Loren Eiseley Society, Lincoln, $1,500 for the Loren Eiseley Centennial, Sept. 7-8 in Lincoln and Omaha. The keynote speaker was Scott Slovic, professor of literature and environment at the University of Nevada-Reno, who talked about the significance of Eiseley’s literary works in the 21st century, and Eiseley’s influence in his life as a scholar and teacher.

Southeast Community College Diversity Program, Lincoln, $1,500 for GiveWay in Southeast Nebraska, a series of lectures, workshops and performances Sept. 10-12 in Lincoln, Wymore, Beatrice and Milford. GiveWay is a group of four musical sisters from Scotland, who led discussions and answered questions on the development of traditional Scottish music in their individual specialties.

Friends of the Libraries of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, $1,500 for a celebration of the UNL Libraries three millionth book, Sept. 27 at Love Library. The occasion will be an opportunity to help library patrons, Nebraska citizens and UNL alumni see the connection between print materials and online resources.

Nebraska Writing Project, Lincoln, $1,250 for the North Platte Rural Institute in place-conscious writing teaching to guide teachers in the development of writing curriculum centered in local resources, local history, local civic issues and local understanding. The two-week institute was June 4-14 at North Platte Community College.

Analog, Omaha, $1,375 for “ARTSaha! 2007 Pre-Concert Talks: A Series of Discussions of Futurism in Music and Art,” Sept. 8-15 at Strauss Performing Arts Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The talks highlight the relationship between the programs and the Futurist movement of the early 20th century.

South Dakota Chapter of the Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation Inc., Bushnell, S.D., $1200 for a re-enactment of the Lewis and Clark council with the Yankton Sioux in August 1804. The re-enactment and related programs were Aug. 25-26 at Gavins Point Dam on the Missouri River.

State of Nebraska Department of Administrative Services, Lincoln, $1,000 for World Day on the Mall, a celebration of diversity through educational programs, art projects, food and cultural entertainment, Sept. 13 at Centennial Mall in downtown Lincoln.

John G. Neihardt Foundation, Bancroft, $730 for the 42nd Annual Neihardt Day Celebration, which explored how Neihardt’s works addressed the bravery, tenacity, intelligence and spirituality of the Plains tribes in the person of Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, Aug. 5 at the J.G. Neihardt State Historic Site.

Nebraska Library Association Diversity Committee, Lincoln, $500 for “Work of Reconciliation: Creating American Indian Library Collections, Services and Programs,” an informational program for Nebraska librarians, Oct. 25 at the Holiday Inn in Kearney.

Gold Coast Historical Preservation Association, Omaha, $500 for “McDonald: A Scottish Imprint,” an historic photo and archive exhibit documenting the architectural achievements and contributions of one of Omaha’s primary architectural firms, June 1-July 3 at the Nebraska State Historical Society and late July through early fall at Joslyn Art Museum.

Mini grants are for $1,500 or less and there are six grant cycles a year. Applications must by postmarked by Jan. 1, March 1, May 1, July 1, Sept. 1 or Nov. 1. Major grants are for more than $1,500 and there are two grant cycles a year. Applications must be postmarked by March 1 or Aug. 1.

Through its grants, the NHC works with non-profit groups statewide to create high-quality programs that add to the understanding and appreciation of Nebraska and the world, and that foster a better understanding of the humanities. The NHC staff is available for grant consultation and will read proposal drafts. Contact the NHC office if you need assistance with a project idea.

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April 2007

NHC awards grants totaling $147,987

The Nebraska Humanities Council (NHC) recently awarded a $12,523 media grant to Native Languages of the Americas of St. Paul, Minn., for production and post-production work on “Lost Nation: The Ioway,” a historical documentary film and a public program with an accompanying panel discussion later this year at the Museum of Nebraska History in Lincoln. The film explores the history and culture of the Ioway Indians from their prehistory ancestors the Oneota to their current lives on reservations in Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. The NHC announced 44 grants totaling $147,987. Other grant recipients and the amount of each grant:

NET Foundation for Television, Lincoln, $12,000 media grant for “The War in Nebraska,” an oral history production for NET Television, to be broadcast later this year. It will consist of 10 short pieces, each from two to 10 minutes long, to be aired on NET 1 and NET 2 and for possible adaptation to NET Radio.

Omaha Children’s Museum, $10,000 for “Blizzard Voices” fabrication. Based on poet Ted Kooser’s book of poetry of the same name, the exhibition has components of art, geography, history and science. After a debut in Omaha, it will travel with Opera Omaha across the state and throughout the Midwest.

Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, Grand Island, $8,493 for the Hall County Sesquicentennial Humanities Festival, July 2-7 at the museum. The festival will feature 13 guest humanities scholars to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of the county’s pioneer settlement.

Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department, $8,138 for the Malone African-American Community History Project. The project will research and compile written and oral history of the Malone African-American community, culminating in a public seminar July 10 at the Malone Community Center in Lincoln.

University of Nebraska at Omaha, Teacher Education Department, $8,000 for “Nuestra Communidad (Our Community),” stories of New Nebraskans with Ala Flor Ada and Isabel Campoy. The two acclaimed Latino-American scholars will conduct story-writing workshops in Omaha Public Schools next year.

Board of Regents, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, $7,800 media grant for “Mapping a Writer’s World: A Geographic Chronology of Willa Cather’s Life.” The project will create a free, educational online resource devoted to an interactive, map-based chronology of Cather’s life.

Plum Creek Children’s Literacy Festival, Seward, $7,500 for 2007 festival Oct. 4-6 at Concordia College in Seward. The festival enables children to interact with nationally known authors, illustrators and story-tellers at no cost. Literature, art, drama, music and poetry are featured.

Village of Grafton Q125 Committee, $7,000 for a celebration of the city’s 125th anniversary, Aug. 11 in Grafton. Living history demonstrations and four humanities speakers are included in the planned events.

Dana College, Blair, $6,124 for “Alexander Hamilton: The Man Who Made Modern America,” a six-week exhibit and outreach program Aug. 24-Oct. 5 at Dana College.

Grand Island Multicultural Coalition, $5,807 for “The Different Faces of Diversity,” a one-day conference Oct. 23 at the Midtown Holiday Inn in Grand Island.

Durham Western Heritage Museum, Omaha, $5,000 for a Library of Congress Teachers’ Institute consisting of five workshops Oct. 1-5 at the museum. Teachers will learn how to use the institute’s website.

Metropolitan Community College Foundation, Omaha, $5,000 for the 2007 Great Plains Theater Conference May 26-June 4 at the college’s Fort Omaha campus.

McCook Community College, $3,500 for Wind on the Buffalo Grass Youth Enrichment Camp June 3-29. Students entering grades four through seven will explore the history of southwest Nebraska.

Lux Center for the Arts, Lincoln, $3,250 for “The Art of Fine Craft 2007: Original Mind/Modern Matter,” a conference Oct. 4-5 at the Lux Center and Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Center for Health Policy and Ethics, Omaha, $3,132 for “Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith,” a lecture by novelist and essayist Ann Lamott.

Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, Omaha, $3,000 for “Shakespeare Unbound,” a series of pre-show seminars, scholars’ forums and a sonnet-writing contest at Nebraska high schools.

St. Paul United Methodist Church, Lincoln, $2,600 for “St. Paul Sesquicentennial 1857-2007,” with a May 2 lecture by Bob Edgar and a St. Paul Chautauqua, June 29-July 1 with U.S. Sen. George McGovern.

Mari Sandoz Heritage Society, Lincoln, $2,500 for the 2007 One Book One Nebraska Project, a series of statewide events focusing on “Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of the Oglalas,” by Mari Sandoz.

Homestead National Monument of America, $1,950 for Homestead Days 2007, an event June 14-17 that celebrates pioneer heritage with performers and demonstrations of traditional crafts and skills.

Board of Regents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, $1,692 for programs related to “Small Expressions” and “Unfurled: Expressive Cloth,” exhibitions this year at the Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery.

Nebraska Writing Project, Lincoln, $1,500 for “Celebrating Nebraska Rural Poetry,” a public reading by Bill Kloefkorn and Twyla Hansen, May 4 in the Warner Chamber of the State Capitol.

Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, Omaha, $1,500 for presentations by two humanities scholars at the Ponca Pow Wow celebration, Aug. 17-19 near Niobrara.

George W. Norris Foundation, McCook, $1,500 for “Presenting Senator Norris,” a living-history interpretation by David Landis, Sept. 28 during Heritage Days in McCook.

University of Nebraska at Kearney, $1,485 for “Reckless Ecstasy: Carl Sandburg’s Great Plains,” celebrating the poet’s Great Plains writings with summer performances in Kearney, Minden and Red Cloud.

Kearney Storytelling Festival, $1,390 for “Winter Tales: The Healing Art of Storytelling,” an event with presentations at schools, hospitals, retirement homes and other venues in the Kearney area.

African American and African Studies, $1,200 for the Black Film Festival at the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theatre at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Nebraska StoryArts, Omaha, $1,200 for StoryConnect, a program that brings storytellers into eastern Nebraska schools, and a one-day storytelling festival in Omaha.

City of Lincoln, $1,000 for the Abraham Lincoln Birthday Celebration, featuring living-history presentations at Lincoln Southwest High School.

Southeast Community College, Lincoln, $1,000 for April performances by the Alash Ensemble of Tuvan throat singers at venues in Lincoln, Omaha, Beatrice and Milford.

Southeast Community College Diversity Program, Lincoln, $1,000 for a series of performances by La Musgana, an ensemble demonstrating traditional Spanish culture and music of the Castilliar region.

Opera Omaha, $1,000 for the “Wakonda’s Dream” workshop and poetry contest in conjunction with Opera Omaha’s world premiere of the Anthony Davis opera, with text by poet Yusef Komunyakaa.

Wayne State College, Department of Language and Literature, Wayne, $1,000 for “Plains Writers’ Fiesta,” a literary reading of poetry and fiction in Wayne.

Oyate Wanji (NASCA), Tecumseh, $1,000 for a Winter Pow Wow at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution.

R.M. Merryman Performing Arts Center, Kearney, $1,000 for “The Controversial Mark Twain,” a lecture by Charles Peek, professor of English at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

YWCA of Adams County, Hastings, $900 for “Nice Girls Don’t Sweat,” a dramatic monologue by Jane Curry at Hastings College.

The Social Action Committee of the Unitarian Church, Lincoln, $828 for the 2007 Winter Lecture Series, “Climate Change: Causes and Responses.”

Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, $800 for the Nebraska Institute Speaker Series. Events will be held July 19-27 at the Nebraska State Historical Society and Nebraska Wesleyan University.

University of Nebraska History Graduate Students’ Association, Lincoln, $700 for the James A. Rawley Graduate Conference in the Humanities.

Cather Foundation, Red Cloud, $700 for “Willa Cather and Material Culture,” the 52nd Cather Spring Conference, April 27-28 at the Opera House.

Board of Regents, University of Nebraska at Omaha, $600 for the 2007 UNO Women of Color Awards Luncheon, with keynote speaker Dr. Regina Benjamin on the topic “Healthy Women.”

Wayne State College, Wayne, $600 for a Language Arts Festival for students grades seven to 12.

Northeast Community College Foundation, Norfolk, $575 for an event celebrating Black History Month.

Boone Central Middle School, Petersburg, $500 for a presentation by Steven Layne.