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IHC HOME Indiana Humanities Council 1500 North Delaware Indianapolis, IN 46202 Phone: 317.638.1500

Humanities Initiative Grants:
2006 Awards

 

African Cultural Resources Display (#06-1001)

African Cultural Resources, Inc., Indianapolis
Francoise Dakri, 317.870.0013
The African Cultural Resources Corporation will focus its 2006 International Festival booth on the traditional music and dance of the country of Togo. The ACRC has won awards for the educational and cultural content of its presentations at the festival, which highlight the variety of countries and ethnicities on the continent of Africa. (Nov. 2-5, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Bristol Hills Storytelling Festival 2006 (#06-1002)

Northern Indiana Storytelling Guild, Inc., Elkhart
Mary Jane Hiles, 574.264.1027
The Bristol Hills Storytelling Festival, a two-day event in early autumn, gives people in the Elkhart area an opportunity to hear nationally acclaimed storytellers and experience this traditional art form. Evening performances on each day of the festival draw public audiences, and the presenters also visit area schools and senior centers. (Sept. 8-9, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Connect Lit: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (#06-1003)

Community Theatre Guild, Valparaiso
Patricia Spillers, 219.462.4006
The "Connect Lit" performances and symposium enable students to see and learn about productions based on literature they are reading. The 2006 play for elementary school audiences is "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing," from Judy Blume’s popular book. An activities guide will also be made available. (Sept. 7, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Cultural Crossroads: Haida and Hoosier Totem Pole Tales (#06-1004)

Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis
Martha Hill, 317.275.1377
Haida singers and storytellers from Alaska will take part in a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Eiteljorg Museum’s totem pole. The two-day salute to Northwest Coast cultures will include a rare opportunity to hear the indigenous language and traditions from which the totem pole originated. (Aug. 5-6, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Faith, Fiction and Fantasy (#06-1005)

Middlebury Community Public Library, Middlebury
Terry Rheinheimer, 574.825.5601
Scholars from Manchester College, Goshen College, and IU South Bend will serve as presenters for a reading, discussion, and lecture series exploring the ways that religion and faith are portrayed in literature. (Oct. 3, 17, 31; Nov. 14, 28)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Furniture Tells a Story (#06-1006)

Tippecanoe County Historical Association, Lafayette
Natalie Federer, 765.494.8406
In preparation for a public exhibition and accompanying programs, the historical association’s collection of French furniture from the estate of a prominent local citizen will undergo assessment by conservators. The project is part of a three-year effort to renovate the TCHA’s house museum, the Fowler House. (Fall 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

The Indiana Historical Society Distinguished Lecturer Series (#06-1007)

Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis
Steve Cox, 317.232.1876
To open its IHS Distinguished Lecturer Series, the Indiana Historical Society will present Dr. Spencer Wells, author of The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey. Dr. Wells’ research uses innovative DNA sampling techniques to discover how early humans migrated out of Africa and across the globe to form human societies. (Nov. 9, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Information Literacy: The State of Information Literacy in Indiana (#06-1008)

Indiana Library Federation, Indianapolis
Linda Kolb, 317.257.2040
This grant supports a special issue of the Indiana Library Federation’s journal, exploring the topic of information literacy and lifelong learning skills. What must librarians, including school library media specialists, know and do in order to help Indiana adults and children become literate in an environment where research and learning methods have radically changed?
(Grant: $1000)

 

International Forum on Violins: The Composer's View (#06-1009)

International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, Indianapolis
Glen Kwok, 317.637.4574
A public lecture by Bright Sheng, internationally renowned composer and recipient of a Macarthur Foundation Award, will be a highlight of the International Forum on Violins. The presentation at Butler University, open to the general public, will be followed by audience discussion and a short concert. (Sept. 9, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Life Cycle Series: Community and Personal History Project (#06-1010)

Mathers Museum (Indiana University), Bloomington
Geoffrey W. Conrad, 812.855.5340
This collaborative project will be hosted by three Bloomington museums, the Mathers Museum of World Cultures (IU), the Monroe Co. History Center, and the Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection. Older adults from the Meadowood Retirement Community in Bloomington will combine their personal artifacts with the museum collections to talk and write about the relationship between life stages and material culture. The result will be a unique approach to community history through new museums programs and outreach kits. (June 27-Aug. 31, 2006)
(Grant: $989)

 

Miami County Heritage Days Festival (#06-1011)

Miami County Historical Society, Peru
Jean A. Musselman, 765.985.3435
This year’s proposal from Miami County’s Heritage Days Festival emphasizes presenters on the Miami and Potawatomi Indian legacy of Indiana. These two tribes have a well-documented history in the northern part of the state, and Peru is the headquarters for the Miami Nation. The three-day festival will include a Friday “Field Trip Day” to give schools an opportunity to participate. (Aug. 25-27, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

My Wabash River: An Interdisciplinary Kit for Grade 3 and Beyond (#06-1012)

Wabash Valley Education Center, Lafayette
Gretchen Leuenberger, 765.463.1389
An interdisciplinary kit, with lessons for 3rd grade students focusing on historical and environmental exploration of the Wabash River Corridor, will be developed and piloted in this project. The Wabash Valley Education Center serves a 14-county area centered on Lafayette and Kokomo. (January-May, 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

One Book, One Campus--Anne Fadiman (#06-1013)

Indiana University South Bend, South Bend
Julie Elliott, 574.520.4410
Indiana University South Bend will sponsor a campus-wide discussion series on Anne Fadiman's book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, a story of cross-cultural conflict between an immigrant Hmong family and the American doctors who treated their ill child. Opportunities for reflection on the themes of cultural communication and medical ethics will be extended to the Michiana community and public libraries, as well as faculty, students, and staff at the university. (Sept. 2006-May 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Public Conversation, 2006 Spirit and Place Festival (#06-1014)

Spirit and Place Fund (The Polis Center), Indianapolis
Pam Blevins Hinkle, 317.278.2644
The Polis Center will begin its annual Spirit & Place Festival with a high-profile panel on the humanities, arts, and religion. The comparative value of tradition and innovation, and the historical, social, and cultural context in which innovation takes place, will be addressed by Sr. Joan Chittister (author and co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women), Angelo Pizzo (writer for the films Hoosiers, Rudy, and The Game of Their Lives), and NPR senior correspondent Juan Williams. (Nov. 5, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Walk a Mile in My Shoes: A Neighborhood Art Workshop (#06-1015)

Fellowship of Hope Church, Elkhart
Robert Weidman, 574.294.1416
Youth in Elkhart’s south side Ullery neighborhood will attend a five-day sculpture workshop, creating a piece made up of shoes, paint, glitter, and found materials. They will also keep a journal of the experience, which will be critiqued by the artist. A family and friends celebration will conclude the project. (July 2006)
(Grant: $500)

 

Connect Lit: Catherine Called Birdie (#06-1016)

Community Theatre Guild, Valparaiso
Ruth J. Pera, 219.462.4006
The Community Theatre Guild’s production of a play based on the award-winning children’s book, Catherine Called Birdy, will be supplemented by a symposium featuring the playwright, William Massolia. The book, which depicts life in medieval England, is a work of historical fiction for middle school students. (Feb. 28, 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Eugene V. Debs: An Indiana Original (#06-1017)

Voces Novae, Inc., Bloomington
Susan Swaney, 812.339.5655
The Bloomington chamber choir, Voces Novae, will produce and perform a dramatic narrative with music on the life and legacy of Eugene V. Debs, a famous labor and political leader originally from Terre Haute, Indiana. Dr. Steven Ashby of Indiana University will lead a community discussion, develop the narrative script, and write an essay on Debs for the printed program and for distribution in area high schools. (May 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Focus on Europe: A Series for the Valparaiso Community (#06-1018)

Valparaiso University, Valparaiso
Randa J. Duvick, 219.464.5169
"Focus on Europe," a series of public events sponsored by Valparaiso University, centers on the European Union and its member countries. This grant will help to bring Professor Marie-Christine Koop of the University of North Texas to Indiana for a presentation on the children of immigrants and their integration into contemporary French society, an important issue in Europe as it is in the United States. (Nov. 2006)
(Grant: $820)

 

Hoosier Made: Indiana Auto Makers (#06-1019)

Studebaker National Museum, South Bend
Tony Smith, 574.235.9714
A lecture series in conjunction with the Studebaker National Museum’s special exhibition, "Hoosier Made," will feature author David Horvath and Matt Short, curator at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum. In addition to these two museums, the Northern Indiana Center for History will serve as a cooperating institution in the project. (Exhibition: Oct. 15, 2006 to Mar. 10, 2007; lectures, Dec. 9, 2006, and Feb. 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

2006-2007 National History Day in Indiana (#06-1020)

Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis
Elaine Rosa, 317.234.0085
The National History Day in Indiana program will engage students in grades 4-12 in exploring this year’s theme, "Triumph and Tragedy in History." Students work during the school year to develop a project on the annual theme--papers, performances, documentaries, exhibits, or web sites. This grant will assist the Indiana Historical Society in conducting school visits to prepare for the program.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Writers in Rhythm: Poetry and Prose and the Waldron Spring Series (#06-1021)

Bloomington Area Arts Council, Bloomington
Jocelyn Robertson, 812.334.3100 x 107
Three readings by distinguished writers will be featured in this spring series of events at the John Waldron Arts Center in downtown Bloomington. Original music will also be performed by local artists at the programs, which will be co-sponsored by the Bloomington Area Arts Council, WFHB Community Radio, and the MFA Creative Writing Program at Indiana University. (Feb-Apr. 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Activities from the Indiana Highland Games (#06-1022)

Scottish Cultural Society, Fort Wayne
Loaine Hagerty, 260.417.0244
The Fort Wayne Scottish Cultural Society will sponsor the Indiana Highland Games in the early summer. In addition to dance and athletic competitions, the event will feature traditional music, historical reenactment in costume, and a Genealogy Tent. (June 9, 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Conversations About Public Sculpture Lecture Series (#06-1026)

Sheldon Swope Art Museum, Terre Haute
David L. Vollmer, 812.238.1676
The city of Terre Haute recently created an Arts Corridor along 7th Street in the downtown district. Public sculpture is being placed here, and the Swope Art Museum will co-sponsor a lecture series bringing the artists to meet with public audiences and discuss their work. The project is co-sponsored by Art Spaces. (Feb. 28, Mar. 14, and Apr. 2, 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Engaging Technology: A History and Future of Intermedia Exhibition Catalogue (#06-1028)

Ball State University, Muncie
John Fillwalk, 765.285.2642
Ball State University’s Institute for Digital Intermedia Arts and Animation will produce a catalogue to extend the educational impact of a popular exhibition on the history and future of intermedia. Intermedia, the genres between genres that emerged in the 1960s, often combine art and technology; examples include art forms such as high-definition video, 3D animation, virtual reality, and interactive media.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Fur Trade Culture: Products and Skills of Native People and European Traders (#06-1029)

Sugar Creek Historical Society, Thorntown
Patricia D. Gillogly, 765.436.7966
A two-day workshop will feature folklife and crafts from the fur trade period of Indiana history. The event is sponsored by the Thorntown Heritage Museum in Boone County. (July 13-14, 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Lanier Days Stephen Foster Concert (#06-1034)

Lanier Mansion Foundation, Madison
Gerry Reilly, 812.273.0556
This grant will help to support programming for the Lanier Days Celebration, a two-day festival on the grounds of Lanier Mansion State Historic Site in Madison. The purpose of the event is to give area residents and visitors a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the music, arts, and culture of the mid-nineteenth century. (June 16-17, 2007)
(Grant: $900)

 

Lincoln Institute for Teachers 2007 (#06-1035)

University of Southern Indiana, Evansville
Leslie Townsend, 812.465.7013
Historic Southern Indiana will bring prominent Lincoln scholars Harold Holzer and Matthew Pinsker to Evansville for a two-day Lincoln Institute for Teachers. The workshop will deal with how one locates and interprets material on Lincoln, what constitutes historical evidence, and how and why stories are changed over time—all important facets of inquiry-based learning. (June 14-15, 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Living Treasures of the Brown County Art Colony (#06-1036)

Brown County Historical Society, Nashville
Mary D. Pendergrass, 812.720.0028
The centennial of the Brown County Art Colony is an event of note in the state’s cultural history. This project will produce a videotaped oral history as a first step toward commemorating and documenting this milestone.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Mujeres Libras/Reading Ladies (#06-1037)

Arlington High School, Indianapolis
Edith Campbell, 317.226.2348
Five teachers at Arlington High School have formed a discussion group to study Mexican literature for the purpose of broadening their knowledge of Hispanic culture. This grant will support the extension of this effort to the student population through the group’s creation of library displays and classroom units that illuminate the geography, society, customs, and history of Mexico.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Oral History Project (#06-1040)

Studebaker National Museum, South Bend
Andrew Beckman, 574.235.9714
The Studebaker Driver Club will sponsor an Studebaker Employees Roundtable during its 2007 International Meet, and this grant will support the creation of a video record of the discussion. Preserving the corporation’s history through the eyes of its employees is the objective of this oral history project. (June 19, 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

VALPO Reads a Book! 2007 (#06-1042)

Valparaiso Community Festivals & Events, Inc., Valparaiso
Michelle Michaels, 219.465.6984
"VALPO Reads a Book!" selected Ben Mikaelsen’s Touching Spirit Bear for a community reading program. The book traces the journey of a teenager, sentenced for a violent crime against a classmate, to an encounter with Native American Circle Justice. The author will speak at two middle schools and a public evening program; related events and panel discussions are planned. (April 12, 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

Indiana Humanities Council
1500 North Delaware Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317.638.1500 or 800.675.8897
ihciupui.edu