Reading & Discussion
Forecasted
Reading & Discussion supports libraries, museums, and community organizations with curated readings and facilitator support for sustained conversations that deepen humanities inquiry and community ties.
Funder: Humanities New York
Due Dates (Anticipated): January 2027 (Application deadline, projected upon resumption of grantmaking)
Funding Amounts: Program design, curated discussion toolkits, and facilitator support for multi-session series
Summary: Supports libraries, museums, and community organizations in hosting facilitated, text-based conversations that deepen public humanities inquiry and community relationships.
Key Information: Applicants must be tax-exempt organizations based in and serving New York State; individuals are not funded.
Description
Reading & Discussion, run by Humanities New York (HNY), supports libraries, museums, and community organizations in bringing people together for sustained, text-based conversations. Each series centers on a guiding theme and shared readings developed with scholars and community partners. Texts may include literature, history, memoir, philosophy, or cultural criticism. HNY supplies curated tools and facilitator support, while trained local facilitators lead discussions that prioritize dialogue over lecture.
Across multiple sessions, participants revisit readings, explore difficult questions, and engage respectfully with disagreement. The program aims to strengthen interpretation, confidence, relationships, and engagement across difference. Series align with HNY’s annual thematic priorities while allowing local adaptation. HNY also describes this sustained model as Humanities Unbound, with series spanning three to five sessions.
