The mission of Humanities Iowa is to promote understanding and appreciation of the people, communities, cultures, and stories of importance to Iowa and the nation.
Humanities Iowa is the only non-profit organization in Iowa committed to bringing the humanities to life and to the public through interactive programming, publications, and events. Humanities Iowa was founded in Iowa in 1971 and is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities in Washington D.C. We provide grants to aid other non-profit organizations in furthering the humanities in Iowa as well as conduct our own programs in support of the humanities across Iowa. Each year, we serve over 70,000 Iowans with humanities programming and projects totaling over $1,500,000. We offer dynamic programming such as our Humanities Iowa Speakers Bureau and Library Reading and Discussion Series. We sponsor the annual Humanities Iowa Awards, honoring Iowans for their contributions to the humanities, and Chautauqua, where humanities scholars perform as great writers and thinkers of the past. We have a strong commitment to sharing the humanities with Iowans of all ages and continuing our support and involvement well into the next millennium.
Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, "[A] mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions." His words provide inspiration for all to embark upon the humanities adventure, an exploration that expands the horizons of our minds and our understanding of purpose. As we open our minds, we open ourselves to the world around us. This is what Humanities Iowa strives to do.