FHC grants programs explore Florida’s past and present through the disciplines and tools of the humanities.

Quilt maker Mary Lee Bendolph discusses African American quilt making

Exhibits document the Florida experience

Native Paths Traveling Museum

Folk artist Nicario Jimenez featured on the Folkvine website

Sample Grant Projects

African-American Quilters of Gee’s Bend, Alabama and Central Florida
At the Orlando Museum of Art, the opening weekend of the Gee’s Bend Quilt exhibit featured a lecture by the exhibit curator and a scholar-led, round-table discussion with six of the quilters. The program explored this tradition of a skill born of necessity that was transformed into the highest form of artistic expression. Other activities at local African-American museums examined the social, cultural, and artistic connections between African-American quilters of Gee’s Bend and Central Florida.

Alachua County History Series
The Matheson Museum in Gainesville conducted a series of five programs that highlighted the diverse history of Alachua County. Topics of the presentations by leading historians included Reconstruction, Plantation Era, the travels of William Bartram, Women, and African American Education.

Green Cove Springs: A Public Lecture and Round Table
The City of Green Cove Springs brought a renowned scholar/author together with local historians and community members for a series of public programs about Augusta Savage-artist, educator, civil rights activist and native of Green Cove Springs.

Exploration of New Urbanism: Outgrowth of John Nolan
Responding to community concern over preserving the character of a town facing massive development, the Historical Society in Venice, Florida, hosted a one-day seminar. The scholars and panelists involved explored the pros and cons of New Urbanism in an effort to foster informed community dialogue.

Religion & Science in Contemporary Life Lecture Series
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Lake Worth hosted a series of programs that explored challenging contemporary social issues within a framework of religious studies. Leading scholars gave talks following a covered-dish supper and then engaged in dialogue with the audience.

Florida Blues: A Cultural History
The Charlotte County Public Library hosted several programs that examined the history and traditions of blues music. A blues musician was paired with a scholar and they reviewed the national as well as the Florida story of blues music.

Folkvine III
The Cultural Heritage Alliance of the University of Central Florida received three grants to create the Folkvine website and podcasts. This inventive use of technology explores the world of Florida folk art by examining folk artists and their connections to their communities. The public programs involved each artist’s community and provided an opportunity for feedback on and inclusion in the site.

A History of Fishing in Okaloosa County
The Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida in Valparaiso created an exhibit that documents the history of commercial fishing and the related boat-building industry in Okaloosa County. The accompanying public program engaged a historian and members of the community involved in the fishing trade.

Ninth Annual Kingsley Heritage Celebration: Flight for Freedom
The Kingsley Plantation in Jacksonville hosted an annual daylong festival that focused on an aspect of the history and heritage of the site. Historians, anthropologists, authors, and artists addressed the theme of the festival, drawing on African-American traditions related to those who occupied Kingsley.

Greater Homestead Area: Looking Back while Looking Forward
A series of lunch-time lectures sponsored by the Homestead Arts Center explored the history of the Homestead/South Florida area within the context of Florida history. With the goal of better understanding the community today, scholars and artists examined both the land and people of the state.

Hispanic Heritage
Latino holidays and ceremonies were commemorated with programs sponsored by the Tavares Public Library. Literature, dance, folklore, religion, and musical presentations were introduced by a folklore scholar.