Tools of the Trade - California Humanities

Tools of the Trade: A Practical Series for Humanities Programmers

To advance our goals of supporting the public humanities field and assist with recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, California Humanities is pleased to offer a series of free online learning sessions in 2021-2022 to help build and rebuild the capacity of individuals and organizations to provide relevant, responsive, and engaging programs in our communities. Tools of the Trade will spotlight the innovative and creative work being done by California Humanities’ grantees and partners. We will provide opportunities for everyone working in the public humanities field, wherever they may be, to learn from one another and strengthen our sense of commonality and common purpose.

In the online sessions, we will:

Hear short presentations by programmers across the state
Learn how your peers in libraries, museums and cultural organizations are creating safe ways to offer public programs and engagement
Share your own experiences and ask questions

To watch videos of the events, use the tab above.

Questions? Accessibility needs? Contact Program Associate Kirsten Vega at kvega@calhum.org.

Video Archive

Reaching New & Underrepresented Audiences

Learn how recent California Humanities grantees are successfully engaging their new and returning audiences with humanities programs. Hear their takeaways from experimenting with a range of outreach and engagement strategies. Recorded June 2022.

See our list of Tips & Resources for Increasing Visibility.

All Welcome! Best Practices for Increasing Accessibility

Explore how we can make public humanities programs more accessible to people of all abilities, through a conversation with the team from The Art of Disability Culture, an exhibit and public program series organized by the Palo Alto Arts Center. Recorded April 2022.

See our list of Tips & Resources for Increasing Accessibility.

Working with Humanities Advisors: Who, What, Why

Many California Humanities grants require or encourage involvement of a humanities advisor. How does the involvement of a humanities advisor benefit a project? What makes for effective collaboration? Hear three pairs of project directors and humanities advisors share their experiences. Recorded February 2022.

Programming in a Pandemic: Options for Physically Distanced Programming

Learn how recent California Humanities grantees Youth Beat, SPACES: Oakland, Home Gardens Library, and Little Saigon Mobile Museum are successfully engaging their audiences with physically distanced humanities programs. Hear their takeaways from experimenting with a range of in-person formats beyond the virtual realm. Recorded November 2021.

Virtual Programs, Real Conversations

Recent California Humanities grantees The World According to Sound, Inlandia Institute, Elkhorn Slough, SDFutures Collective, and Oakland Asian Cultural Center share strategies to engage new audiences with online humanities programs. Recorded October 2020.

Increasing Your Visibility With Decision Makers and the Media

Explore ways to raise the visibility and impact of public humanities programs, through a conversation California Humanities grantees. Hear stories from project directors who have recently garnered new relationships with the media and elected officials. Recorded August 2022.

Tools of the Trade is made possible by the National Endowment for
the Humanities (NEH) as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP)
and the NEH Sustaining the Humanities through the American
Rescue Plan (SHARP) initiative.