What is a public humanities project?

Scroll down to explore some of these projects with modes of engagement in video, photography, murals, zines, documentary theater, audio projects, oral history and exhibit more.

From 2003 to 2016, California Humanities funded public humanities projects -- projects that engaged communities in all types of humanities experiences-- through the Community Stories Grant (originally  the California Story Fund). During this period, California Humanities made 496 awards to community-based projects that have enabled Californians to voice, record, and share personal and community narratives—many previously untold or little known.

These stories have been shared with audiences, both live and virtual, throughout the state and beyond, making it possible for us to discover our commonalities, appreciate our differences, and learn something new about how to live well together.

Click here to see a list of Community Stories funded projects.

Since 2003, California Humanities has awarded over $4 million to projects that gave voice to extraordinary variety of histories and experiences of California's places and people. 

The current grant program supporting public humanities projects is called Humanities for All and has the goal of providing thought-provoking and engaging programming to all Californians.