whc profile

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The unexamined lie is not worth living. Socrates

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Many o you who are long time supporters o the Wisconsin Humanities Council may notice

that we have a brand new logo. This interlocking set o three dialogue balloons represents the

meeting o multiple points o view and the lively conversations that occur within the structure

o a WHC program. We think our new tag line community through conversation distills our

mission nicely, and we hope it inspires you to look into WHC-backed initiatives in your part o

the state. Better yet, perhaps you will be inspired to write your own grant proposal and design a

provocative, lively public humanities program or your own community.

Your support o the WHC demonstrates that you believe that the humanities help shape the

civic inrastructure o our nation. Indeed, while it is our physical inrastructureroads, bridges,

borders, and public utilitiesthat make us a nation, it is our civic inrastructureour stories,

songs, belies, and valuesthat make us a civilization worth celebrating and preserving.

We thank you or your continued support,

Dean Bakopoulos

Executive Director

DEAR FRIENDS OF THE WHC:

Karla MullenWHC Chair, Watertown, WI

CONTENTS

LetterfromtheWHC 3

WhatAretheHumanities? 4

WhatWeDo 5

WHCSpeakersBureau 6

Wiscons inBookFest ival 8

Motheread/Fatheread10

AMorePerfectUnion12

BetweenFences14

WHCGrantProgram 16

2006Grants 18

Suppo rt t he Humani ti es 20

PowerofPartnerships 21

MajorDonors 22

WHCBoardandStaff 23

ContactInformation 24

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HISTO RY CULTURAL ANTHRO PO LO GY L ITERATURE

PHILOSO PHY AND ETHICS F O REIGN LANGUAGES

AND CULTURES THE HISTORY, THEORY, AND CRITICIS M

OF THE ARTS COMPARATIVE RELIGION LINGUISTICS

FOLKLORE PHILOSOPHY OF LAW ARCHEOLOGY

Established in 1972 as an independent aliate o the National Endowment o the

Humanities, the Wisconsin Humanities Council is a nonprot, nonpartisan organization

that supports public programs that engage the people o Wisconsin in the exploration o

human cultures, ideas, and values. We do this with the conviction that our communities

are strengthened with civil and inormed conversations.

Each year, the WHC receives ederal unding rom the NEH, which we use to leverage

state, individual, corporate, and oundation support at the local level. We also extend our

ederal dollars by orming partnerships with both state and local organizations. The WHC,

or example, works closely with the Cultural Coalition o Wisconsin and the University

o WisconsinExtension. In doing so, we help to build a stronger network among

cultural institutions.

WHAT WE DO

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6Our library had the pleasure of having

Christopher Goetz come and give us his

Talk with the Past . Not only was he

well-prepared and personable, but he

captivated our audience for over onehour. The passion he has for his histor-

ical character and history were clearly

evident. Audience members said, Bring

him back; he was GREAT!

Jennier Einwalter,

slinger community library,

on christopher goetzs chautauqua

presentation on civil war lie, Talk with the Past

Since 1991, the WHC Speakers Bureau has oered educational and entertaining humanities

presentations and in-character historical Chautauqua perormances in nearly every county

in Wisconsin, bringing discussions about poetry, world religions, archaeology, olklore,

history, and much more to every corner o the state.

The size o our Speakers Bureau audiences continues to increase. For the 2004 2005 cata-

logue years, almost 12,000 people attended one of the 267 Speakers Bureau presentations

around Wisconsin. Encouragingly, one-third o these events were hosted by organizations in

Wisconsin that had never beore applied to host a Speakers Bureau event. These new requests

came rom proessional groups, librar ies, social clubs, m iddle schools, social advocacy groups,

conservation groups, religious centers, museums, and churches and attest to the growing

(and glowing!) reputation o the WHC Speakers Bureau.

WHC SPEAKERS BUREAU

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8

The Festival served again as one of

Madisons most fantastic events, a ve-day

gathering that would make big-city dwellers

drop their reading glasses in awe. I heard

18 authors, seven poets, and a British

woman who translated a novel from

Spanish to English. Bolstered by Wisconsin

authors and others with signicant ties to

the Dairyland state, the Festival [delivered]

many memorable moments.

This was my rst time at the event

and it was amazing for me as a young

person. Events like these are crucial

for the expression and education of

young people through literature

and the arts.

Survey Respondent

Ive been to many book festivals

over the years and simply put, yours

was by far the most excellent and

most exciting.

Carol Houck Smith, Senior Editor

ww norton, new york

Tom Alesia,

Wisconsin State Journal

Through a unique partnership between the public, private, and academic sectors, the

Wisconsin Book Festival celebrates our states rich literary heritage, brings some o Americas

nest writers to the people o Wisconsin, and encourages Wisconsinites o all ages to read

widely and to read well. The Wisconsin Book Festival is the states largest literary festival

with annual attendance reaching 15,000 attendees and one of the largest free literary

events in the nation.

Each year the Festival hosts over 100 events, including author readings, panel discussions,

writing workshops, exhibitions, and youth poetry slams.

In recent years, Festival presenters have included Wisconsin avorites Jane Hamilton,

Lorrie Moore, Jacquelyn Mitchard, David Maraniss, Michael Perry, Denise Sweet, Mark

Turcotte, and Kevin Henkes. We have also welcomed nationally-acclaimed literary stars like

Michael Chabon, Isabel Allende, Edwidge Danticat, and Grace Paley; U.S. Poet Laureates

Billy Collins and Ted Kooser; nationally-acclaimed poets like Martn Espada, Sam Hamill, and

Luis Rodriguez; National Public Radio reporters Anne Garrels and Noah Adams; historians

Howard Zinn and Joseph Ellis; and graphic novelists Chris Ware and Marjane Satrapi.

WISCONSIN BOOK FESTIVAL

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QUOTE

10

Motheread/Fatheread has truly touched the hearts

o many amilies in the La Crosse School District, both

through the power o the group and the power o the

stories themselves. Parents leave eeling empowered

and motivated to read with their children, and have

a true understanding o how reading together not only

benefts their child academically, but also brings them

closer as a amily.

Sandy Brauer,

Director of Curriculum & Staff Development ,

la crosse school district

Motheread/Fatheread is a amily literacy program that does something amazing: it helps

parents who are poor readers become condent and excited about reading aloud to their

children. And because it has been shown that the most important predictor o a childssuccess in school is whether he or she is read to at home, parents who participate in

Motheread/Fatheread are breaking the generational cycle o school ailure.

As the exclusive Wisconsin provider o the Motheread/Fatheread Family Literacy program,

the WHC trains teachers, literacy instructors, librarians, and other literacy proessionals in

this nationally acclaimed instructional approach and curriculum. Motheread/Fatheread

introduces parents with limited literacy to high quality childrens literature and encourages

amilies to read together. The curriculum appeals to a very powerul motivation in parents:

the desire to help their children learn.

MOTHEREAD FATHEREAD

Family Literacy Program

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12

A More Perfect Union offers

themed book discussions to

our librarys book club. We

often talk about the future

of the United States in our

discussions. Going back to

our roots as a nation with

this series is a unique

experience for the club.

Cecilia Wiltzius, Library Director,

karl jungunger memorial library

The books dealt with difcult subjects,

sometimes horrible events. But we

need to face these things. Good change

is possible. We need to be hopeful

and active.

2005AMPU participant in Janesville

I read all the books, understood a little, and learned much

more from the discussions. It was well worth my time.

2005AMPU participant rom Presque Isle

Since its inception in 2004, hundreds o Wisconsin residents each year have joined our ree

book discussion series. A More Perect Union prompts readers to examine various aspects o

the U.S. Constitutionboth its ideals and its realities. We lend teen copies o the books

and accompanying discussion guides to any group in Wisconsin that meets in a public space

and publicly advertises its meetings. We will even pay or a scholar to join the group to

enrich the conversation abou