Federation of State Humanities Councils and Oregon Humanities file lawsuit against NEH and DOGE alleging illegal termination of grants to 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils

Federation of State Humanities Councils logo

The Federation of State Humanities Councils (Federation) and Oregon Humanities jointly filed a lawsuit on Thursday, May 15 in federal district court in Oregon against the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This lawsuit challenges the disruption and attempted destruction, spearheaded by DOGE, of the congressionally established federal-state partnership between NEH and the … Read More

Mellon Foundation announces $15 Million emergency funding for humanities councils, including up to $250,000 for Ohio Humanities in response to federal funding cuts

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation logo

This investment by the Mellon Foundation will help stabilize Ohio Humanities after the sudden cancellation of its federal operating grants by NEH earlier this month The Mellon Foundation has announced a $15 million emergency funding commitment to the Federation of State Humanities Councils in response to federal funding cuts that have devastated state humanities councils. This emergency funding will help … Read More

Breaking news: federal cultural funding cut in Ohio

Ohio Humanities: Sharing stories. Sparking conversations. Inspiring ideas.

Last night, all state humanities councils, including Ohio Humanities, received word that DOGE—the Department of Government Efficiency—has terminated our operating grants. While we don’t yet know the full scope of the damage, we believe most grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) have been or will soon be canceled. Many institutions also received grant terminations today from the Institute … Read More

Ohio Humanities honors four Ohioans and a media outlet with inaugural awards for excellence in the humanities

Midstory accepts the 2025 Descutner-Burnier Award for Excellence in the Public Humanities

Ohio Humanities, state legislators honor people and organizations making positive impact across Ohio COLUMBUS, OH—On Wednesday in a ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse, Ohio Humanities honored one organization and four individuals with its inaugural awards for excellence in the public humanities. Toledo-based educational media organization Midstory received the inaugural David Descutner and DeLysa Burnier Award for Excellence in the Humanities. … Read More

ArtistYear launches first Ohio program at Columbus Global Academy with support from ServeOhio and Ohio Humanities

A group of children and a teacher gathered around a table making art.

COLUMBUS, OH—ArtistYear, the first national AmeriCorps program dedicated to the arts, is launching its first Ohio program at Columbus Global Academy thanks to support from Ohio Humanities and ServeOhio. Through the program, three AmeriCorps Resident Teaching Artists (RTAs) will spend four days a week using art and creative engagement to teach students at Columbus Global Academy, a Columbus City Schools … Read More

Ohio Humanities, Wexner Center for the Arts seek submissions for the 2025 Ohio Humanities Film Fellowship

A filmmaker films an artist in a studio

COLUMBUS, OH—The three-year partnership between Ohio Humanities and the Wexner Center for the arts to support Ohio’s robust filmmaking community continues with a call for entries for the 2025 Ohio Humanities Film Fellowship. The fellowship program assists independent filmmakers working on documentaries informed by the humanities around and about Ohio. It provides funding of up to $5000 as well as … Read More

Ohio Humanities announces Descutner-Burnier Awards for Excellence in the Humanities

Annual awards to honor people and organizations making positive impact across the state COLUMBUS, OH—Ohio Humanities is launching a new annual awards program to celebrate people and organizations achieving remarkable success in the humanities in Ohio. The David Descutner and DeLysa Burnier Award for Excellence in the Humanities will recognize individuals and organizations whose outstanding work has positively impacted people … Read More

Ohio Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission Awards $75,000 in Grants for Holocaust and Genocide Education

The Holocaust Memorial on the south grounds of the Ohio Statehouse

COLUMBUS, OH—The Ohio Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission (OHGMEC) has awarded $75,000 in grants to support Holocaust and genocide education across the state. Administered in partnership with Ohio Humanities, a nonprofit organization that shares stories to spark conversations and inspire ideas, this grant program supports eligible non-profit, educational, and governmental organizations in Ohio. Grant recipients provided matching funds … Read More

New WYSO podcast tells Ohio history from Indigenous perspective

YELLOW SPRINGS, OH—Ohio’s Indigenous people have been largely left out of Ohio history narratives. In WYSO’s latest podcast, “The Ohio Country,” the perspectives of Ohio’s tribal nations are at the center of a refreshed version of Ohio’s complicated history. The 12-episode series, which launches July 2 with a preview, introduces citizens of federally recognized tribes, whose homelands were once in … Read More

Ohio Humanities, Wexner Center for the Arts Announce the Recipients of 2024–25 Ohio Humanities Film Fellowships

A filmmaker films an artist in a studio

COLUMBUS, OH—Ohio Humanities and the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University are excited to share information about the second group of filmmakers and projects to receive funding through a three-year partnership to support independent filmmaking. “We are honored to continue our longstanding tradition of supporting Ohio’s stories and storytellers alongside our partners at the Wex,” says … Read More