A Call for Nominations for the Governor’s Awards in the Humanities

South Carolina Humanities is pleased to announce that nominations for the Governor’s Awards in the Humanities and the Fresh Voices in the Humanities Award are now being accepted through May 15, 2021.

For the Governor’s Awards in the Humanities, SC Humanities seeks to recognize:

  • outstanding achievement in humanities research, teaching, and scholarship
  • institutional and individual participation in helping communities in South Carolina better understand our cultural heritage or ideas and issues related to the humanities
  • excellence defining South Carolina’s cultural life to the nation or world
  • exemplary support for public humanities programs. 

Individuals, organizations, and institutions whose efforts have strengthened the humanities in the Palmetto State are eligible to receive a Governor’s Awards in the Humanities. Examples of candidates suitable for this award include:

  • An individual who has demonstrated exemplary support for public humanities programs on the local and/or state level over a significant period of time
  • An individual who best defines South Carolina’s cultural life to the nation or to the world
  • An individual responsible for significant work in teaching, research, or scholarship in one or more of the humanities disciplines
  • An institution, business, or individual that creates or participates in community-based programs that promote public understanding of ideas and issues related to the humanities
  • An individual practitioner responsible for outstanding public humanities programs in libraries, museums, historical societies, or other cultural institutions
  • An individual who has contributed to increasing the understanding of our cultural heritage and values in the community, region, or state through public program participation.

The Fresh Voices in the Humanities Award will recognize individuals who are working in unique and innovative ways to use culture and history to bring people together, but whose efforts have gone relatively unnoticed beyond their own community. For the Fresh Voices in the Humanities Award, SC Humanities seeks to recognize new voices who:

  • Identify current opportunities by examining the world through a fresh lens.
  • Engage their communities through open conversation and collaboration.
  • Create innovative responses that have a dynamic impact.

The SC Humanities Board of Directors will choose the nominees who best exemplify the criteria. A letter of nomination should be sent to the attention of Randy Akers, SC Humanities, P.O. Box 5287, Columbia, SC 29250 by May 15, 2021. Nomination letters may be up to three pages in length and should describe the contributions of the nominee. Individuals, organizations, or institutions may not nominate themselves. Nominations will also be accepted by e-mail at rlakers@schumanities.org

For more information about the awards or the nomination process, please contact the office at 803-771-2477.