Michigan Humanities

Pickin' With The Champ Anthony Williams
2025-05-03 13:00 - 14:30 (America/Detroit) | Drummond Island Library, 29934 E. Court Street, Drummond, MI, 49726, United States
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

Pickin' With The Champ - Morel Hunting with Anthony Williams
2025-05-01 17:30 - 18:30 | Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington Street, Escanaba, MI, 49829, United States
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or first-time picker, you’re bound to find a new perspective on gathering morel mushrooms! The Williams family has been picking mushrooms in Northern Michigan since the 1890s. Anthony’s advice has proven to be enlightening for everyone of all picking experience. Come to the library on Thursday, May 1 at 5:30 pm to enjoy this informative and free presentation appropriate for all ages. No registration is required.
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

Morel Mushroom Hunting Seminar
2025-04-28 18:00 - 19:30 | Whitefish Township Community Library, 7247 N. M123, Paradise, MI, 49768, United States
“Pickin’ With the Champ” presented by Anthony Williams. Join us as Anthony Williams gives an entertaining & informative presentation about when, where, and how to pick morel mushrooms! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first time picker, you are bound to find a new perspective to gathering the elusive morel!
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

Title Track Quartet Performance and Workshop at Ann Arbor Earth Day Festival
2025-04-27 13:00 - 16:00 | Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and Leslie Science & Nature Center, 1831 Traver Rd., Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, United States
The Ann Arbor Earth Day Festival is an annual celebration coordinated by a coalition of local environmental nonprofits and agencies, and will be held this year at Leslie Science & Nature Center. This free, family-friendly event features displays; hands-on activities; live music and entertainment; green building and commuting technologies; energy topics; water awareness; sustainable agriculture; and more.
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

Pickin' With the Champ!
2025-04-26 17:30 - 19:30 | Pathfinder Community Library, 812 Michigan Ave., Baldwin, MI, 49304, United States

The Mighty Morel
2025-04-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Kingsley Branch Library, 213 S Brownson Ave., Kingsley, MI, 49649, United States
The Williams Family has been picking morels in Northern Michigan since the 1890s and Anthony’s pickin’ advice has been proven to be enlightening for everyone from novice to the seasoned pro. After winning the National Morel Hunting Championship five years in a row, Anthony Williams retired from competitive picking to become the “Expert in Residence” for the National Morel Festival. Over the past twenty years he has continued to share his “Picking with the Champ” seminar at the festival and Michigan libraries. This seminar is filled with stories from his 70 years of picking, tips on where and how to pick including the finer points on finding the elusive morel. Fun will be had by all and hopefully you will walk away filled with hope and promise in your future morel hunting capabilities. This event is FREE and open to the public of all ages. Call 231-263-5484 for more information.
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

Free Noon and Night Concert Series Featuring Hot Sun Trio
2025-04-10 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-04-10 12:00 - 13:00 | SC4 Fine Arts Theatre, 601 Erie St, Port Huron, Michigan, 48060
The Hot Sun Trio (Quarteto Sol Caliente) is a World jazz ensemble formed in 2000 and primarily consists of two flamenco guitars, congas/various percussion and a stand-up bass. Their music ranges from Swing and Latin Jazz to Brazilian Samba, Salsa and Flamenco. They cover the musical globe drawing inspiration from all cultures. Performances are scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the SC4 Fine Arts Theatre. Seats are general admission, and no reservations are needed. Doors open 15 minutes prior to showtime.
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

Symphonic Cinema
2025-04-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Central United Methodist Church, 215 N Capitol Ave, Lansing, Michigan, 48933
An experience like no other. Composer Timothy Blackmon Jr. and hip hop producer James Gardin are re-telling a cult classic through a live, original soundtrack. The 2025 installment of Symphonic Cinema will reimagine the original score for The Brother From Another Planet. To capture the essence of the 1984 futurist film, the reimagined live score will utilize vocal performance, trumpet, synthesizers, and pads reminiscent of the 80s era of electronic, dub and techno subculture.
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

Michigan Wildlife with Outdoor Discovery
2025-04-04 11:00 - 14:00 | Sandcastles Childrens Museum, 129 E Ludington Ave, Ludington, MI, 49431
Turtles, snakes, and birds! Oh my! Join Sandcastles Children’s Museum on April 4th to participate in a visit from Outdoor Discovery Center at 11-2pm. Learn about Michigan’s wildlife and natural habitats and say hello to some critters.
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

Growth Vol. 3 with Jahshua Smith and Friends
2025-04-02 19:30 - 21:00 | The Robin Theatre, 1105 S Washington Ave, Lansing, Michigan, 48910
The soulful variety show returns to The Robin Theatre starring poet and hip-hop educator Jahshua Smith along with a cast of talented friends. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Limited space available – please RSVP to reserve your spot.
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

SC4 Free Concert Series Featuring Kimmie Horne
2025-03-20 19:00 - 20:30 | St. Clair County Community College Fine Arts Building, 581 Erie St, Port Huron, Michigan, 48060
Experience the magic of jazz with one unforgettable performance featuring Kimmie Horne. Kimmie Horne is an internationally acclaimed vocalist, entertainer, and brand influencer with a legacy deeply rooted in music royalty. A proud Detroit native, she is the descendant of the legendary songstress and movie icon Lena Horne and the niece of Cleveland Horne of the celebrated Fantastic Four. Renowned for her sultry voice and warm stage presence, Kimmie performs with blends of classic jazz, soulful blues and vibrant energy that captivates. Her critically acclaimed CD High Standards features the standout single Black Coffee, showcasing her ability to breathe fresh life into jazz classics while making them uniquely her own. Beyond her artistry, Kimmie Horne is the visionary Founder and President of the award-winning Kimmie Horne Jazz Festival, where she celebrates her passion for music and community. With a dynamic career spanning the globe, Kimmie continues to inspire, entertain, and uplift audiences with her talent, dedication and and dedication to the art of jazz.

Performance is scheduled from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the SC4 Fine Arts Theatre. Seats are general admission, and no reservations are needed. Doors open 15 minutes prior to showtime.

This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

Sunday Afternoon Live: Djangophonique
2025-03-16 16:00 - 18:45 | First Congregational Church, 145 Capitol Ave NE, Battle Creek, MI, 49017
Djangophonique is an award winning project that delivers the infectious joy, and expressive freedom that is at the heart of Django Reinhardt’s jazz manouche. With respect for the tradition and a fearless creativity that bends the conventions of the style, Djangophonique is keeping the Hot Club revival alive and well. The result is a sound that’s unmistakable to fans of the music, and alluring to the uninitiated—a sound that can bring the lively energy of a Parisian dance hall to the quietest listening room or captivate a buzzing festival audience with the aching nostalgia of a shimmering ballad.

Sunday Afternoon Live! concerts are free to the public, and include a family friendly reception where patrons can meet the artists and enjoy fellowship with each other.

The mission of Sunday Afternoon Live! is to enrich the cultural life of the greater Battle Creek Community and to continue the tradition of the First Congregational Church as a patron of artistic creativity and expression. We endeavor to do this by sponsoring a series of free concerts that present musical artistry that is exciting, beautiful, varied and enjoyable.

This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

The Boychoir of Ann Arbor: Sing Joyfully
2025-03-16 15:00 - 16:00 | Brighton District Library, 100 Library Drive, Brighton, Michigan, 48116
Enjoy a musical afternoon with The Boychoir of Ann Arbor. For almost 40 years, the Boychoir has been enriching the lives of boys who love to sing while also enhancing the cultural life of the greater Ann Arbor area. All ages welcome!
This event is partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Touring Grant.

Michigan Poetry Out Loud State Finals
2025-03-15 09:00 - 14:00 | Crowne Plaza Lansing, 925 S Creyts Rd, Lansing, Michigan, 48917
Join students, teachers, and community members from across the state for the 2025 Michigan Poetry Out Loud State Finals, an annual competition to be held at the Crowne Plaza Lansing on Saturday, March 15, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Crowne Plaza Lansing is located at at 925 S Creyts Rd., Lansing, MI 48917.Poetry Out Loud is a high school poetry recitation program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and Poetry Foundation, and administered in our state by Michigan Humanities in partnership with the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. This year, students from 27 Michigan high schools, stretching from the Upper Peninsula to the Greater Detroit area, will compete for the title of state champion through three rounds of recitation. The state champion will receive a cash award and represent Michigan in this year’s national championship, where they have the opportunity to win a $20,000 college scholarship. In addition, the state champion’s school will receive a stipend toward the purchase of poetry materials. Finalists and their respective schools will also be awarded cash prizes and stipends. The Poetry Out Loud program provides an exciting opportunity for high school students to engage in the arts and humanities, showcase their creativity, build public speaking skills, and express themselves through poetry interpretation.All are invited to attend to see the student poetry recitations. No RSVP is required.

OpenSpot Theatre at The Hawk
2025-03-13 18:00 - 19:00 | The Hawk – Farmington Hills Community Center, 29995 W 12 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills, MI, 48334
Join OpenSpot Theatre for their annual performance at The Hawk Center in Farmington Hills! Students have been writing and practicing a big showcase performance. There will be acting, singing, and dancing!

Oakland University: “For Internal Reference Only”: Foreign Literature and Book Censorship in the People’s Republic of China, 1960-76
2025-03-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Banquet Room A, Oakland Center, Oakland University, 312 Meadow Brook Rd., Rochester, MI, 48309, United States
Join us as speaker Yan Li (Oakland University) for The John and Annette Carter History Comes Alive Lecture Series presents “For Internal Reference Only”: Foreign Literature and Book Censorship in the People’s Republic of China, 1960-76.

Greg Whalen and the Ramblers Concert at The Dawn Theater
2025-02-27 19:00 - 21:00 | The Dawn Theater, 110 N Broad St, Hillsdale, MI, 49242, United States
Join The Friends of the Dawn Theater for an evening concert performed by Greg Whalen and The Ramblers at the Dawn Theater in downtown Hillsdale. The artists will perform a musical narrative of life in the Marine Corps, focused specifically on Greg Whalen’s deployment in 2021. The songs are inspired by this musician’s participation in the ruthless and chaotic evacuation of American troops from Afghanistan. The songs Greg Whalen and The Ramblers will play are all originals, based on their personal experiences and observations. There will be two 45-minute sets with a short intermission in between.

Grand Rapids Children’s Museum Artist in Residence Series: Black History and DEI with E’lla Webber
2025-02-27 16:30 - 18:30, 2025-02-20 16:30 - 18:30, 2025-02-13 16:30 - 18:30 | Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, 11 Sheldon Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503
This series of four workshops led by local artist E’lla Webber will continue to introduce children to new art materials and techniques and also incorporate education on Black culture, history, and identity. E’lla’s workshops will include hands-on activities like the creation of a collaborative sculpture of Martin Luther King Jr., I Am Somebody mirrors inspired by Jesse Jackson, diversity hats where children can collage materials related to their identities, and constructing jazz instruments.
Admission fee is discounted museum admission fee.

Chocolate and Tea at Chesterfield Township Library
2025-02-19 18:00 - 19:00 | Chesterfield Township Library, 50560 Patricia Avenue, Chesterfield, MI, 48051, United States
Join Barbara Gulley from Barb’s Tea Service to learn about the history of tea and chocolate in Europe. There will be chocolate pairings featuring chocolate from local Michigan chocolatiers.
Registration is free and opens on February 1, 2025 at 9:30am. The first week of registration is limited to Chesterfield Library cardholders. Registration will open to others after the first week if space remains. You can register here.

Oakland University: Where are all the Women?": Untold Experiences from the Holocaust
2025-02-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Banquet Room A, Oakland Center, Oakland University, 312 Meadow Brook Rd., Rochester, MI, 48309, United States
The John and Annette Carter History Comes Alive Lecture Series presents “Where are all the Women?”: Untold Experiences from the Holocaust”. Join us for this insightful presentation from Katie Chaka Parks (Wayne State University and the Zekelman Holocaust Center.)

Grand Rapids Children's Museum Artist in Residence Series: Black History and DEI with E'lla Webber
2025-02-06 16:30 - 18:30 | Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, 11 Sheldon Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503

Grand Valley Piano Chamber Series: To Be Dvorak
2025-02-02 17:00 - 19:00 | St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 134 Division Ave N, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, United States
Please join us on our journey to discover the Czech composer Antonín Dvořák. After Brahms helped him to launch his career, Dvořák influenced not only other Czech composers such as Janácek and Suk, but also American composers including Goldmark and Burleigh. We will explore the timeless beauty of Dvořák’s music through selected works by these composers and others including Schubert, whom he greatly admired. Thank you for being part of the GVPCS family and sharing our mission to spread the joy and beauty of music!The exquisite chamber music writing from these composers will leave you enchanted!

Virtual Workshop: Michigan Humanities Grants & Programs
2025-01-28 13:00 - 14:30 | MI
Join Michigan Humanities for a virtual workshop on January 28, 1–2:30 p.m.
In this workshop, staff will provide an overview of current and upcoming grants and programs, show attendees how to register for the online portal and begin an application, share experiences from previous grant and program partners, and leave time for a Q&A. If you’d like to join, please register online.
The workshop will be recorded; please register if you’d like to receive the recording, even if you’re unable to attend live.

Adult ASL with OpenSpot
2025-01-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Commerce Township Community Library, 180 E. Commerce Road, Commerce Township, MI, 48382
Join the instructors from OpenSpot Theatre as we learn signs together from American Sign Language in this 4-week series. All abilities are welcome.
Dates:

Monday, January 13
Monday, January 27
Monday, February 3
Monday, February 10

Note: Commerce Township Community Library is closed Monday, January 20, so there will be a one-week break between the first and second class. This event is for ages 13+, and registration is required. Registration opens on Monday, December 30, 2024 at 10am, and you can register here.

Great Michigan Read Author Reunion
2024-10-24 18:30 - 20:00 | Pasant Theatre at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts, 750 E Shaw Ln, East Lansing, MI, 48824
Join Michigan Humanities at the Pasant Theatre at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 24, for the Great Michigan Read Author Reunion. Panelists include seven Great Michigan Read authors: Beth Nguyen, Kevin Boyle, Steve Luxenberg, Kekla Magoon, Dr. Mona Hanna, Mary Doria Russell, and Angeline Boulley. In a conversation moderated by Bill Castanier, authors will discuss the ways that literature is critical to building empathy and understanding. Books will be available for purchase; a book signing with the featured authors will follow the panel conversation.
Admission is free, but registration is required. Please register here.
If you can’t join us in person, this event will be live streamed on our YouTube channel!
Join us virtually at 6:30 p.m. ET on October 24 to tune in to the live stream.
Learn more about the authors’ Great Michigan Read titles here.

Author Visit: Angeline Boulley at Oakland University
2024-09-26 13:30 - 15:00 | Banquet Room B, Oakland Center, Oakland University, 312 Meadow Brook Rd., Rochester, MI, 48309, United States
See Angeline Boulley, author of Firekeeper’s Daughter, at Oakland University on September 26, 2024. This Great Michigan Read partner event is organized by the Native American Advisory Committee and the Center for Public Humanities.
Angeline Boulley, an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, is a storyteller who writes about her Ojibwe community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She is a former Director of the Office of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Angeline lives in southwest Michigan, but her home will always be on Sugar Island. Firekeeper’s Daughter is her debut novel and was an instant #1 NYT Bestseller. The book has been named the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature, the Printz Award, the William C. Morris award for YA debut literature, and was an American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book.
This event is free and open to the public. Register for in-person and virtual options here.
The 2023–24 Great Michigan Read is presented by Michigan Humanities and supported by national, statewide, and local partners, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, The Meijer Foundation, Library of Michigan, Image Creative Group, BiblioBoard, and Michigan Radio Reads. This event is also supported by the Judd Family Endowed Fund.
Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Michigan Humanities or the aforementioned entities.

ALT+F4: Rebooting Community after GamerGate
2024-09-25 - 2024-09-28 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West Ten Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075-1058
In August of 2014, the hashtag #Gamergate emerged online, used as a weapon deployed against women in the video game industry. Through online harassment tactics, including threats of physical violence, GamerGate constituted an instance of digital mass mobilization deliberately attacking what was perceived to be a turn away from gaming culture’s historical association with young male players. As commentators have since noted, GamerGate would become a precursor to subsequent social media mass mobilizations, including disinformation campaigns, conspiracy theories, and online grievance culture.
This conference seeks to revisit the social and cultural implications of GamerGate on its ten-year anniversary. To be held over four days in September 2024, this gathering of academics, designers, and community participants is designed to extend current conversations of game development and game studies beyond the existing heteronormative, hegemonic discourses through offering an integrated, multiperspectival, digital humanities retrospective focused on the social and technological sources and afterlives of GamerGate.
Scheduled keynote speakers for the conference include:

Kishonna L. Gray, PhD, associate professor in writing, rhetoric and digital studies and Africana studies at the University of Kentucky. She is an interdisciplinary, intersectional, digital media scholar whose areas of research include identity, performance and online environments, embodied deviance, cultural production, video games, and Black cyberfeminism.
Rachel Kowert, PhD, research psychologist, visiting professor at the University of York in the United Kingdom, and founder of Psychgeist, a multimedia content production studio for the science of games and pop culture. She is a world-renowned researcher on the uses and effects of digital games, including their impact on physical, social, and psychological well-being.
Anita Sarkeesian, creator of the award-winning “Tropes vs. Women in Video Games,” a critically acclaimed video series exploring the history of women’s representation in gaming that has garnered nearly 14 million views on YouTube alone. Her work as a media critic, public speaker, and filmmaker who thrives at the intersection of digital culture, accessibility, and social justice sparked a paradigm-shifting conversation about improving the representations of marginalized people in video games.

Lawrence Tech offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in game design through its College of Architecture and Design, as well as a Bachelor of Science in computer science with a concentration in game software development. For more information on the BFA program, visit ltu.edu/game-design. For more information on the game software development program, visit ltu.edu/undergrad-comp-sci/game-dev.
Funding for this program was provided by Michigan Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Michigan Humanities or the aforementioned entities.
