Healing the Humanities during a Global Pandemic

When history took an unprecedented turn in 2020 and a global pandemic pushed society to its limits, doors closed, windows shuttered, and the world retreated to safety in isolation. The result was a rapid decline of revenue for many of Florida’s vital cultural institutions who depended on in-person patrons. Facing this new reality, historic societies, museums, libraries, and heritage nonprofits faced an all-to-uncertain future.

In response to the Coronavirus crisis, the United States’ Congress exacted a plan on March 27, 2020: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Nestled in the bill was a $75 million allocation for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to distribute to cultural institutions affected by COVID-19. Approximately 40 percent of the appropriation, or $30 million, was entrusted to the 56 state and territorial humanities councils to re-grant to our communities. After two months of rapidly developing and marketing this new emergency grant opportunity, Florida Humanities received a staggering 229 applications, ultimately awarding $875,000 to 100 cultural institutions though “Florida Humanities CARES” to support much-needed general operating expenses. See statewide impact below.

But what value could humanities programming provide to local communities in times of health scares and economic downturns? A great deal, it turns out.

While the value of the hard sciences is irrefutable and highlighted during a pandemic, the humanities offer a different perspective. While the humanities broadly include the study of history, literature, culture, languages, law and political science, folklore, gender studies, religious studies, philosophy and sociology, art history, archeology and sociocultural anthropology, and civics they are, at its essence, the process of pursuing an understanding of our shared human experience. Humanities inspire, engage, and enrich both us and our communities.

At their core, humanities-rich public programming – programming that the 100 awarded “Florida Humanities CARES” applicants provide – gives local communities a sense of grounding, and a vehicle through which to gather and discuss modern problems through a historic lens, crafting solutions to build a better future.

In July 2020, the American Alliance of Museums released an eye-opening report stating that the United States is at risk of losing one-third of its museums in the economic fallout of COVID-19. A vital source of employment, museums alone support 726,000 direct and indirect jobs, contributing $50 billion each year to the economy.

With many cultural institutions facing a similar fate, the 100 grants awarded by Florida Humanities provided temporary albeit critical relief to the state’s most vulnerable cultural institutions. Below are just some of the ways “Florida Humanities CARES” have made a difference in communities across Florida.

One “Florida Humanities CARES” recipient, The Village Square, Inc., is a Leon County based organization with a mission to uphold the founding principles of democracy through community conversations involving diverse participants that explore solutions on a hometown level. Despite facing the threat of closure due to loss of revenue, The Village Square leapt into action to aid the Tallahassee community through organizing a mask making and distribution effort and a “Local Patriots” campaign to recognize the heroic efforts of individuals within the community in supporting one another during the pandemic.

To support this community-oriented organization, the $9,850 “Florida Humanities CARES” Grant provided emergency financial support that will maintain minimal staffing and a digital presence so The Village Square is able to restart vital humanities programming once large gatherings are safe.

Goodwood Museum and Gardens, another Tallahassee-based grant recipient, received a $10,250 “Florida Humanities CARES” grant. Sitting adjacent to a hospital, the museum was uniquely positioned to offer its gardens as a no-cost sanctuary for families not allowed inside the hospital due to Covid-19 restrictions. The grant provided by Florida Humanities enabled Goodwood Museum and Gardens to continue providing a retreat for the local hospital’s patients, families, and healthcare workers, and continue providing vital humanities programming once permissible.