Advocacy

Advocate for the Humanities

The South Dakota Humanities Council provides a variety of events which boost local economies and our quality of life, and explore histories and culture. To keep these programs alive, we must advocate for the humanities.

What Can You Do?

1. Contact Your Congressional Representatives

Call or write our South Dakota delegation and express your support for the NEH and for the South Dakota Humanities Council. Share specific stories about how the humanities enrich your local community. Please also share your thoughts with your friends and family members and ask them to voice their support as well.

2. Write a Letter to the Editor

Submit a letter to the editor of your local newspaper explaining why the humanities are important to you! Personal stories have the greatest impact on public opinion. Here are some ideas:

Use a personal experience you had with an author or presentation at the South Dakota Festival of Books
Talk about what you learned from one of SDHC’s programs that take place around the state
Tell the public about humanities programs you have attended that will be missed if they are eliminated

3. Stay Connected and Join the Conversation

Subscribe to our e-Updates, which feature current news and blog articles explaining the importance of humanities programming.
Participate in one (or more!) of the many humanities-focused programs and events included in our Events Calendar.
Share our advocacy messages and your own experiences on social media. You can find us on Facebook and Instagram.

4. Donate to SDHC

Your donation is a tangible demonstration of support for your humanities council. It also helps us leverage additional private support and shows that you value this work. Please consider a donation today.

Experience Cultural Events and Conversations

South Dakotans significantly benefit from the opportunity to experience cultural events and conversations, which would not be possible without SDHC support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). To maximize limited resources in the state, cultural agencies creatively network and collaborate to bring in nationally respected authors, performers, musicians, and artists with funding from NEH and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

While our revenue sources include private support from individuals, corporations, foundations, and annual funding from endowments, the loss of federal funding from the NEH would hinder us significantly and jeopardize our programming. In recent years, the agency has faced threats of reduced funding and outright elimination during federal budget discussions.

From museums and art galleries to renowned authors, our citizens depend on the NEH and NEA for enlightenment and entertainment.