About Us

HumanitiesAR, under the official name of Arkansas Humanities Council, is a nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

In spring 2024, we rebranded with HumanitiesAR as our name. But the new brand serves as more than a new name—it embodies our commitment to accessibility, inclusivity, and forging stronger community ties through the humanities. It’s about providing clarity in our identity and strengthening the recognition of our role within the state of Arkansas

Through the humanities, we remember our history and envision our future. Reading, writing, storytelling, research, and many forms of public dialogue and conversation are central to the humanities and the core of what we do at HumanitiesAR.

Our mission is to empower Arkansans to connect with and promote understanding, appreciation, and use of the humanities and ultimately discover our mutual experiences through programs that:

  • Engage educators across the state of Arkansas
  • Offer profound storytelling from local historians, authors, and scholars
  • Provide Arkansans a place to celebrate and be empowered to connect with the humanities through the discovery and understanding of our diverse and mutual experiences

 

We work to achieve its mission by awarding grants through a competitive process to nonprofit groups, organizations, teachers, and schools statewide, and by working with key partners to develop local humanities projects and programs for Arkansas audiences.

What are the humanities? 

The term “humanities” includes the study of history, literature, ethics, philosophy, language, and the various legal, cultural, religious, and folk traditions—past and present—that define the human condition.

Meet the Team

We lead the way in creating safe spaces and community pillars for conversation and learning that work to continuously evolve our state and its citizens.

Jama Best

Executive Director

Katherine “Katie” Dailey

Chief Financial Officer

Ann Clements

Education Director

Adrienne Jones

Associate Director

Jamie Middleton

Program Officer for Grants and Public Programs

Asya Webster

Program Officer for Grants and Public Programs