LEH wins six press club awards, three for first place
LEH graphic designer Toan Nguyen received two first-place awards at the July 19 New Orleans Press Club Awards ceremony - one for Editorial Illustration (for his drawings accompanying the "Chinatown" feature), and in Layout and Design for the "Big Charity" feature. Both stories appeared in the fall 2007 issue of the LEH's Louisiana Cultural Vistas magazine. Other LCV winners included:

• Ben Sandmel, First Place for his critical review of the Fats Domino tribute CD (fall 2007).
• Richard Sexton, Second Place in the Photo Story category for "Terra Incognita" (fall 2007).
• Cheryl Gerber, Third Place for her photographs of imposing doors and private clubs accompanying "New Orleans: An Autopsy" (winter 2007-2008).
• Benjamin Toledano, Second Place in the Editorial category for "New Orleans: An Autopsy" (winter 2007-2008).

With almost 6,000 pages of Louisiana history, literature and art now in print, Louisiana Cultural Vistas reaches 50,000 people a year, including students through schools and libraries in every parish of the state. Since 1993, Louisiana Cultural Vistas has received 96 awards from the New Orleans Press Club.



LEH receives Getty grant to help museums recover from Katrina and Rita
Louisiana museums may be eligible for special Katrina and Rita "recovery" assistance through a special grant awarded by The Getty Foundation of Los Angeles to the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) and Louisiana Association of Museums (LAM). The two-year $80,000 "Roadmap to Recovery" grant is intended to provide services and programs for Louisiana museums struggling to recover from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

In the months immediately following Katrina and Rita, it became clear that museums located in urban neighborhoods and at rural crossroads throughout south Louisiana suffered such devastating losses - physical, financial, personnel and constituency - that it was difficult if not impossible to gauge them. In response, the LEH and LAM commissioned in 2006 an in-depth survey of museums affected by the storms to determine their immediate needs and how they could best be served to reduce the likelihood of such catastrophic damage in the future.

The $80,000 grant from The Getty Foundation and the $480,000 in matching funds and services from the LEH and LAM will be used over two years to provide professional development workshops for museum staff especially in areas of emergency preparedness and security, preservation and conservation of museum collections, and museum staff care and development. To provide follow-up training and information, LAM will develop a "mentor web chat program" to give workshop participants continued on-line access to museum professionals who will serve as ongoing mentors.

The project is a collaborative effort between the Louisiana Association of Museums and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, which is recognized nationally for its family reading program. LAM will coordinate the programs underwritten by the grant and the LEH will serve as fiscal agent for the project as part of its statewide mission.

Getty Foundation support was provided through the Getty's Fund for New Orleans, established to help revitalize cultural organizations in the New Orleans region following Hurricane Katrina. To date, the Foundation has awarded 14 grants totaling more than $2 million to support conservation surveys and transition planning for arts organizations in the region. The Foundation is part of the J. Paul Getty Trust, an international cultural and philanthropic institution devoted to the visual arts.

Louisiana museums and museum staff interested in participating in these Getty-sponsored programs should contact LAM director Genny Nadler Thomas in Baton Rouge at 225-383-6800 or genny@louisianamuseums.org or LEH grants director Walker Lasiter in New Orleans at 504-620-2631 or lasiter@leh.org.



LEH names new board members
Mark H. Heller, CLU, of New Orleans, is a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services, Inc. Prior to joining UBS in 2008, Mark was a Resource Manager with Capital One's (formerly Hibernia National Bank's) Private Client Group. Prior to joining Hibernia, Heller was a principal of Friedler LaRocca Financial Partners, LLC. He is a Life & Qualifying Member of the Million Dollar Round Table and has been a member of Phoenix Home Life Insurance Company's President's Council. Heller has served as the Campaign Chairman for the Jewish Welfare Fund and as an officer and member of the Board for the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. He previously served on the Board and Executive Committee of the LEH. Heller is a member of the Fore Kids Foundation, Board Member and Treasurer of the New Orleans Hillel Foundation and past president of Temple Sinai as well as the Newman School Dad's Club. Mark is married to Lisa Heller and they have two daughters, Becky and Maddie.

Robert Wallace Levy has served as district attorney of the 3rd Judicial District in northcentral Louisiana since 1991. He is a member of a number of regional and state boards and commissions such as the Louisiana Board of Regents for Post-Secondary Education, the Louisiana Blue Ribbon Commission for Educational Excellence and the Judicial Council of the Louisiana Supreme Court. He also serves as chairman of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association's Juvenile Justice Task Force and several other legal, child welfare and community organizations. He is an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. He received his juris doctorate from LSU Law School in 1974 and a bachelor of science in 1970 from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux. He is married to Elaine Guy Levy. They have three daughters Melanie, Jennifer and Clair.



KnowLA - Online encyclopedia of Louisiana history and culture
The LEH has developed a list of topics for KnowLA's initial launch in 2010: art, architecture, folklife, history, literature and music. The KnowLA staff is presently soliciting overview essays and comprehensive lists of entries for each of those six topics. KnowLA associate editor Joyce Miller is researching and identifying writers for some 300 entries, and KnowLA digital media editor Andrea Ferguson is locating digital resources and developing interactive features for the site. KnowLA editor Cathy Corder is working with LEH master teacher Howard Hunter to develop educational activities.

LEH has also contracted with an outside agency, R2Communications of Dublin, Ohio, to develop the programming code that will run the content management system for the encyclopedia. This CMS will ensure that the website is interactive, searchable, and graphically appealing. For more information about KnowLA, contact Cathy Corder, Editor at corder@leh.org.



LEH-funded projects statewide
Jeanerette: The Iberia Parish Library hosts an ongoing scholar-led film discussion series scheduled in conjunction with the six-week display of the Smithsonian Institution/Museum on Main Street traveling exhibition New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music. The series, entitled "Memorable Musicals: Films That Shaped a Generation," offers screenings followed by discussions through Oct. 8; this month's screenings will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 13 and 20. For more information, or to register, contact Gail Garcia at 337-364-7150.

Plaquemine: In conjunction with its exhibition "The Spanish of Iberville" which explores the contributions of Spanish settlers in Louisiana, the Iberville Museum hosts a public lecture by Dr. Wilber "Bill" Meneray of Tulane University entitled "Spanish Settlement of Louisiana and the Bernardo de Galvez Expedition." Preceding the lecture will be an interpretive presentation from Los Isleños Heritage and Cultural Society showcasing the traditions of Louisianans of Canary Island descent. Activities are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24; the lecture begins at 2:30. For more information, contact the museum at 225-687-7197.

New Orleans: The Lambeth House Foundation hosts its annual summer lecture series featuring notable speakers in the arts, humanities, politics, and other fields. August presentations are scheduled for the 5, 13 and 21. Lectures are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and are followed by a question-and-answer period. Light refreshments provided. For more information, contact Tanya Becnel at 504-865-1960, ext. 165.



The Smithsonian visits Jeanerette
Jeanerette: A major traveling Smithsonian exhibition on the roots of American music is on display through Aug. 30 at the Jeanerette Bicentennial Park & Museum. New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music explores the American story through the musical genres that evolved from our nation's unique blending of cultures and experiences. Through panel displays and interactive kiosks, the exhibition includes material on sacred songs, blues, country, rock'n'roll and more. Each of the six Louisiana communities hosting the exhibition through 2009 mounts a local exhibition, and presents public humanities programs, showcasing our state's rich and diverse musical heritage. In conjunction with the exhibition, the Jeanerette Bicentennial Park & Museum invites the public to its local musical heritage informance series with Blue Merlot on August 3, Bad Boys on Aug. 10, and Big Jam on Aug. 17. For more information, contact Darlene Derise or Peggy Parker at 337-276-4408.



PRIME TIME goes to Queens!
The LEH's PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME® program is underway in Queens, New York, where the Queens Borough Library System is implementing its NEH Bilingual Expansion Grant. PRIME TIME Assistant Director Shantrell Adams visited the Woodside Community Library in June and was impressed by the high enrollment and participation among a very diverse group of families. Despite there being 5 different native languages spoken in the group (Arabic, Bengali, Korean, Spanish and English), parents and children were enthralled by the phenomenal storytelling and discussion that took place throughout the evening.

The Queens Borough Library System is set to host two additional PRIME TIME programs at the Ravenswood Family Literacy Center and the Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center in the fall 2008. For more information, contact Shantrell Adams at 504-620-2625 or adams@leh.org.



PRIME TIME plans follow-up with focus groups
The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME, Inc., a $275,212 grant to support 20 bilingual programs across Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma, New Jersey and New York during 2008. As a part of the evaluation process, the New Jersey State Library is collaborating with PRIME TIME staff to follow up with participating family members upon completion of the PRIME TIME programming in their state. The purpose of the focus groups will be to obtain data and document changes in reading behaviors of the family units. Dr. Olivia Pass, associate director of PRIME TIME, will meet with families who attended PRIME TIME programs and structure these meetings to obtain valuable feedback regarding specific outcomes and general impressions of the attending individuals. These focus groups will contribute to the ongoing research and development of PRIME TIME's outreach strategies and contribute to more effective long-term planning.



"Prime Time" for PRIME TIME
In July, 20 New Orleans-area public school teachers from kindergarten through 8th grade participated in "Prime Time for PRIME TIME" in New Orleans, a special summer Teacher Institute for Advanced Study sponsored by the University of New Orleans and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH).

Dr. Olivia M. Pass, LEH's associate director of PRIME TIME, and Dr. Nancy Dixon, who teaches English at UNO and has served as a PRIME TIME scholar for several years, co-directed this institute, which was conceived to help New Orleans-area teachers of kindergarten through 8th grades encourage their students to discuss more critically the humanities present in children's literature and to help increase their students' love of reading.

Elementary art teachers were among those participating in this institute. Jeannie Detweiler, who teaches elementary art for the Recovery School District, said: "I am excited to learn the PRIME TIME method so I will have an easier, more effective way to incorporate books and reading into my art lessons. I feel like the PRIME TIME method of provoking healthy discussions in the classroom can be used for any subject and in any situation. After taking this course, I can see the PRIME TIME method will give me more confidence to lead discussions and keep the students on task." Another art teacher, Karla San Martin, said: "Dr. Pass, Dr. Dixon and the PRIME TIME reading experience have opened up a whole new world for me. The humanities component makes all the difference in reading. It has awakened [in me] a genuine desire to read more and more. If it can do this in me, an individual who had come to terms with and embrace the fact that 'I hated reading,' imagine what it can do to a small child just being introduced to it for the first time."



RELIC kicks off fall reading programs
RELIC will field 17 adult reading programs this fall in public libraries throughout the state. New subjects such as Creole Louisiana, the Civil War in Louisiana, and Elizabeth I of England are enjoying record attendance in libraries. Along with older perennial favorites such as Louisiana folktales, World War II, Louisiana literature and other subjects, RELIC programs constitute one of the more effective ways in which the LEH directly engages the Louisiana public in core humanities content. Be a part of this great experience in your community. Click here to see programs for this fall.



LCV summer issue
The summer 2008 edition of the LEH's Louisiana Cultural Vistas magazine is now in circulation. The feature cover story profiles the career of Cajun artist George Rodrigue, a painter best known for his iconic "Blue Dog" series. Rodrigue's lesser known paintings of Louisiana landscapes, Cajun folklife and the state's historic figures fill the pages of LCV.

Readers also can log on to the on-line version of this issue at www.leh.org and listen to three streaming audio performances by jazz musician Tom Sancton, a clarinetist and journalist interviewed by Bruce Raeburn, director of the Hogan Jazz Archives at Tulane University. The two men discuss Sancton's recently published memoir, A Song for My Fathers: A New Orleans Story in Black and White, a book that pays tribute to the older black jazz men of Preservation Hall in New Orleans who taught Sancton how to play the clarinet.

The summer issue also includes:

• Photographs by Andrew D. Lytle of Baton Rouge from 1863-1910.
• A biographical sketch of Union General Benjamin Butler, the so-called "Beast" who ruled a defeated New Orleans during the Civil War.
• The history of New Orleans Faubourg Marigny neighborhood.
• A photo essay by Robert Polidori of Hurricane Katrina's destruction upon New Orleans' flood-ravaged neighborhoods.

Subscriptions to Louisiana Cultural Vistas - a mere $16 per year - make great gifts. To subscribe, or to view past issues in their entirety, click here!



Upcoming LEH grant deadlines
The LEH supports cultural efforts throughout the state by awarding grants to local cultural organizations and institutions. These awards support large- and small-scale humanities public programs from university events to those sponsored by museums, libraries, cultural centers and historical societies. Deadlines for new grants:

• Aug. 15 - Draft applications due for the September 15 Outreach Grant deadline
• Sept. 1: Public Humanities Grants and summer Teacher Institutes for Advanced Studies deadline is Oct. 1 with a preliminary application due no later than Sept.1
• Sept. 15 - Outreach Grant deadline
• Oct. 1: Public Humanities Grant deadline
• Oct. 15 - Draft applications due for the Nov. 15 Outreach Grant deadline

For grant information and applications, visit the Grants page, or contact Walker Lasiter at 504-620-2631, La. toll free 1-800-909-7990, ext. 132, lasiter@leh.org; Rachel Norman, 504-620-2479, norman@leh.org; or Erik Charpentier, 504-620-2478, charpentier@leh.org.



Career Opportunity at LEH
Development Director
Statewide non-profit cultural agency seeks experienced development professional to support President/Executive Director and Board in implementing development plan. Includes hands-on solicitation efforts and planning/ executing annual operations fund raising, planned giving and capital campaign.

Qualifications should include a Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 3 years professional development experience. Successful candidate will have extensive experience working with volunteer boards, soliciting major gifts, as well as a thorough working knowledge of Louisiana and national philanthropic communities.

Candidates must be computer literate with proficiency in database, spreadsheet and word processing programs; comfortable in a fast-paced, team-oriented atmosphere with a high energy level. Superior interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships are essential. Position will be based in New Orleans; some travel required.

For complete job description, click here. Letter, resume and salary history to Michael Sartisky, Ph.D., President/Executive Director, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, 938 Lafayette St., Suite 300, New Orleans, LA 70113 or sartisky@leh.org. Position open until filled.