Being Human Festival (US)
A National Celebration of the Public Humanities
The American edition of the Being Human Festival, introduced in 2024, is part of a global Being Human effort first launched in the United Kingdom in 2014. The festival’s array of community-focused events are organized by humanities researchers and practitioners committed to celebrating intellectual discovery and sharing collective experiences with public audiences across the United States. Together, these events demonstrate how the humanities add depth and meaning to our lives, help us understand ourselves and one another, and provide context for the complex world around us.
International festival hubs in Australia and Hong Kong have expanded the festival’s reach and impact in recent years. The Being Human (US) team is proud to be a part of this worldwide partnership in support of innovative and intellectually rich public humanities work.
Being Human (US) at a Glance
79
events & activities
86
humanities & community organizations
2,500+
people engaged
99%
would attend future events
97%
would recommend Being Human (US)
Festival Archives
Featured Past Events
Insights
Message from the Festival Director
For the past three years, the National Humanities Center’s Being Human Festival (US) has allowed a wide range of communities to come together to experience and celebrate the humanities. A global initiative unified by a common ethos, Being Human encourages humanities practitioners to share their research with non-specialist audiences in creative, accessible, and dynamic ways.
In the process, festival participants—from curious children to seasoned museum professionals—have the opportunity to pose and answer meaningful questions about our shared human experience through literature, history, philosophy, art, and cultural heritage. Being Human and other public humanities initiatives help us to make sense of the world around us, to understand legacies of the past, and to imagine a more just future.
Our participation in the Being Human Festival really made it possible for us to design a model of public humanities engagement that we plan to use in the future.
from “The Power of Buttons: A Craft Workshop and Public History” (2024)
In 2026, supporting and participating in public humanities initiatives is more important than ever. The Being Human Festival team is proud to have facilitated a diverse set of humanistic programs across the United States this year. Attendees were able to immerse themselves in the history and cultural significance of the Mississippi River through a combined reading group and guided canoe trip. In Baltimore, three historic African American churches collaborated to preserve and showcase Black sacred musical traditions through an archivally informed concert series. An adaptation of a Maasai folktale in Lawrence, Kansas provided accessible and interactive introductions to theatrical performances for children and their families.
Events and programs like these encourage us to cultivate curiosity, embark on shared missions of discovery, and celebrate the wonder and complexity of our shared human journeys. We hope that you will join us along our own Being Human Festival journey in the future, and that in the meantime you will continue to champion the public humanities in your local communities.
— Jacqueline Kellish, US Festival Director
Vice President for Public Engagement, National Humanities Center
Participant Perspectives
I am drawn to history, and to the human experiences and stories of historical events. This event spoke to all of these interests—deepening my understanding of the refugee experience of American citizens, their journey to a new country, and their resilience in establishing themselves, their families and their culture here.
from “Denver’s Little Saigon: A Landmark History” (2025)
I believe learning is best accomplished outside of the classroom. Memories are made stronger in this way, and learning in community strengthens the bonds between thinking and action. We become more accountable with knowledge developed in community.
from “Obscured Landmarks: Re-Activating Buried Histories, Stewarding Sites for Learning” in Lawrence, Kansas (2025)
Photo Gallery
In the News
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