Kansas State University to host Shakespeare's First Folio exhibition in February 2016
Thursday, April 23, 2015
An engraving of Shakespeare by Martin Droeshout, 1623, courtesy of Shakespeare First Folio, 1623, Folger Shakespeare Library. | Download the following photo.
MANHATTAN — To be: Feb. 1-28, 2016.
Not to be: Anywhere else in Kansas but Kansas State University in Manhattan.
The question: When will "First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare," a national traveling exhibition of Shakespeare's First Folio, be on campus?
That question has been answered with the date set for the exhibition, which is based on one of the world's most treasured books. Organized by the Folger Shakespeare Library, in partnership with the Cincinnati Museum Center and the American Library Association, the exhibition will stop once in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in 2016. Kansas State University was selected as the Kansas site.
While at the university in February 2016, the English department will co-host the exhibition in partnership with K-State Libraries and the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art. Other campus and community partners also are assisting.
"The sponsoring departments and organizations are meeting this spring to begin planning the monthlong program of events to celebrate the First Folio's visit to Kansas," said Karin Westman, department head of English. "Additional information will be available in early fall as well as through social media venues for the English department, K-State Libraries and the Beach Museum."
A wide range of outreach activities for the campus and local community will be planned, said Don Hedrick, professor of English and expert in Shakespeare and Renaissance drama who initiated the collaboration necessary for the university's successful selection as an exhibition host site.
"First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare" has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor, and by the generous support of Google. org and Vinton and Sigrid Cerf. Opportunities are available to sponsor this major exhibition and the Folger’s other Wonder of Will programs commemorating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Learn more at http://www.folger.edu.
The following is more information about the “First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare" national sponsors and partners. More information also is available at http://bit.ly/1Phpfqb.
• About Folger Shakespeare Library: Folger Shakespeare Library is a world-renowned center for scholarship, learning, culture and the arts. It is home to the world's largest Shakespeare collection and a primary repository for rare materials from the early modern period, 1500-1750. The Folger is an internationally recognized research library offering advanced scholarly programs in the humanities; an innovator in the preservation of rare materials; a national leader in how Shakespeare is taught in grades K–12; and an award-winning producer of cultural and arts programs — theatre, music, poetry, exhibits, lectures and family programs. Learn more at http://www.folger.edu.
• About Cincinnati Museum Center: Cincinnati Museum Center, or CMS, at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution and national historic landmark. Dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration, CMC was awarded the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2012. CMC is one of only 16 museums in the nation with both of these honors, making it a unique asset and a vital community resource. Union Terminal has been voted the nation's 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater and Cincinnati History Library & Archives. Recognized by Forbes Traveler Magazine as the 17th most visited museum in the country, CMC welcomes more than one million visitors annually. For more information, visit http://www.cincymuseum.org.
• About the American Library Association: The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with approximately 58,000 members in academic, public, school, government and special libraries. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.
• The association's Public Programs Office provides leadership, resources, training and networking opportunities that help thousands of librarians nationwide develop and host cultural programs for adult, young adult and family audiences. The mission of the office is to promote cultural programming as an essential part of library service in all types of libraries. Projects include book and film discussion series, literary and cultural programs featuring authors and artists, professional development opportunities and traveling exhibitions. School, public, academic and special libraries nationwide benefit from the office's programming initiatives. Additional information can be found at http://www.ala.org/programming.
• About the National Endowment for the Humanities: Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at http://www.neh.gov.
