What’s New
2026 Colorado Book Awards [1]
Celebrate Colorado’s outstanding authors by submitting an eligible book or volunteering as a judge for the 2026 Colorado Book Awards. Books published between November 1, 2024 and December 31, 2025 are eligible for submission. Volunteer selectors and judges from across the state read submissions to determine finalists and winners.
Submissions are open through March 22, 2026.
Volunteer interest forms are due March 1, 2026.
Black History Live [2]
Now in its 17th year, Colorado Humanities’ Black History Live tour is an annual recognition, held each February, of the significant contributions African Americans have made and continue to make to art, culture, economic development, education, human rights, medicine, public services, politics, and sports. The 2026 statewide tour will feature the living-history portrayals of Mary Fields by nationally acclaimed scholar/actor Becky Stone and York by scholar/actor Marvin Jefferson.
The portrayals will be performed in a Chautauqua format, which is a first-person dramatization of a historical figure. The speaker’s monologue typically lasts 40 minutes, followed by 20 minutes of Q&A, first in character and then out of character as the scholar/performer.
Champion the Humanities in Colorado [3]
We’ve built a strong plan for what comes next—and with your continued support, we can bring this vision to life and secure the future of the humanities in Colorado. Help us write this next chapter together by becoming a humanities champion and protecting access to books, histories, cultural traditions, freedom of thought, literacy, and artistic expression—things we can never take for granted. These are the stories and ideas that define us, and they are worth defending.
Together, we can #ChampionCH.
Colorado’s 11th Poet Laureate: Crisosto Apache [4]
Colorado Humanities is thrilled to share the news that Crisosto Apache is the new Colorado Poet Laureate, appointed by Governor Polis on January 28, 2026. Crisosto Apache is from Mescalero, New Mexico, on the Mescalero Apache reservation. Crisosto is Mescalero Apache, Chiricahua Apache, and Diné (Navajo). Apache’s clanships are the Salt Clan, born for the Towering House Clan.
Begin Where You Are: The Colorado Poets Laureate Anthology [5]
We are excited to announce the release of Begin Where You Are: The Colorado Poets Laureate Anthology, featuring works by all ten of Colorado’s Poets Laureate, including some new poems from the late Andrea Gibson! This book is a movement with a mission – a portion of the proceeds will fund poetry programming in underserved Colorado schools, libraries, and rural areas, making each purchase an investment in expanding access to this essential art form. Preorder now [6].
EVENTS
PROGRAMS
Inspiring conversation and exploration of our shared cultural heritage
FACILITATOR TRAINING [17]
Learn How to Facilitate Community Conversations The Facilitator Training for Reflective Conversations prepares people to plan and facilitate conversations about vital issues and questions across different beliefs and backgrounds. Training participants will learn
THE FIVE STATES OF COLORADO [19]
Revealing the historic development of a population as diverse as the land itself. In 1861, the U.S. Congress carved Colorado’s boundaries representing no river, mountain range, tribe, or language group to enclose
COLORADO BOOK AWARDS [1]
Celebrating the accomplishments of Colorado’s outstanding authors, editors, illustrators, and photographers.
CHANGING THE LEGACY OF RACE & ETHNICITY [23]
These community conversations are designed to dive deeply into how we might change the legacy of race.
COSHARP [24]
Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (COSHARP) grants