Nature, History, and Culture at the Nation's Edge

FAIN: GE-50924-14

Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ 85281-3670)
Paul W. Hirt (Project Director: January 2014 to April 2016)

Planning a multiformat interpretation of the cultures, history, and physical landscapes of the Arizona-Sonora borderlands region through a website, a traveling exhibition, and public programs.

We seek a planning grant to design an ambitious multi-partner, multi-format, multi-venue project focused on the Arizona-Sonora borderlands. The project combines experienced co-directors and leading borderland scholars with more than a dozen Historical and Cultural Organizations (HCOs) in small and mid-sized communities to explore and interpret the unique cultures, history, and physical landscapes of the region. The project aims to foster historical perspectives on the international border, cross-cultural understanding, and a deeper sense of place among the region’s residents and visitors. A suite of interrelated physical and digital products will elaborate five themes: the border through time; bridging cultures across borders; nature and history--ties that bind; shared identity amid social diversity; and a storied landscape. Formats include an interpretive website and digital archive; a traveling exhibit co-hosted/produced with our HCO partners; and community sponsored public programs.