Proposal to Build a Humanities Endowment at the Asia Society

FAIN: CH-50162-05

Asia Society (New York, NY 10065-7307)
Vishakha N. Desai (Project Director: May 2004 to present)

Endowment for the position of Associate Director of Public Programming and for scholars and academic consultants who contribute to humanities programming and publications.

Asia Society and Museum requests a $500,000 challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to support the launch of the next phase of its integrated humanities programming initiative. When fully matched, the $2 million endowment will generate an annual income of $100,000 exclusively for humanities programs. These funds will be applied annually to helping the Asia Society fulfill its humanities programming objectives: 1) the engagement of scholars and academic consultants to: a) contribute to publications, deliver contextualizing and explanatory lectures in subjects such as history, art history, philosophy, and society, and shape the humanities focus of Asia Society programs ($20,000); b) create and develop catalogues, audio guides, brochures, and wall text accompanying exhibitions ($25,000); 2) The funding of the base salary of one humanities programming staff professional ($55,000).