About the Exhibit

Our public utilities treat over 918,400,000 gallons of water daily for Tennesseans, each of whom uses an average of 158 gallons of water every day. Tennessee Waters is a panel exhibit exploring the significance of this vital resource, how water guided and supported people across our state over time, how our actions are crucial determinants of the quality of our water and access to it, and the overall environmental, historical and cultural impact of water in our state. This important chapter of our state’s story provides for audiences a context for current conversations about growth, sustainability, jobs and the economy.

The exhibit includes seven, easily assembled,  3’ x 7’ freestanding pop-up banners.  This is a small-scale, lightweight exhibit ideal for a wide variety of spaces and nontraditional venues, reaching a broad range of audiences—large and small. With the Tennessee Waters project, hosts will engage visitors with challenging new perspectives of community life highlighting our relationship to the natural features of the places we call home.

Would Your Nonprofit Like to Host Tennessee Waters? 

Humanities Tennessee invites you to submit a letter of intent to receive Tennessee Waters: Shaping Our Land, Our Lives and Our Future. The exhibit is available now at no cost to host sites across the state for periods of four to six weeks. In addition to the exhibit, Humanities Tennessee will also provide a public discussion program, publicity and evaluation material, a marketing stipend, and optional support for local humanities programs.

Hosts may also apply for up to $2500 for related humanities programs such as community research projects, companion exhibits, or book/film discussions—projects that spark consideration of local water traditions, or map stories of fishing spots in your watershed, or share your collective insights with the governor’s new TN H2O committee on the future of our water.

Partnership Roles

Humanities Tennessee provides each host organization, free of charge, with:

• TN Waters for a 4-6 week period;
• a scholar-led public discussion program;
• a $250 stipend for publicity and/or reception event costs;
• publicity and evaluation materials;
• funding opportunities for related programming.

In return, hosts will be asked to:

• identify a Project Director to lead on site and serve as contact for Humanities TN;
• be responsible for widely publicizing and evaluating the exhibit and events;
• unpack/install and de-install/pack panels, return to Humanities TN (we cover all shipping costs);
• host public events: an exhibit reception and one of our scholar-led public discussions;
• consider implementing humanities-based companion programming with our support.

How to Apply

Humanities Tennessee is accepting letters of intent from non-profits interested in hosting TN Waters as part of its ongoing tour. Competitive letters must:

• describe the organization and its mission, including the potential exhibit space, intended audience, and desired goals for participation;
• describe any ideas you may have about additional programming, and interest in funding for programs;
• view the TN Waters Speaker List and indicate your preference;
• include preferred date/duration for hosting and provide one alternative time;
• include signatures of a Board Officer and the Project Director.

Letters of intent should be mailed or emailed to:

Humanities Tennessee
807 Main Street, Suite B
Nashville, TN 37206

Melissa Davis, melissa@humtn.org
or Paul McCoy, paul@humtn.org

Tennessee Waters: Shaping Our Land, Our Lives and Our Future is made possible in Tennessee by Humanities Tennessee, an independent affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Tennessee Historical Society, and the Albert Gore Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University.

Additional Resources

TN Waters Host Evaluation

TN Waters Sample Press Release

TN Waters Congressional Letter Template

About the Exhibit

Crossroads uses large-scale images, audio/video recordings, interactives and artifacts to explore the history and meaning of rural American society across regions and over time. Centered on issues of identity, land, community, persistence and managing change, Crossroads explores how small towns have changed over the past century and considers how to reshape and re-envision the future. If rural Tennessee is at a crossroads, which direction will we choose?

Americans rely on rural crossroads—where people gather to exchange goods, services and culture, to engage in political and community matters. The US needs vibrant, sustainable rural places because the country relies on the productivity of rural residents. Small towns embrace the notion that their people and uniqueness are critical assets despite the ripple effects of demographic changes, social problems and the exploitation of natural resources and human capital.

Crossroads offers multiple instances for visitors to connect to what resonates personally about rural life—what they cherish, and what they don’t. The exhibit and discussions can also launch a local project that probes provocative, new perspectives of rural challenges and opportunities, such as putting community assets to work, sustaining our place and retaining our people, navigating a postindustrial economy, or giving voice to all residents and expanding the range of what they do cherish.

Humanities Tennessee also provides to hosts a series of three public discussions on rural topics, and subsequent support for a local project that makes lasting connections with rural residents, the topics explored, and a vision for the future of host communities.