Around the Field – September 22, 2026

22 September 2026 –

From Around the Field this week: The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has published the first federal dataset on museums; IMLS has opened 13 funding opportunities to strengthen America’s heritage; the National Council on Public History (NCPH) has opened calls for posters until October 7 for next year’s conference; Connecting Collections to Care is hosting a workshop on preparing materials for rehabilitation and restoration projects; and the Open Library of Humanities Journal seeks papers for its upcoming issue

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has published the results of its inaugural National Museum Survey (NMS). It is the first comprehensive federal dataset regarding museums nationwide and is available to view on their data portal
  • The National Trust for Historic Preservation is now accepting nominations for the 2027 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. The deadline for nominations is Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST
  • Nominations for the 2027 Dan David Prize are now open until October 13, 2026. The Dan David Prize is the world’s largest history prize, annually awarding 9 prizes of $300,000 each to scholars in the historical disciplines
  • The National Park Service is inviting public input on four early concepts and future of the reconstructed fort at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site. Comments are being accepted through October 23, 2026
  • The Oral History Association is seeking a host institution or executive director for a five-year commitment beginning on January 1, 2028. Letters of interest should include a preliminary explanation of factors that would make you an appropriate executive director or your institution an appropriate home. Letters are due November 1, 2026

AWARDS AND FUNDING

  • The Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest at Villanova University is now accepting proposals to support public-facing history projects that speak to power, equity, sustainability, and justice. Applications are due by September 25, 2026
  • The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) invites applications for the final competition of the ACLS Digital Justice Grants Program to support digital projects across the humanities and social sciences that engage marginalized histories. The deadline for applications is November 3, 2026
  • The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting grant applications for its 2027 fiscal year. Museums, libraries, and other cultural institutions are encouraged to apply by November 13, 2026

CONFERENCES AND CALLS

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

  • The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) is hosting a virtual History Hour workshop on September 29, 2026. It will help museums and other non-profits create governance structures by implementing bylaws and legal compliance
  • The Organization of American Historians (OAH) is hosting a virtual discussion of Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey Home on September 24, 2026, as part of its K-12 Teachers’ Book Club
  • The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is presenting “Hashtag Humanities,” a virtual panel on October 1, 2026. Participants will learn from three scholarly influencers on how to introduce people to knowledge beyond the academy
  • Connecting to Collections Care is hosting a virtual Collection Moves workshop on October 6, 2026. Participants will learn workflows, challenges, and lessons for packing and moving collections during rehabilitation or restoration projects
  • The Society of Indiana Archivists (SIA) is hosting “Conquering the Copyright Beast,” a workshop on copyright in digital archives on October 9, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana

PUBLICATIONS

  • The Extractive Midwest calls for proposals that consider how the Midwest developed through extractive processes for an edited collection. Abstracts are due by August 30, 2026
  • The University of Nevada Press has published National Parks and the Supreme Court: Groundbreaking Legal Battles by NCPH member Carla Chung Mattix, which examines how the Court has shaped the National Park System
  • The American Historical Association (AHA) is seeking an editor or co-editors for its journal, the American Historical Review. Those interested are encouraged to apply by October 1, 2026
  • The Public Historian (TPH) has a special virtual issue available to all and will remain available for the rest of 2026. The issue, “Considering the Revolution,” edited by MJ Rymsza-Pawlowska, collects five essays written over five years, each based on five plenary conversations produced in partnership with the National Park Service and held at NCPH’s virtual and in-person conferences between 2021-2025 
  • Transpositiones, an interdisciplinary biannual peer-reviewed humanities journal, is seeking submissions for its sixth volume, which will focus on the environmental humanities. Proposals are due October 20, 2026
  • The Open Library of Humanities Journal seeks papers for its issue Eros Across Antiquity, Ecology and Posthumanism. Abstracts should be submitted by October 31, 2026

To submit an item to this regular listing, fill out the form at https://ncph.org/around-the-field-form/. Please make sure to include a URL where readers can find more information about your posting.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.