October Is National Arts and Humanities Month

Not only is October great because fall is in the air, but it is also National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM). Americans for the Arts, the coordinator of this annual event, calls it "a coast-to-coast collective celebration of culture in America" and notes that it's the largest such festivity in the nation.

Established in 1993 as an outgrowth of National Arts Week, which the National Endowment for the Arts and Americans for the Arts started in 1985, NAHM features special events such as arts center open houses, performances and speeches, along with publicity such as banners, signs and newspaper articles.

Americans for the Arts encourages arts organizations to offer free events so all can have access, though some activities may cost money. Find out what's going on near you by choosing your state from the drop-down box on the NAHM map.

And if this exposure happens to spur you on to further interest in the arts, check out Americans for the Arts' new Web portal designed to match up volunteers with culturally oriented community service opportunities. Volunteers can also use this online space to share stories, photos and videos that express their service experiences, according to a press release. The effort is inspired by the Obama Administration's United We Serve initiative.

So get ready for a month in which the autumn leaves only count for some of the local color. Get out and meet the artists, writers, musicians and other cultural treasures in your community. Or better yet, become one yourself.

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