Arizona Scholars Sharing Arizona Stories

AZ Speaks programs, offered by Arizona Humanities in partnership with cultural, educational, and nonprofit groups, bring engaging, humanities-based presentations to communities. Expert speakers from diverse fields, such as history, gender studies, and cultural studies, lead discussions that inspire audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Programs must always be free, open to the public, and must be hosted in-person, lasting 60 minutes.

Host organizations can schedule up to three presentations per cycle, with the current cycle running from Jan. 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2026.

Priority will be given to rural communities and public libraries. 

Living Landscapes: Celebrating America's 250th

In celebration of the nation's 250th, Arizona Humanities will offer a curated catalog of speakers presenting on topics under the theme of “Living Landscapes”, which explores Arizona’s natural environment and its relationship to our history, culture, and lived experiences. Arizona history is rooted in its landscapes. To honor this, AZ Speaks events will highlight how Arizona’s natural environment has shaped communities, from our unique food, music, storytelling, and more, for the past 250 years and beyond. These topics and presentations will uplift the voices of Arizona and its land by engaging communities all around the state to honor our country’s history.

All art-based discussions are generously supported by the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Priority will be given to rural community host sites.
All discussions hosted at libraries are supported in part by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

AZ Speaks Presentation Catalog

Environmental Humanities
Humanities in Contemporary Issues
Indigenous Culture
Jurisprudence/Justice Studies

Water, Sovereignty, and Survival: Understanding Tribal Water Rights in Arizona

Water has always been at the heart of life and survival in the desert Southwest. This presentation explores the history, law and ongoing significance of Tribal water rights in Arizona....
Arizona/Southwest History
Environmental Humanities
Foodways

Arizona’s Ark of Taste Foods

Chef and Cultural Anthropologist Amber Sampson brings you on a journey of taste around Arizona's heritage food history. Sampson will expand on Arizona's Ark of Taste, a living catalog of...
Arizona/Southwest History
Artist Talk
Foodways
Indigenous Culture
Storytelling

The Gift of Hunger and Turkey in Diné Foodways

Stories of Diné food traditions, both before and after first contact, reveal deep connections between sustenance, survival, and spirit. These include the story of the Nayee' (monster) hunger and how...

Interested in hosting an AZ Speaks event?

Browse our full catalog of speakers and presentations.

See Full Catalog

How to Host an AZ Speaks Program

1

Review

Review the AZ Speaks Catalog and find a speaker that you are interested in having speak at your site.
Review the Catalog

2

Apply

Complete the online application form after deciding on a speaker. You must submit your application at least 6 weeks before the presentation takes place. Please make sure to have at least 2 hosting dates in mind.
Apply Now

3

Wait for Approval

Please allow two weeks for application processing. If approved, you will receive a Next Steps email with important details and a link to our host site toolkit.

4

Contact Speaker

Once your application has been approved, an email will be sent to you and your speaker of choice to finalize the date, time, and other logistics.

5

Sign Agreement & Make Cost Share Payment

Once your application has been approved, please sign the program agreement and make your $100 Cost Share payment.

6

Complete Evaluation

Complete ‘Project Director Evaluation’ and submit audience evaluations through the Grants and Programs dashboard. The evaluation is due one week after the presentation date.

Ready to make your AZ Speaks payment?

After your organization has been approved to host an AZ Speaks presentation, you are ready to make a payment.
DO NOT pay for a presentation if you have not received confirmation.

To pay for your AZ Speaks presentation by credit card, please submit your contract # and date of presentation in the boxes below and click the button to pay through PayPal.

For checks, please make check payable to Arizona Humanities and mail to 1242 N. Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85004.

Check out past AZ Speaks presentations

Questions?

For scheduling support, please contact our Programs Coordinator, Chris Elliott at celliott@azhumanities.org or (602) 257-0335, extension 5