Humanities Awards

Award Categories:

• Lifetime Contributions: Honors citizens who have supported public appreciation of issues central to the humanities.
• Documentary Photographer of the Year: Honors documentary photographers whose work captures Louisiana’s history, culture, and/or people. Nominations may be for a complete body of work or a single project.
• Humanities Documentary Film of the Year: Awarded to the documentary film released in the previous calendar year (2023) that best exemplifies scholarship on Louisiana topics or by Louisiana documentary filmmakers.
• Humanities Book of the Year: Awarded to the book published between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023, that best exemplifies scholarship on Louisiana topics or by Louisiana writers.
• Light Up for Literacy: Honors individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to literacy efforts in the state. The award is presented in partnership with the State Library of Louisiana’s Center for the Book.
• Museum Exhibition of the Year: Recognizes an exhibition held during the prior two calendar years (2022 and 2023) that brought new insights to the understanding of the state, its artists, and/or its history. Awarded biannually in even-numbered years.

Note: The Best in Digital Humanities award is awarded biannually in odd-numbered years. The next award in this category will be made in 2025.