The Cleveland Humanities Festival is a collaborative event celebrating the great cultural institutions of the city of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio dedicated to humanistic inquiry. The Festival engages the public in addressing some of society’s most challenging issues and pressing concerns. Coordinated by the Baker-Nord Institute for the Humanities of Case Western Reserve University, the Festival partners with our region’s major museums, educational institutions, and arts organizations.
Each year the CHF explores a theme of topical interest to the public from the perspective of the humanities. Cultural, scientific, and educational organizations in and around Cleveland partner with the Baker-Nord Institute in presenting public programming on the annual theme. Each partner institution contributes public events that are consistent with its individual mission, thus guaranteeing that a wide range of perspectives is offered. Past themes have included “Remembering War” (2016), “Immigration” (2017), “Health” (2018), "Nature" (2019), "Truth" (2020), "Identity" (2021), "Discourse" (2022), "Wellness" (2023), "Awe" (2024), and "Appetite" (2025).