Booking a Speaker or Discussion Series
Through Community Conversations, you can bring high-quality speakers to your community through the Inquiring Mind Speaker’s Bureau, experience living history through the Inquiring Mind Chatauqua Program, or schedule a series of facilitated, text-based discussions on the meaning of service through the Program in Civic Reflection.
Booking a Community Conversations Program is easier than ever! Everything you need to book a speaker or program is online. Begin by viewing our Speaker Directory for a list of speakers and topics. Once you have selected a speaker or topic, you will need to complete the following steps:
Develop a list of possible dates, times and locations to have the program
Contact the speaker directly and agree upon a program date, time and location
Complete and mail a hard copy of the program application (found on the Forms Page), or phone the Humanities Washington office directly at (206) 682-1770 for assistance.
Upon approval of your program application from Humanities Washington:
Contact the speaker to confirm the program date, time and location. Ask if the speaker requires any special equipment or arrangements and clarify how the speaker would like to be introduced
Coordinate travel arrangements and reimbursement arrangements with the speaker
Request publicity information and photos from the speaker (or check the Humanities Washington website for downloadable publicity information for each speaker)
Publicize your event in advance through press releases, fliers, posters, and/or printed programs
Two weeks prior to the program date, call the speaker to re-confirm all program arrangements
Reimburse the speaker for travel expenses as negotiated within three weeks of receiving the reimbursement request
Before the program:
Make sure there is a sign in sheet for guests and audience members; you may download a template from the Humanities Washington website
Make sure that a lecturn, microphone, and audio/visual equipment are available at the site; test the equipment
Introduce the speaker and acknowledge the support of Humanities Washington and the Washington State Legislature on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of State (a suggested script will be sent to you before the presentation takes place)
After the event:
Within 2 weeks after the event return to Humanities Washington (these must be returned in order to receive your $150 travel and publicity stipend and in order to book again):
Cost-sharing report
Final evaluation
Samples of publicity materials and press coverage
Any audience evaluations collected at the event
The audience sign-in sheet
How much does it cost to book a speaker or discussion through the Community Conversations Program?
If you are booking a speaker for the first time, your fee (payable directly to Humanities Washington) is $50.00. Each additional booking in a program year (July 1 – June 30) will drop to $25.00. An organization may book up to three Community Conversation presentations per year; additional presentations may be available upon request
All of the speakers on the Community Conversations roster have agreed to give presentations for a $300 honorarium, payable directly to the speaker by Humanities Washington upon confirmation of the completed program
Booking organizations will be expected to pay for program publicity and negotiate speaker travel and per diem costs with the speaker. Upon submission of a final report packet to Humanities Washington, the organization will receive $150 from Humanities Washington to offset the costs of program publicity and speaker travel to help underwrite these costs
Quick Grants will no longer be available for Inquiring Mind speaker programs or Community Conversations discussion programs
