Promoting the Humanities throughout Campus and the Commonwealth

Our Year on Origins

Coinciding with the United States’ quarter millennial, the Gaines theme for 2025-2026 explores the meaning of origins through the prism of disciplinary viewpoints offered by the humanities, the arts, and the sciences. The Gaines Fellows seminar highlights the multiplicity of beginnings not only for Lexington and the United States but also for current technologies, social institutions, political movements, the planet, humans, and other species as the city and nation commemorate—and reckon with—our 250th anniversaries

Gaines Newsletter: Fall 2025

News and Upcoming Events

Troublesome Rising with Melissa Helton

May 11, 2026

Join us for a talk by Melissa Helton from the Hindman Settlement School, editor of Troublesome Rising: A Thousand Year Flood in Eastern Kentucky. Helton will discuss the impact of the 2022 flood and discuss the role of the humanities in the study of natural disasters and water in Appalachia. Helton's talk will take place on Monday May 11 at 2.00pm in the WT Young Library Auditorium. This talk is organized by the Appalachian Water Gaines Cooperative, and sponsored by the Gaines Center for the Humanities.

Twelve New Gaines Fellows Named

by Ryan Girves

Apr 3, 2026

Twelve University of Kentucky students have been selected as the newest Gaines Fellows, representing nine colleges across campus and marking a record number of applications for the highly competitive program. The Gaines Fellowship in the Humanities is a distinctive, two-year program designed to enrich undergraduate education through interdisciplinary coursework, independent research and community engagement. Fellows are selected for their academic achievement, research potential, interest in public issues and commitment to exploring the human condition through the humanities.

NOW AVAILABLE Our Fall 2026 Newsletter

Feb 19, 2026

The Fall 2026 newsletter includes the many (many!) things happening over here in the UK Gaines Center including our 40th anniversary alumni reunion celebrations, our 2025-2026 mini-grant recipients, and spotlights on current senior fellow Marc Vazsonyi and alumna Cat Wentworth.

NOW AVAILABLE TO STREAM The 2025 Bale Boone Symposium with Ebony G. Patterson

Jan 12, 2026

The 2025 Bale Boone Symposium with Ebony G. Patterson is now available to stream on our YouTube channel. CLICK HERE TO STREAM

now available to stream 2025 Breathitt Lecture with Lucas Carlos de Lima

Jun 30, 2025

The 2025 Breathitt Lecture, Crystal Palaces: Designing a Better World Amidst Social Chaos presented by Lucas Carlos de Lima, is now available to stream on our YouTube channel. Click here to view the lecture.

View all news