Great Michigan Gathering

The Great Michigan Gathering is a free, three-year initiative that builds community through the art of intentional gathering. Inspired by Priya Parker‘s book, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, the initiative will launch on October 8, 2026, with an event featuring Parker at The Henry Ford. The event will be livestreamed to community watch parties across Michigan.

Through a series of free programs, resources, and partnerships, the Great Michigan Gathering aims to unite communities across the state. Each year deepens the work of the previous year by using a framework that builds on connection, awareness, sharing, understanding, truth, and growth.

The Great Michigan Gathering is designed for organizations whose missions center on bringing people together. As registered Gathering Partners, organizations will have access to:

• A statewide network of organizations doing this work across Michigan.
• Discussion guides and facilitation tools to lead meaningful conversations at your gatherings.
• Personalized marketing materials to promote programming in your community.
• The opportunity to apply for a Gathering Grant to bring public humanities programming to your community. Eligible grant applicants include municipalities, tribal entities, PreK-12 schools, college/universities, and 501c3 nonprofits. Michigan Humanities will reach out to registered Gathering Partners when funding is available with more information.