The First Folio, published in 1623, is the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays, many of which were not published during his lifetime. Accompanying the rare book will be a multi-panel exhibition exploring the significance of Shakespeare, then and now, with additional digital content and interactive activities. During the exhibition, UofL, Frazier History Museum, Louisville Free Public Library and several arts, cultural, and community organizations in Louisville are planning public programs in support of the exhibition.
“The University of Louisville is delighted to partner with the Frazier Museum and the Louisville Free Public Library to bring ‘First Folio: The Book That Gave Us Shakespeare’ to our city,” said UofL President James Ramsey. “We look forward to providing compelling, innovative programming that will showcase the ongoing relevance of Shakespeare’s works and highlight the central importance of the humanities and liberal arts. Through performances, lectures and other community events hosted by faculty, staff and students from across the university, we will witness once again how Shakespeare is ‘not of an age, but for all time.’”
“First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare” premieres in Louisville at the Frazier History Museum on Nov. 10, 2016 and will be free and open to the public. A full schedule of programs, activities, and performances will be announced in the coming months. To follow the conversation on Twitter and Instagram, use #WillToTheVille.
The exhibit is made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor, and by the generous support of Google.org and Vinton and Sigrid Cerf.