The National Endowment for the Humanities is spending $300,000 on a beer garden, screenings of the Netflix series Stranger Things, and "all kinds of Frankenstein swag."
Indiana Humanities received the funding for a series of events celebrating Mary Shelley's 19th century novel, including "Frankenfest" in Indianapolis, an all-day event for people to read Frankenstein while drinking beer.
"On Sept. 30, we're kicking everything off with Frankenfest at the Indiana Medical History Museum," Indiana Humanities announced on its website. "Some of the highlights include an all-day read-a-thon in the Old Pathology Building's operating theater, an onsite Franks-N-Steins beer garden featuring Central State Brewing beers and King David Dogs, a pop-up exhibit of rare anatomical books from the Ruth Lilly Medical Library at the IU School of Medicine; hands-on artmaking activities and Frankengames, and many other surprises. You don’t want to miss this one-of-a-kind event!"
The first 100 people who attend the event will receive a free Frankenstein beer mug.
The NEH praised the Frankenstein-themed events and said no taxpayer dollars would be used to buy beer.
"NEH's $300,000 grant to Indiana Humanities will support a range of educational activities celebrating the bicentennial of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," said spokesman David Skinner. "The One State / One Story: Frankenstein project will include approximately one hundred community readings, scholarly lectures on important issues of ethics, science, and technology, a 24-hour readathon at the Indiana Medical History Museum, and a screening of the 1910 short film Frankenstein."
"Per federal regulations, NEH grant dollars can never be used to pay for alcoholic beverages," he said. "For this Indiana Humanities project, NEH funding is not being used to purchase food or alcohol."
The $300,000 grant will also go to a weekend retreat next spring for Frankenstein experts and book lovers, who will eat meals "inspired by the book."
"The NEH grant enables us to present this program at a greatly reduced cost," Indiana Humanities said.
Indiana Humanities is also giving up to $1,000 for libraries to host community reading events and "all kinds of Frankenstein swag," including posters, bookmarks, and temporary tattoos of the monster.
A "teen-focused Indiana Sci-Fi & Horror Writers Festival" next fall will feature marathon screenings of the Netflix hit Stranger Things.
"Can you tell we're excited?" Indiana Humanities said. "We are incredibly grateful for the NEH support that will allow us to offer so many free and low-cost ways for Hoosiers from all walks of life to explore this great book and talk about how science affects our lives."
The organization also said the NEH grant will allow them to hire a program manager for "all things Frankenstein," who will work for the next 18 months.
The grant was awarded earlier this month as part of the NEH's first round of grants under the Trump administration. Other projects included $300,000 to have conversations about water in Michigan and $30,000 for "Oral Histories of Idaho's LGBTQ community."