A Cultural Humanities Initiative for Living Fully in Community
"Community is not something we inherit. It is something we practice."
The Present Society creates experiences that help people reconnect with place, purpose, and one another — through storytelling, civic engagement, and community-based cultural initiatives. Our programs bring together residents, visitors, organizations, and local leaders to explore what it means to truly belong to a place.
What We Do
Creating meaningful shared spaces where community life can take root and flourish.
Honoring the stories, traditions, and relationships that give places their identity and soul.
Capturing the voices and experiences that define a community — past, present, and emerging.
Creating opportunities for reflection, connection, and participation in the civic life of a place.
Current Initiative
A Hyper-Local Newsletter distributed as an insert in the Trumansburg Free Press — a weekly paid newspaper founded in 1865.
Local storytelling by local volunteers — discovering the overlooked stories that connect people to place. The Accidental Reporter invites everyday community members to become the chroniclers of their own neighborhood.
Stay Connected
Share your information below to learn about upcoming community conversations, storytelling projects, and cultural experiences in your area.