Local Roots and State Pride: The Arts and America 250

In July 1776, the signing of the Declaration of Independence signaled the birth of a new nation. 250 years later, many American communities are honoring that anniversary. This summer, America 250 will be a prominent theme of many festivals, family excursions, cultural events and civic celebrations.

State and jurisdictional arts agencies have designed numerous special initiatives to mark the occasion. As ever, our field has been highly responsive to local needs as we approach this commemoration, ensuring that events reflect each community’s unique history, lived experiences and creative character.

There is some outstanding programmatic ingenuity on parade, and I wish I could personally attend these events. Murals Across Ohio sounds like an awesome road trip. I’d like to participate in the Revolutionary Acts happening in New Jersey and join the America 250 virtual book club to read works by North Carolina authors. To recharge, I’d break bread at Shared Tables with friends in Maine, followed by cupcakes for dessert—plus ballads, beadwork and broom making—at Tennessee Statehood Day. And the Idaho Cowgirl Congress is going on my bucket list, for sure! My cowgirl boots are always ready. I could also break them out at the National Folk Festival, hosted in Jackson, Mississippi.

Every state has inspiring examples like this, all rooted in the myriad geographies, voices and cultural traditions that make America special. This moment offers our agencies an abundance of good opportunities to reach a broad audience. More than 1,200 state events have taken place so far, with hundreds more still to come.

These activities draw on a blend of state dollars and federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). At the federal level, the NEA is underwriting its own portfolio of Freedom 250 projects, including Poetry Out Loud, the City Art Poster Project, performances by military bands and many direct-grant projects.

Some of these activities will naturally revolve around the Fourth of July, but the impact doesn’t end then. Partnerships forged around America 250 can pave the way for future collaborations. New artworks will inspire future generations. And advocates can continue to point to America 250 programs as examples of how the arts bring people together, facilitate mutual understanding and foster community pride.

Back to the Declaration of Independence.… The men who signed it included artists and creatives. Thomas Jefferson was a passionate musician and an architect. Benjamin Franklin was a writer, publisher and inventor of musical instruments. Francis Hopkinson was one of the leading poets and composers of the age. In other words, our founders did not regard the arts as peripheral to their new nation. To the contrary, they viewed the arts as essential to what a strong country could become—a conviction that state arts agencies still proudly carry forward today. That’s certainly something worth lifting up and celebrating!