Celebrating America's 250th Anniversary
In 2026, the United State of America is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is proud to join this celebration and amplify the importance of arts and culture to our nation's past, present, and future.
In addition to serving as an Ex-Officio member of the America250 Commission, the NEA is also part of the Freedom 250 Network, the public-private partnership leading the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The NEA’s celebration of this important milestone in our nation's history can be seen across the agency’s activities, from grantmaking to national initiatives.
Grantmaking
Every year since 2021, the NEA’s Grants for Arts Projects funding opportunity has encouraged applications for projects that celebrate the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity by honoring the semiquincentennial of the United States of America.
The NEA has two special grant opportunities tied to America's 250th anniversary:
- “Celebrating America250: Arts Projects Honoring the National Garden of American Heroes”: Announced in December 2025, these 50 projects will take place throughout 2026 and will celebrate one of more of the national heroes listed in Executive Order 13978, “Building the National Garden of American Heroes”.
- “Celebrating the Nation’s 250th Birthday with Music from U.S. Military Bands”: This grant program recognizes the role military bands have played throughout American history, celebrating the nation’s spirit through a wide range of musical styles and genres. Eligible organizations are invited to apply for grants to support arts projects that feature performances and/or educational programming with a U.S. military band to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. (Deadline: Feb. 23, 2026)
Through the NEA’s Partnership Agreements with the nation’s state arts agencies, the NEA is also supporting an additional America250-related projects taking place in communities across the nation.
National Initiatives
Leading up to and beyond the semiquincentennial, the NEA’s initiatives provide an opportunity to celebrate American stories.
Programs for Youth
The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge is an opportunity for high school students to develop and showcase musical compositions that could be a part of a musical theater production. For the 2025-2026 program, young songwriters submitted songs celebrating the rich tapestry of American stories showcasing their unique voices, imaginations, and musical sensibilities to help shape the future of this uniquely American art form.
Poetry Out Loud is a dynamic poetry recitation competition for high school students that can help improve public speaking skills, build confidence, and grow their appreciation for poetry. For 2025-2026, Poetry Out Loud focused on poems that celebrate the rich tapestry of American history and culture.
Programs for Military
Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network honors 250 years of military service by advancing the health and well-being of service members, veterans, caregivers, and families. The initiative integrates creative arts therapies into clinical care for military personnel and veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress, mild traumatic brain injury, and related psychological illnesses, and expands access to community arts engagement. Together, these efforts strengthen resilience, foster connection, and support full force readiness.
Programs for Communities
Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD) brings together mayors and community design experts to solve the most critical planning and design challenges facing their cities. In celebration of America250, mayors and city leaders are invited to partner with local arts agencies, community organizations, and other nonprofits to create city art posters that celebrate local communities, city history, and civic and national pride that honor America250.
The NEA Big Read is a grant program to support community reading programs designed around a single NEA Big Read book. In 2025-2026, all NEA Big Read grantees will host an event in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In 2026-2027, the NEA Big Read library will focus around books that celebrate America’s culture, history, and resilience through the eyes of its citizens.