Picturing America is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), conducted in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA), that brings notable American art into thousands of communities across the country. The program seeks to offer a fresh and engaging way to learn about American’s history and culture, using art as a catalyst for the study of the cultural, political and historical threads woven into our nation’s fabric over time.
The program was piloted in 2007, launched nationally in 2008, and expanded in 2009. Under these three application deadlines, more than 43,000 schools and 3,500 public libraries were selected to participate. Through Picturing America, participants receive a collection of 20 double-sided, laminated reproductions of American artwork, and a copy of the Picturing America Teachers Resource Book, which includes information about the paintings, sculpture, architecture, and crafts reproduced.