Arts Projects Honoring National

Garden of American Heroes

Gadsden Arts Center & Museum

awarded a National Endowment

for the Arts Grant for America 250

QUINCY, FL — Gadsden Arts Center & Museum is pleased to announce it has received a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) through its Celebrating America250 initiative, Arts Projects Honoring the National Garden of American Heroes. The grant will support exhibitions and related activities that highlight the contributions and enduring influence of notable Americans. Among those recognized are Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose legacy is reflected in Generations: A Solo Exhibit by Julie Torres, on view through July 11, and President Harry S. Truman, whose leadership and conservation efforts are an integral part of America’s Everglades: Through the Lens of Clyde Butcher, opening Sept. 25, 2026.

NEA Senior Advisor Mary Anne Carter said, “As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, the National Endowment for the Arts is honored to support communities across the country in recognizing the individuals whose contributions have defined our history. Gadsden Arts’ project in Quincy plays a significant role in commemorating these heroes’ legacies while affirming the enduring role of the arts in shaping America’s future.”

Generations: A Solo Exhibit by Julie Torres features the work of Tallahassee native Julie Miller Torres, a fine artist known for her woven screenprint pieces that combine traditional quilt patterns with selected text from U.S. Supreme Court cases. Through this work, Torres explores the evolution of law and the ideals of freedom, equality, empowerment, and civic life.

The exhibition is on view now and two events featuring the artist are coming up on Thursday, June 25, 2026. A Dine & Discover Luncheon titled History, Art, and Civic Life, will feature Torres discussing one of her favorite works, followed by a conversation with Tiffany Baker, Museum Director of the Florida Historic Capitol Museum. Later that evening, a public Wine & Cheese gathering will welcome you to meet the artist and explore the exhibition. Reservations for the luncheon are available at gadsdenarts.org until June 17, and admission to the evening reception is free for members, $5 for non-member adults.

Opening Sept. 25, 2026, the Gadsden Arts Center & Museum will present photographs by Clyde Butcher  (pictured here is Butcher’s Florida Bay) spanning three decades that capture the beauty and biodiversity of the Florida Everglades. The public opening reception on Friday, Sept. 25, will feature a presentation by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jack E. Davis. Davis will discuss the environmental importance of the Everglades, Harry S. Truman’s conservation legacy, and Butcher’s impact as an artist and conservationist. Additional educational programs will explore themes of conservation, biodiversity, and Florida history, thanks to program parters St. Francis Wildlife Association, Tallahassee Museum, and Museum of Florida History.

The NEA was named as a key partner in President Trump’s “Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday” Executive Order, which calls for the establishment of the Garden of Heroes. The National Endowment for the Humanities is supporting the design and creation of the statues that will make up the National Garden. The 50 NEA-supported Arts Projects Honoring the National Garden of American Heroes will honor these individuals highlighted through a variety of artistic disciplines.

For more information on other projects included in the NEA’s grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news. For more information about upcoming events and programs, visit gadsdenarts.org.

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