Smithsonian traveling exhibition highlighting democracy coming to Indiana
October 15, 2024Applications are now open for small towns interested in hosting the traveling exhibition The Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street, in partnership with Indiana Humanities, is bringing its traveling exhibition Voices…
Applications are now open for small towns interested in hosting the traveling exhibition
The Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street, in partnership with Indiana Humanities, is bringing its traveling exhibition Voices and Votes: Democracy in America to small towns across the Hoosier state in 2026.
Towns with populations under 10,000 are eligible to apply to host the exhibition, which gives an in-depth look on America’s democracy, and bring discussions about democracy to Indiana’s smaller communities. The deadline to apply is Jan. 31, 2025.
Six communities will be selected to host the exhibit for six weeks each in 2026, and receive extensive training, funding and other resources from the Smithsonian and Indiana Humanities. Each of the six hosts will also curate a unique section of the exhibit that tells the story of their community as it relates to the exhibit’s themes.
Voices and Votes is based on a major exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History called American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith. Content development was led by Harry Rubenstein, Curator Emeritus in the Division of Political History at the National Museum of American History.
The exhibit has many dynamic features: historical and contemporary photos; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives with short games and additional footage, photos, and information; and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.
Voices and Votes will prompt visitors to consider questions like “Who has the right to vote?”, “What are the freedoms and responsibilities of citizens?”, “Whose voices will be heard?”, “How do you participate as a citizen?”, and “How do we encourage more people to participate in our democracy?” It will also serve as a jumping off point for discussing how those questions are reflected in local stories.
“Voices and Votes uses history and storytelling to connect and educate citizens about their roles in American democracy,” said Megan Telligman, Director of Programs at Indiana Humanities. “At a time when Indiana faces challenging measures of civic health, the exhibit can remind us of why our engagement with democracy depends on the actions of diverse individuals that make up our great nation.”
A webinar to learn more about the opportunity will take place on Oct. 24. To RSVP, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIpdeyqrT0rHt1cfa5pB7Q7E8zSEaUDanmr#/registration.
To apply for your town to host Voices and Votes, visit https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=indianah.
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