The Figge Art Museum presents “Across America: The Smithsonian" -- April 5.

Monday, April 5, 3 p.m.

Presented by the Figge Art Museum

On March 26, Figge Art Museum members are invited to hop on a computer and travel to Washington D.C. in the virtual tour Across America: The Smithsonian – an online visit to the Experience America exhibition focusing on artists in the 1930s and the exciting opportunities available to them during that period.

The 1930s was a heady time for artists in America. Through President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal programs, the federal government paid them to paint and sculpt and urged them to look to the nation’s land and people for subjects. For the next decade, until World War II brought support to a halt, the country’s artists captured the beauty of the landscape, the industry of America’s working people, and a sense of community shared in towns large and small despite the Great Depression. Many of the paintings in the Smithsonian's Experience America were created in 1934 for a pilot program designed to put artists to work, while others were produced under the auspices of the WPA that followed. The thousands of paintings, sculptures, and murals placed in schools, post offices, and other public buildings stand as a testimony to the resilience of Americans during one of the most difficult periods of our history.

Founded on August 10 of 1846, the Smithsonian Institution was created “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” and was named after its founding donor, British scientist James Smithson. Termed “the nation's attic” for its eclectic holdings of 154 million items, the Institution's 19 museums, 21 libraries, nine research centers, and zoo include historical and architectural landmarks, mostly located in the District of Columbia. Additional facilities are located in Maryland, New York, and Virginia, and more than 200 institutions and museums in 45 states, Puerto Rico, and Panama are Smithsonian Affiliates. Thirty million annual visitors are admitted without charge, and the venue's annual budget is around $1.2 billion, with two-thirds coming from annual federal appropriations. Other funding comes from the Smithsonian's endowment, private and corporate contributions, membership dues, and earned retail, concession, and licensing revenue, and the institution's publications include the magazines Smithsonian and Air & Space.

The virtual presentation Across America: The Smithsonian will take place from 3 to 4 p.m. on April 5, and admission is $12.50 for the members-only event. For more information and to register, call (563)326-7804 or visit FiggeArtMuseum.org.

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