National Scrollathon

250,000 participants from all 50 state and territories. 56 large-scale artworks made from fabric scrolls. For the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Kennedy Center invites the National Scrollathon® to build a collaborative visual art installation. Revealing the American story in all its beautiful complexity, the final artwork will be displayed Memorial Day to Labor Day, 2026 (May 26–September 7, 2026) across the Kennedy Center campus.

The National Scrollathon, led by artists Steven and William Ladd, returns following its successful Scrollathon during the 2019 REACH Opening Festival. The artists guide participants to make two fabric scrolls—one inscribed with a personal story, and one to be part of a larger artwork. The scrolls from the whole community are brought together into a wooden frame and affixed into place. The participants’ portraits are later incorporated into a photo mural and a souvenir brochure.