Wednesday, April 1, 2026 - 12:00pm

Get a first look at A Nation of Artists before it opens to the public. PAFA curators Lea C. Stephenson, Kenneth R. Woodcock Curator of Historical American Art, and Leah Triplett, Curator of Contemporary Art, come together for an intimate preview conversation exploring the surprising stories, overlooked artists, and bold curatorial choices behind this landmark exhibition marking America’s 250th anniversary.

What makes A Nation of Artists different from traditional American art surveys? How do you tell 250 years of American creativity—from colonial painters to contemporary innovators—in a way that honors complexity and challenges long-held assumptions? Stephenson and Triplett offer a behind-the-scenes look at how they reimagined the canon, centered marginalized voices, and created dynamic dialogues between historical and contemporary works to expand our understanding of what it has always meant to be an American artist.

This lunchtime program is part of PAFA’s Art at Noon: A Nation of Artists Series, a monthly conversation series that dives deep into the themes, artworks, and artists featured in the exhibition.