2023 marked the 60th anniversary of Art in Embassies. In celebration of that milestone, the Democracy Collection initiative brought art diplomacy for democracy to every hemisphere through artist exchanges, a traveling exhibition, civic engagements, events at cultural institutions, and an outreach program to expand AIE’s diplomatic art repository.

At the U.S. Department of State Summit for Democracy in December 2021, President Joe Biden declared, “Democracy doesn’t happen by accident. We have to defend it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it.” At that same summit, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called upon fellow democratic nations to develop action plans for strengthening democracy around the world, saying, “Democracy is facing a moment of reckoning.” The Democracy Collection initiative was a project of the Summit for the Democracy convened regularly by the President and the Secretary of State.

On September 19th, artist-filled public programming kicked off the opening of the traveling exhibition, A More Perfect Union: American Artists and the Currents of Our Time. Kal Penn, Deborah Kass, Hank Willis Thomas, Sanford Biggers, Alfre Woodard, Alexis Rockman, and more participated in a variety of talks and panels. This day—which also included exhibition tours by artists, conversations about the relationship between art and democracy in the United States, and demonstrations and activities to engage museum visitors—was made possible by Art in Embassies, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, and the University of Virginia’s Karsh Institute of Democracy.

As part of the Democracy Collection initiative, Art in Embassies invited supporters, artists and lenders to participate in a video, asking them to finish the sentence “Democracy Is…” Their responses highlight the diversity and vitality of our community and the unique perspectives of artists on the essence of democracy. The video was showcased across various venues in 2023.

Art in Embassies sends artists around the globe for civic dialogues and community engagements that explore the ideals and challenges of democratic societies.

Art in Embassies and the National Art Education Association launched their student art competition on February 15, 2023. The Best in Show winner was named by the competition’s jury, which included graphic artist Shepard Fairey, and was honored at Art in Embassies’ 60th anniversary celebration at Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.