I love the Mural of America project because at its core, it’s about belonging.

As individuals, we go through life and find belonging in many different ways, through family, friends, work, neighborhoods, schools, hobbies, culture, identity, causes we believe in … and through art.

Art is what makes us uniquely human. It speaks to us regardless of our language or culture. It expresses our ideas, emotions, and stories. It captures moments in time.

I hope that by shining a light on the complex rock art, landscapes, and stories in our continent’s deep history, the Mural of America helps us all take a step back and recognize how profoundly we are connected, how much we have in common, and how much we can learn from each other. Saying it a little differently, I hope everyone who experiences the Mural of America leaves with a heightened sense of belonging and the inspiration to help others feel that too.

As our Artistic Director Dustin Mater explained to a classroom of students, “This cave art isn’t just my history, or Chickasaw history. It’s all of our history.”