250 Years of American Style Public Art Installation

CityCenterDC announces a national juried art competition titled '250 Years of American Style,' inviting artists and creative visionaries to explore the cultural power of American style through a bold, site-specific installation. The winning concept will debut in June 2026, suspended above Palmer Alley at CityCenterDC in Washington, D.C.

This initiative positions itself at the intersection of fashion, design, culture, and public art. It welcomes submissions from visual artists, fashion and costume designers, architects, sculptors, set designers, students, and multidisciplinary creators. Participants are encouraged to interpret the evolution of American identity through style, design, and creative expression, considering America as both a visual language and cultural force shaped by pioneers in fashion, music, art, literature, food, and innovation.

The winning concept will be realized as a multi-block suspended installation, transforming Palmer Alley into an immersive cultural experience. The selected artist will receive a $10,000 honorarium, and CityCenterDC will provide up to $100,000 in production funding to support fabrication and installation. Design Foundry will be available to collaborate on engineering and fabrication support if needed.

A distinguished jury of cultural leaders will select the winning concept, including Robin Givhan (Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist), Jeffrey Wilkins (Vice President of Visual Merchandising at Gucci), Concetta Duncan (Head of Communications at Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery), Caitlin Berry (Director of Irene & Richard Frary Gallery), Pum Lefebure (Co-Founder of Design Army), Cory Frank (Chief Marketing Officer of Design Foundry), and Timothy Lowery (Managing Director at Hines).

The installation will be exhibited from June 2026 through October 2026 in Palmer Alley at CityCenterDC.