America at 250
In this 250th anniversary year, Aspen Institute leaders, thinkers, and communities are exploring the ideas, values, and actions that will shape the next chapter.
The Next Chapter
Two hundred and fifty years after its founding, the United States stands at another moment of reflection and possibility.
This anniversary is not only a time to look back. It is an invitation to ask:
What kind of country are we still becoming?
Across the Aspen Institute, leaders, thinkers, and communities are exploring the ideas, values, and actions that will shape the next chapter.
The Work of Citizenship
What does it mean to participate?
Citizenship is not a spectator activity. It is a practice.
Through civic engagement, public dialogue, and community action, individuals shape the direction of their country—and the health of its democracy.
Art of America
Iconic Works Defining and Shaping the United States
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, the Aspen Institute Arts Program invites leading artists to reflect on the works that have defined and challenged the American story.
Art of America is a digital storytelling series that brings together voices from the Herman Eisner Artist in Residence community and beyond to explore how art shapes the nation’s identity, values, and imagination.
Art helps us understand who we are and where we are headed. By examining the power of creativity to inspire reflection and change, this project underscores the role of artists as visionaries who illuminate America’s past while helping us imagine its future.
Art of America
Ken Burns on John Trumbull’s Declaration of Independence
Emmy and Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns reflects on John Trumbull’s Declaration of Independence and how the iconic painting has shaped the way Americans visualize the nation’s founding.
Through art, we can better understand where America has been, who we are today, and what we might still become.
Leadership for a More Perfect Union
What kind of leadership does this moment demand?
At pivotal moments in history, leadership matters most.
Across sectors and communities, Aspen Institute programs explore values-based leadership—grounded in responsibility, courage, and a commitment to the common good.
“Leadership is key—leaders who understand that we will never eliminate the partisanship in our political system, nor should we, but that partisanship should be constructive rather than destructive.”
Dan Glickman, former congressman and executive director of the Institute’s Congressional Program
America at 250: Economic Leadership in Our Next Era
In this moment of economic transition, leaders across business and policy are shaping the next chapter of the American economy, driving growth and competitiveness, strengthening the workforce and expanding opportunity. In this conversation, explore how leaders decide which problems need solving now.
Learn more at aspenideas.org.
Democracy in Practice
What holds a democracy together?
Democracy is not static. It is built—and rebuilt—through institutions, participation, and trust.
From elections to information systems, Aspen Institute conversations explore how democracy endures, adapts, and can be strengthened for the future.
Aspen Ideas Festival: How America Recovers
Many are disheartened by the state of the country—but history tells a different story. America has endured deep crises before, and found its way through.
The Democracy Dilemma
Filipino journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, Brookings Institution Fellow Shadi Hamid and president of the advocacy group Freedom House, Michael Abramowitz, share their diverse expertise about what got us to this point, and where democracy might go in the future.
How TikTok Changed the Vote
For the first time in modern history, America’s youngest voters are leaning rightward, with Gen Z voters identifying as more conservative than their parents at double the previous generation.
Can Justice Be Independent?
The U.S. Justice Department, charged to “uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights,” is increasingly at the center of partisan disputes.
Bridging Divides
How can we find common ground?
A thriving society depends on the ability to engage across differences.
Rising Generations
What are we passing forward?
The future of the country will be shaped by emerging leaders.
Young people across the Aspen Institute network are stepping forward—with new ideas, new energy, and a renewed commitment to civic life.
Service Is the First Leadership Lab
“The future of leadership doesn’t begin in boardrooms. It begins wherever a young person decides not just to help, but to change what’s broken.” – Kaya Henderson, Executive Vice President and Executive Director of the Center for Rising Generations at the Aspen Institute.
America in a Global Context
How does the U.S. show up in the world?
The challenges facing the United States are deeply connected to the rest of the world.
Through global dialogue and collaboration, Aspen Institute communities explore the role of leadership, cooperation, and shared responsibility across borders.
What comes next?
The story of America has always been shaped by people—by the choices they make, the values they uphold, and the future they imagine together.
At 250, the work continues.
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