Artists wanted for Trump’s National Garden of American Heroes 

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is issuing a call for artists interested in creating statues for President Trump’s National Garden of American Heroes.

The federal agency says the grant is part of “the preparation for the nation’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026” and will include “life-size statues of 250 great individuals from America’s past who have contributed to our cultural, scientific, economic, and political heritage.”

Which American heroes?

The list includes presidents, scientists, artists, athletes and other notable figures who’ve shaped American history and culture including Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein, Sally Ride, Sacagawea, Sitting Bull, John Singer Sargent, Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Lauren Bacall, Amelia Earhart, Babe Ruth and Kobe Bryant. (Full list is here.)

How much money? 

The grant notice says awards will be “up to $600,000” with a “per-unit limit of $200,000 per statue, and applicants are limited to three statues.” The total price tag for the garden is $34 million, with $30 million set aside for the statues.

Where will the garden be?

No site has been chosen for the garden yet, but in March, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden wrote a letter to Trump offering  land in the Black Hills that he says is within sight of Mount Rushmore.

Why is this happening?

Trump has taken an aggressive approach towards reshaping cultural institutions since taking office three months ago. He took over the Kennedy Center, issued an executive order that said, in part, the Smithsonian Institution had “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology” and has allowed DOGE (the Department of Government Efficiency) to cancel hundreds of National Endowment for the Humanities grants to organizations across the country.

DOGE also put the staff of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on paid leave, putting most of the federal agency’s grants in limbo. Grants from the IMLS support museums and libraries across the United States.

Jennifer Vanasco edited the digital version of this story. Virginia Lozano created the photo montage.