NEW YORK, NY.- With the push of a button this morning, digital billboards across New York’s Times Square began to display images of 58 classic and contemporary works of American art, officially marking the start of Art Everywhere US. From now through August 31, as many as 50,000 digital and static displays in all 50 states—billboards on city streets and rural highways, displays on bus shelters and subway platforms, dioramas in airports, videos in health clubs, trailers in movie theaters and more—will present the largest outdoor art show ever conceived, as a nationwide celebration of America’s artistic heritage.

The 58 images, which span 230 years of American art, are drawn from the collections of five major museums across the country—the Art Institute of Chicago; the Dallas Museum of Art; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. The museums have collaborated with the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) and its members to present Art Everywhere US with the co-operation of artists, estates, foundations, and rights agencies.

The choice of artworks was informed by a public vote on www.ArtEverywhereUS.org, which now functions as an interactive art gallery. Visitors to the site may retrieve information about the selected works, read about the story of art in the United States, see which works are on advertising displays in their vicinity, and find the locations of specific works around the United States.

Museum Leaders Celebrate the Launch

As the displays went live in Times Square, museum leaders gathered with representatives of OAAA and its members in the Regal E-Walk movie theater on New York’s 42nd Street for an event to mark the start of Art Everywhere US. Nancy Fletcher, President and CEO of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, was joined by Maxwell L. Anderson, the Eugene McDermott Director, Dallas Museum of Art; Donna De Salvo, Chief Curator and Deputy Director for Programs, Whitney Museum of American Art; Douglas Druick, President and Eloise W. Martin Director, Art Institute of Chicago; Michael Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director, LACMA; Deborah Ziska, Chief of Press and Public Information, National Gallery of Art; and Richard Reed, co-founder of Innocent Drinks, who originated Art Everywhere in 2013 in the UK.

Nancy Fletcher stated, “Art Everywhere US is the latest and most spectacular chapter in our industry’s long history of contributing its resources to the public service. We are deeply grateful to the five museums for enabling us to bring this astonishing survey of America’s artistic heritage directly to the people.”

Maxwell L. Anderson said, “Thanks to OAAA and its members, a vast new audience is now starting to encounter masterpieces of American art, free of charge, as part of their everyday landscape. In many ways, American art tells the story of our country. On behalf of the Dallas Museum of Art and the four other participating museums, it’s wonderful to be able to bring that story out into the public square.”

Digital and Social Media Bring Art Everywhere US to Life

Art Everywhere US is live on social media channels including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Launching today, an Instagram contest will encourage viewers to post selfies with Art Everywhere US displays using the hashtag #ArtEverywhereUS, and the top ten most creative photos will win a prize from Art Everywhere US.

Adding to the excitement, selected pedestrian-level displays, such as bus shelters and kiosks, will feature Blippar interactive image recognition technology. Using the free Blippar app on any smart phone or mobile device, users can view the artwork through their devices to instantly unlock a wealth of information, including augmented reality experiences, audio guides, artist and museum content, and more.