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We the People: A Community Quilt for 250 Years

As Green Bay gears up to celebrate the monumental 250th Birthday of the United States, Downtown Green Bay, Inc. invites the public to participate in a collaborative art project, We the People: A Community Quilt for 250 Years.

Through several in-person workshops and take-home kits, local artist Laura Schley will lead 250 participants as they embellish their own quilt block with what makes America beautiful to them. The blocks will then be sewn together, creating one final quilt, as well as a vinyl reproduction mural of the finished quilt to be installed in downtown Green Bay.

Created together and unveiled on July 4th at a ceremony in Leicht Park, the quilt will function not only as artwork, but also as a living civic document, reminding viewers that the future is not inherited whole, but stitched together through many hands.

Take-Home Kits Pick-Up/Drop-Off Locations

Quilt Workshops

  • April 11 | 10 AM - 2 PM | NWTC Artisan Center
  • April 22 | 5 PM - 7 PM | Brown County Central Library
  • April 27 | 11 AM - 1 PM | ADRC Grounded Cafe

Quilt Block Details:

Each kit comes with supplies and instructions for designing your 5" red, white, or blue fabric. You may paint, draw, hand-stitch, machine-stitch, or appliqué - no sewing experience required. Quilt blocks must be returned to one of the drop-off locations by Friday, May 15.

Your block might reflect:

  • A favorite moment in American history
  • A historical figure who has made a positive impact
  • An inventor or invention that changed everyday life
  • A food, tradition, or pastime you love
  • A place that feels important to you (local or national)
  • A hope, dream, or value you want to carry forward

Or, you may wish to celebrate Green Bay's place in America:

  • Its people and neighborhoods
  • Local history and traditions
  • Agriculture, industry, or craftsmanship
  • The Great Lakes and surrounding landscapes
  • Community pastimes, sports, and gathering places

This project is supported in part by a grant from the City of Green Bay and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.