America // América Cultural Programming
America // América: A group exhibition exploring identity, history, and the interwoven realities of the Americas
Exhibition Dates: July 1-27, 2026
Cultural Programming: July 11, 2026 | 4:00 PM-9:00 PM
On July 4, 2026, the United States will celebrate 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That same week, on July 1, a different kind of American story opens at The Arts League of Philadelphia. America // América brings together eight Latine and Caribbean artists to ask a perspective that the Semiquincentennial celebrations may not share - the story of “Whose America are we discussing?”
Co-curated by Debora Reaves Charmelus and Linda Fernandez, presented by The Arts League in partnership with Kolektivo Sin Nombre, America // América is a group exhibition featuring Latine and Caribbean artists whose work examines the complex meanings of identity, belonging, memory, and power across the Americas.
Opening during the same week as the United States’ Semiquincentennial celebrations, America // América challenges conventional understandings of what constitutes “America.” The exhibition invites audiences to reconsider geographic, cultural, and historical boundaries that often center the United States while overlooking the interconnected histories of Latin America, the Caribbean, and their diasporas.
The exhibition asks: What are the “two Americas” that exist simultaneously in our collective imagination? How do they influence, reflect, and contradict one another? Through diverse artistic practices, participating artists respond to these questions while addressing three central themes: Voices, Visions, and Spirituality.
The exhibition brings together perspectives from artists living within and across multiple cultural identities, highlighting both the profound influence of Caribbean and Latin American cultures on the United States and the enduring impact of U.S. imperial policies throughout the region. By centering these narratives and forefronting voices from Latin America and the diaspora, America // América offers a timely reflection and proposes a more expansive understanding of American history and identity.
Featured artists include:
Debora Reaves Charmelus
Heather Raquel Philips
José Ortiz-Pagán
Linda Fernandez
Manuela Guillén
Margery Cedano
Ricky Yanas
Yoanny Aldaya Ramírez
Kenni Field
A day of cultural programming on July 11 will feature an artist talk, film screening of Baobab Flowers by Gabriela Watson Burkett, musical performances, and community engagement activities that deepen the themes explored in the exhibition.
America // América is made possible through support from the Leeway Foundation’s Window of Opportunity Grant, which funds exhibition documentation. Additional support is pending through the Philadelphia Activities Fund.
For media inquiries, interviews, or additional information, please contact:
[Linda Fernandez]
[215-435-3655]
About the Partners
The Arts League is a community-based arts organization dedicated to supporting artists and fostering meaningful engagement through exhibitions, education, and cultural programming.
Kolektivo Sin Nombre is a collective that creates opportunities for artists and communities to engage with themes of culture, identity, history, and social change.
