NLRPLS Laman Library Joins Crystal Bridges' America 250: Common Threads Quilt Project
Pick up a free kit, create your square, and become part of a statewide Arkansas art exhibition
NLRPLS Laman Library is proud to serve as an official community pickup and drop-off location for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art's America 250: Common Threads, a statewide creative project inviting Arkansans of all ages to contribute a handmade quilt square to a major museum exhibition.
What Is America 250: Common Threads?
In celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville is launching a large-scale participatory art project connecting communities across Arkansas through quilting, storytelling, and shared creativity.
The America 250: Common Threads exhibition runs March 14 through July 27, 2026, and at its heart is a community quilting initiative guided by featured artist Basil Kincaid, whose work explores history, memory, and imagination through textiles and performance.
Participants are invited to design a quilt square inspired by personal themes of family, community, home, and hope for the future. Every completed square returned by the deadline will be stitched into a series of community quilts, assembled live by Arkansas quilters and guilds in the galleries at Crystal Bridges.
How to Participate at NLRPLS Laman Library
Kits are available now in the Laman Makerspace, and participation is open to patrons of all ages. Here's how it works:
- Pick up a free kit from the Laman Makerspace kiosk, or ask an employee at the department desk upstairs.
- Use the fabric marker included in your kit to design a symbol or pattern representing your ideas of home, family, and hope. Please ONLY use the fabric marker included and refrain from using other supplies (paint, embroidery thread) to create the design on the fabric.
- Return your finished square to the red bin in the Laman Makerspace by Friday, May 22, 2026.
The Loft and the Children's Department have also planned special programming using these kits, so watch for upcoming events. In the meantime, patrons of any age can grab a kit from the Laman Makerspace at any time during library hours.
Why This Project Matters
Art access shouldn't be limited by geography. By serving as a community hub for this project, NLRPLS Laman Library helps bring a world-class museum experience to North Little Rock and sends a piece of our community's creativity to an exhibition seen by visitors from across the state and country.
Your square won't just hang in a library. It will be part of a living artwork, stitched by hand, displayed in Bentonville, and connected to families and quilters from every corner of Arkansas. With America 250: Common Threads, you're a part of the story!
NLRPLS Laman Library will also be recognized as a participating community partner on Crystal Bridges' website and in printed exhibition materials.
About the Artist: Basil Kincaid
Each kit includes materials and creative guidance informed by featured artist Basil Kincaid, whose multidisciplinary practice draws on textiles, found materials, and performance to explore themes of memory, history, and collective imagination. Your quilt square is a direct creative collaboration with a nationally recognized artist.
Deadline: Friday, May 22, 2026
Return your completed quilt square to the red bin in the Laman Makerspace by May 22 so it can be delivered to Crystal Bridges in time for the exhibition.
Questions? Stop by the Laman Makerspace or ask at the department desk. Staff members are encouraged to make their own squares too!
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