Erin Scavino went from reality TV catchphrase “You’re fired!” to running the State Department’s Art in Embassies program, and she is using that role to help showcase an America-focused exhibition tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary. The show, “Passport to Patriotism: 250 Years of Diplomacy,” gathers contemporary artists to explore patriotism, service, immigration, and identity in a way meant to be accessible to everyday Americans. Scavino credits President Trump with putting culture and visual arts on the map and sees the project as a way to put American stories front and center both at home and abroad.
Scavino never planned to move from television to a high-profile cultural initiative, but her path landed her leading an office that quietly places American artwork in diplomatic spaces worldwide. Art in Embassies has been around since 1964 and serves as a soft power tool, filling nearly 190 diplomatic residences with work that can introduce foreign visitors to American life. Scavino frames her appointment as consistent with a Trump administration priority to elevate American culture alongside history.
The exhibition opens July 30 at the Art Museum of the Americas and runs through Oct. 18, and it was designed to reach a broad audience beyond the typical museum crowd. Titled “Passport to Patriotism: 250 Years of Diplomacy,” the show features more than 30 contemporary American artists working across photography, painting, sculpture, and fashion. Scavino wanted the exhibit to feel welcoming to families, kids, and people who might assume art is only for elites.
“I was a day one hire by President Trump because just like we’ve seen with the Kennedy Center, he wanted to make the performing arts great again, and he also put me at Art in Embassies to make visual arts great,” Scavino said. For her, that presidential backing made it possible to mount a public exhibition in Washington, a footprint the office rarely establishes on home soil. She says this visibility is important as the country celebrates a milestone most nations never reach.
The show aims to cover a wide range of American experience, from military service to immigration and civic identity, using approachable works that spark conversation. One anchor piece is Barbara Ernst Prey’s “Gallantly Streaming,” a sweeping interpretation of the American flag that anchors the exhibition’s look at national identity. Pop artist Romero Britto offers a vibrant take on the Statue of Liberty, mixing bold color with Stars and Stripes imagery to celebrate what Scavino calls the promise of the American dream.
Korina Marie Moore contributes a powerful series of photographs focusing on moments of military service that emphasize the people behind service rather than solely combat scenes. The photographs show sailors gathered alongside Navy vessels, service members standing watch with the Statue of Liberty in view, and the solemn quiet of Arlington National Cemetery. Those images aim to honor sacrifice while connecting visitors to lived experience.
The exhibition also includes an unexpected America 250 haute couture gown inspired by Betsy Ross’ flag, a piece born from a serendipitous connection during Scavino’s own wedding dress search. “I cold-called her out of the blue and said, ‘Can you create a dress that looks like something one of the wives of our Founding Fathers would have worn and make it patriotic?'” Scavino recalled. The resulting design uses flowing red-and-white accents and brings fashion into a show otherwise dominated by painting, sculpture, and photography.
Scavino emphasizes accessibility, adding QR codes to each work so visitors can hear directly from artists about their creative process and motivation. “You don’t have to have your nose in the air saying, ‘Oh, that Monet’ or ‘That Degas,'” she said. “You’re going to see a flag. You’re going to see a sculpture. You’re going to hear Americans tell their stories.”
She is clear that Art in Embassies is not a vanity project created for one person. “This isn’t something that was created for me,” she added. “Art in Embassies has been around since 1964 under President Kennedy… Every time you learn about someone’s job, you’re actually understanding a whole new universe.”
Scavino returns often to themes of service and gratitude, and she ties those themes to the broader American story the show tells. “The common thread throughout all of this is President Trump,” Scavino said. “That’s why I always thank him so much for these great opportunities.”
She discusses how art can cut through political noise and open doors for conversation, offering a different route than partisan debate. “What I love about art is it’s totally different from politics,” she said. “You can get in the door by talking about art… and maybe instead of tear down, we can come together.”
Scavino also stresses the diplomatic importance of art placed overseas, noting that in some small nations the embassy may be the only real touchpoint to America. “Sometimes in these small nations that are so foreign to us, the only touchpoint they have to America is our embassy and our ambassador,” Scavino said. “So it is so much more important than I ever thought it would be.”
Beyond international reach, the exhibit’s goal is to encourage Americans of all backgrounds to engage with national stories through creative work and personal narratives. “Art has become sort of a gatekeeping situation or something that’s only for the rich or the elite,” she said. “I wanted to say, ‘Hey, no. We want kids. We want grandparents. We want moms. We want families. We want dads. We want people all over the world to come to this museum because there is something for everyone.'”
Scavino points to Romero Britto’s “Liberty for All” and other upbeat pieces as reminders of optimism, while still making space for images that reflect loss and service. “There are so many stories that are often overlooked,” Scavino said. “We show pictures of loss. We show people that have lost their lives for this nation. We show people who are celebrating serving our country… I think that we have to honor those who have served.”
Her push to bring Art in Embassies into public view in Washington was met with enthusiasm but also practical limits, as the museum’s space could not accommodate every hopeful participant. “The Art Museum of the Americas said yes,” Scavino recalled. “And the second surprise was that I unfortunately don’t have enough space for everyone. So many people generously wanted to participate.”
“You only get to celebrate 250 years once,” she said. “So let art be a way of celebration.” The exhibition sets out to make that celebration feel familiar and immediate to visitors, using art to bridge history, service, and the personal stories that shape the republic.
