Participants at the Ulrich Museum of Art got a chance to contribute to a nationwide artwork meant to celebrate America. Brothers and collaborators, Steven and William Ladd, brought their artistic community collaboration project, the Scrollathon, to Wichita State.
In the Scrollathon, each participant creates two fabric scrolls: one to keep as a personal memento and another to go towards the collaborative work.
“This scroll contains a story,” William said. “The scrolls that we make in the class each person attaches their own personal story to.”
The Scrollathon was held last year at the Ulrich by the brothers, but this year is meant to celebrate the 250 birthday of the United States. The program will take place in all 50 states and the five inhabited U.S. territories, and will be put on display at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, from Memorial Day to Labor Day in 2026.
“Our goal is to bring Americans together to unify America,” Steven said.
The creation process involves rolling fabric trimmings together, titling, signing and dating the scroll.
“Scrolls are ancient and universal, and the scroll has been a mechanism for communicating story and text and stories throughout history,” Steven said.
The Ladd brothers reached out to over 2,500 institutions nationwide for the Scrollathon, according to Steven, and were excited to collaborate with the Ulrich due to their history working with contemporary artists.
“A lot of people that come into museums don’t really necessarily understand that artists are living and doing contemporary work,” William said. “Engaging with artists that are doing contemporary work is a way to see yourself as an artist.”
The Ladd brothers have been working together for 25 years and running the Scrollathon program for 19 years. Part of their mission is to make art more accessible and participatory for all ages.
“Everyone deserves to have their story be heard and to be able to work in community and in communion with other people,” William said.
“We like this idea that everybody’s working together to make something, and then when you see that you’re working with people of different ages all to make a large work of art, you feel like you’re connected to them.”
William said that he and his brother plan on coming back to the Ulrich annually to host this event.
“We like the idea that those people then go back into the community and talk about the place that we worked with here,” he said.
Scrollathon has reached over 10,000 people worldwide with the goal of continuing for many years to come, according to William.
“Art is not just about creating; it’s about connecting people, sharing stories, and helping everyone see themselves as an artist,” William said.
