America’s 250th birthday is a time to take stock of the past and consider the future, said Charles O. Anderson, The Ohio State University’s newest Artist Laureate.

“It’s an interesting time in terms of progress and regression,” he said. “I want to think about hope. What could the next 250 years look like?”

Since 2023, Ohio State has named an Artist Laureate every spring. The position comes with funding that allows the Laureate to travel the state, including the university’s regional campuses, and collaborate with communities whose stories, histories and creative traditions have not always been centered within mainstream arts spaces.