National Parks Conservation Association Encourages Guests to See America, at 35th Annual Salute to the Parks

WASHINGTON, DC– At its 35th annual Salute to the Parks celebration in Washington, DC this evening, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) will present a fresh new look for its annual event. The evening reception, held at the National Building Museum and hosted by CBS Sunday Morning Correspondent Mo Rocca, honors park champions and visionaries. Creative Action Network co-founders Max Slavkin and Aaron Perry-Zucker will be awarded with the Robin W. Winks Award for Enhancing Public Understanding of our National Parks.

The Robin W. Winks Award is given annually to an individual or organization which has effectively communicated the values of the National Park System to the American public. The award recognizes Dr. Winks’ long association with NPCA and his expertise on the National Park System. The award acknowledges the work of individuals contributing to the public education about national parks through works in the arts, media, or academia. Fran Ulmer, chair of the NPCA Board of Trustees, will present the Winks Award.

“We couldn’t be more excited to receive the Winks Award,” said Max Slavkin, Co-Founder of the Creative Action Network. “Thanks to our incredible community of artists around the country, the power of the internet and social media, and our partners at NPCA, we’re so proud to build on the tradition of using the arts to support our parks.”

The Salute to the Parks reception will transform the National Building Museum into a See America-themed celebration, with a pop-up art gallery and original artwork depicting national parks and treasured landscapes from across the country.

In addition to See America, NPCA will feature different aspects of its work through interactive displays. Attendees will have the opportunity to send an anniversary card to the National Park Service for their centennial this year at the #FindYourVoice station. Find Your Voice is an NPCA initiative aimed at inspiring the next generation of park advocates. Guests will also learn about a project led by Subaru of America, with NPCA, to explore ways National Parks and park visitors can help reduce waste and keep these parks beautiful for another 100 years. Subaru is working alongside NPCA to study waste and recycling habits of three pilot parks - Yosemite, Grand Teton and Denali – with the goal of applying these learnings to other parks around the country.

#

About National Parks Conservation Association Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than one million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s natural, historic, and cultural heritage for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.

About See America More than 75 years ago, President Franklin D. Roosevelt launched a New Deal program called the Federal Art Project to help put the nation’s artists to work. The program created thousands of poster designs, many of which showcased our great national parks, from Petrified Forest to Yellowstone, along with other treasured landscapes. Fast forward to 2014, Creative Action Network and NPCA launched See America, a crowd-sourced art campaign, focused on reimagining the classic works. Since launching See America in 2014, more than 1,000 unique designs, created by artists around the country, have been submitted, and the project has grown to include a new keepsake book, and pop-up exhibits around the country. Learn more.