In April 2026, the Smithsonian Center for Folklife Live and Heritage launched a new digital exhibition Built By Hand: Skilled Artisans in the Traditional Trades.

This exhibition is an educational resource that developed out of the presentations and stories at the 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival which focused on Youth and the Future of Culture.

Featured in the exhibition are alumni of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s HOPE (Hands-on Preservation Experience) Crew program—Jim Turner, Ariana Makau, Gerald Davis, Alicia Spence—along with many other partners and traditional trade organizations across the country.

Visitors to the exhibition can filter stories by expertise, location, and material and learn more about the work of these incredible artisans through interviews and imagery.