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"Community Voices" display opens Monday, tracing history of democracy in Moab - Moab Sun News.This Monday the Smithsonian exhibit "Voices and Votes: Democracy in America" will open at the Moab Arts and Recreation Center.The traveling display is part of the Museum on Main Street program and traces the history of democracy in the United States—inviting visitors across the country to study archival photos, look through interactive books, and take a historic citizenship test as they examine the way democratic processes have evolved since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.The free exhibit opens in Moab on Monday, June 8 with an opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m.and will close on Friday, August 7.To complement the Smithsonian exhibit, staff at the MARC constructed a companion display to showcase how democracy works on a local level.Earlier this year, they sent out a call for residents to submit art and artifacts to be included in the display.From handwritten protest signs and election memorabilia, to stickers and historic voting boxes from the county, the MARC's "Community Voices" exhibit offers an intimate look into Moab's history of civic engagement."You have to participate to keep the machine going," said Christina Wightman, the MARC's Associate Arts Director.In an interview with the Sun News, Wightman and her team emphasized that civic participation can look different for different people.Some community members might attend a protest or make a comment at a city council meeting, while others might write a letter to the editor, display a sticker on their water bottle, or have hard conversations with friends or family."There are all of these channels for you to participate, and it doesn't have to look a certain way," said Kelley McInerney, the Arts & Special Events Director.Even if Moab residents missed the MARC's call to submit artifacts and ephemera to the community exhibit, they are invited to continue adding to the display during the next two months.Like a civic movement growing in size and momentum, the "Community Voices" exhibit will expand throughout the summer as locals use art to speak up about what's important to them.As part of the companion display, McInerney created a telephone booth where visitors can listen to other peoples' messages or leave their own.Later this year, the recordings will air on KZMU for the rest of the community to enjoy.To coincide with the Smithsonian exhibit's two-month stay in Moab, the MARC has planned a summer of civic programming.A public speaking workshop will take place on June 6, a story slam on June 16, and an audience-guided guest lecture will be given by historian Katherine Kitterman on July 30.Kitterman's 2026 essay, "Voices & Votes: Utah and the Push & Pull of American Democracy" accompanies the Utah tour of the Smithsonian exhibition, and shows how the history of the Beehive State fits into the national story of American democracy.In her essay, Kitterman examines Utah's history of civic participation, identifying the state as both the "first place where women citizens cast ballots under an equal suffrage law in 1870," and "one of the last states in the nation to extend equal voting rights to all Native Americans." Grand County residents are invited to visit both the Smithsonian exhibit and the MARC's companion exhibit during the next two months to learn more about the history of American democracy.Admission and programming is free, and docent-led tours are available for groups interested in visiting the museum with a guide."Since it's free and here for two months, [you] can come and kind of read as much as you want or experience as much as you want, and then come back again...you don't have to do it all at one time," said Patty Weicht, an assistant at the MARC.Weicht and her team hope the exhibits spark conversations in Moab's community, and invite people to build bridges as they take part in democratic processes.Moab Arts thanks the Smithsonian and Utah Humanities for bringing "Voices and Votes" to Moab, and appreciates the support of many local partners: the Moab Museum, the Grand County Public Library, KZMU, Celia Alario and the Storied Self, KikiBouba Press, and volunteers from Back of Beyond bookstore.The opening reception for "Voices and Votes" will take place on Monday, June 8 from 4 to 6 p.m.at the Moab Arts Center, 111 East 100 North.This story is part of our Arts & Culture coverage.See all 176 stories →