The Crystal Bridges Museum of Contemporary Art opened in 2011 with a vision: to make contemporary art accessible, both physically and intellectually, for the people of Bentonville, Ark. and the surrounding area. The museum’s president, Don Bacigalupi, and his curator for special projects, Chad Alligood, are currently midway through a cross-country road trip, visiting 400 studios and 40 cities over the past six months to witness firsthand what’s actually going on in contemporary American art. Starting from a list of 10,000 artists, after their travels, 100-125 of those artists will be selected to have their work displayed in the museum's fall 2014 exhibit.

They aren't giving anything away - you'll have to visit the museum for yourself when the doors open next year - but some common themes they've seen across the country which are sure to be included are art reflecting economic and environmental issues, as well as issues of identity.