Inspiring a Vibrant Toledo
Did you know the city of Toledo manages over 80 works of public art? Much of the collection was developed through the efforts of involved citizens who enacted an ordinance over 40 years ago where a percentage of public tax dollars enables the commission, acquisition, conservation and educational programs for public art in the community. Toledo was the first city in Ohio to adopt a One Percent for Art program. The 1977 ordinance served as a model for Ohio's Percent for Art program, administered by the Ohio Arts Council, which began in 1990.
The Arts Commission administers the City of Toledo’s One Percent for Art collection through its Art in Public Places committee, and they have developed a guide which includes photographs of large-scale sculptures, murals and functional structures by noted artists from both our region and from around the world. These artworks are displayed in the downtown area and throughout many of Toledo’s neighborhoods.
Residents and visitors are encouraged to explore this diverse collection, which has been acquired through the years from public, corporate and private support of the arts in Toledo, Ohio.