Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, Ohio

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If you would like more information about the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, or if you are interested in our programs and services, please contact us at info@acgt.org or at the above address.

With a mission to develop and promote the visual, performing and literary arts in the Northwest Ohio community, we work tirelessly to provide broad access to the arts through initiatives involving business and education.

For over 48 years, we have provided quality arts programming and services to those in the metropolitan Toledo area. We are the longest standing arts commission in the state of Ohio, formed in 1959, and having managed the City of Toledo's 1% for Art ordinance since 1977.

What We Do

The Arts Commission offers a variety of programs that celebrate and uplift the local artist community. Our programs are intended to serve all residents within the Greater Toledo Area, with a focus on nurturing interest in the arts in area youth, providing opportunities for professional development, and by aiding in revitalization and community development.

Art in TARTA – The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) and ACGT have partnered with Bowling Green State University and University of Toledo to encourage the community's exposure and appreciation for the arts through the artistic enhancement of buses, bus shelters and stops throughout TARTA's service area. TARTA sponsors bus wraps made from poetry written by Young Artists at Work students and designs created by BGSU students. These artistically decorated busses act as a moving gallery, bringing art and local talent into nearly every neighborhood in and around Toledo.

Ninth Congressional Art Exhibition – ACGT, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, Firelands Association of the Visual Arts and Oberlin College sponsor the 9th Congressional District Art Competition each year to honor artistic excellence demonstrated by area high school students. Nearly 20 area high schools participate in this event, with more than 75 student works featured. The submitted pieces are displayed in a gallery setting, first in Toledo and then Oberlin throughout February and March. A number of awards are given, with the top award winning artwork displayed in the Capital Building in Washington, D.C. for one year. Students in the competition also explore the concepts of “commercial art” and “surface design.” Artwork deemed most suitable for commercial design receives a separate award, and is applied to specially created, short run glass object by designers at Libbey, Inc.

Young Artists at Work – Each summer, more than 50 diverse and at-risk area youth participate in a six-week summer employment opportunity that enables them to benefit from an intense exposure to the arts. The objective of YAAW is to provide a thorough arts experience that fosters artistic self-expression and a quality work ethic that can impact the youth throughout adulthood. This award-wining program has had a positive and heralded impact on area youth since its inception in 1994.

Parkwood Gallery – The mission of the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo is to develop and promote the arts in the greater Toledo community, but it’s also help artists develop themselves. To that end, the objective of The Parkwood Gallery is to allow local artists the opportunity to showcase their work to the community in a professional setting.

More than 150 local artists were featured during 2009 Parkwood season alone. For many artists, an exhibit in our gallery is their first professional exhibition experience, providing the opportunity to develop a portfolio. For seasoned artists, exhibiting in our gallery provides a level of credibility that enhances their resume and sales opportunities. ACGT hosts receptions for each exhibition.

Live Work Create Toledo – ACGT’s newest initiative, Live Work Create Toledo is a collaborative effort with the City of Toledo to explore opportunities for economic development and revitalization through the arts. The program seeks to attract creatives to Toledo, while concurrently establishing the city as a Midwest arts hub, and a model city for rust belt revitalization. ACGT announced the creation of the first “Arts Zone” in Downtown Toledo in 2007. The creation of this district is intended to centralize and elevate the neighborhood as a center for creative energy, featuring an abundance of galleries, studios, arts and entertainment businesses, and artist live-work spaces. There are a number of projects and objectives that fall under the umbrella of Live Work Create Toledo, but there are three main programs that help define it, Artomatic 419!, Meet & Greet Gallery Loops, and Thursday Art Walks.

Artomatic 419! – This all-inclusive, month-long, by-artists, for-artists multimedia arts extravaganza features the area's largest non-juried art show, as well as weekend performances of music, poetry, dance, and dramatic arts. Artomatic 419! has contributed to a coherent, cohesive arts scene in Toledo, encouraging boundary-pushing experimentation, along with networking and professional development. Artomatic 419! is a biennial event, being held every other year in a different location, primarily in un-used, or under-used buildings that can benefit from public exposure. The first Artomatic 419 was held in 2006.

Gallery Loop – This biannual event is a favorite among artists, arts patrons, gallery owners, and the general public. Nearly 2,500 people come out twice a year to be wisped around town by busses running loops to a variety of galleries and arts studios in the Downtown area. Nearly 20 galleries and studios participate in this event.

Thursday Art Walk Series – Presented by the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo (ACGT), artists, galleries, and arts enthusiasts, the Thursday Art Walk series is a great opportunity to browse and purchase affordable local art, while getting to know the artists and galleries of the Arts Zone, the Warehouse District, and the surrounding area. More than 20 galleries, studios, and businesses open their doors one Thursday a month from May through September to host the monthly series' hundreds of attendees.

Arts Commission of Greater Toledo 2011 Program and Event Dates

February
13 – Ninth Congressional District Invitational Art Exhibition. One Seagate, Lobby. 4-6 p.m.
17 – The Mix Vertical Preview. One Seagate, 27th Floor. 6-8 p.m.

March
1 – Well-Fed Artists Workshop: Online Calls for Entry: Entering the Toledo Area Artists Show. 4th Floor, 1838 Parkwood Ave. 6-8 p.m.
5 – Artomatic 419! Raising the Bar event. Ottawa Tavern, 1815 Adams St. 6-9 p.m.
11 – Reception: Fontana, Stroud, Yarnell Exhibition. 1838 Parkwood Ave. 6-8 p.m.
19 – The Mix Vertical. One Seagate, 27th & 28th Floors. 7 p.m. – 1 a.m.
22 – Well-Fed Artists Workshop: Intellectual Property, with Toledo Bar Association.
Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams. 6-8 p.m.
24 & 26 – Artomatic 419! Media Days. 407 Washington St. & 25 S. St. Clair St. Th: 3-7 p.m. & S: 1-4 p.m.

April
2, 9 & 16 – Artomatic 419! 407 Washington St. & 25 S. St. Clair St. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
26 – Well-Fed Artists Workshop: Topic TBA. 4th Floor, 1838 Parkwood Ave. 6-8 p.m.
28 – Tribute Memorial Sculpture Dedication. Tribute Park, East Toledo. Time TBA.

May
13 – Reception: Hammersmith, Stroud, Yarnell Exhibition. 1838 Parkwood Ave. 6-8 p.m.
24 – Well-Fed Artists Workshop: Topic TBA. 4th Floor, 1838 Parkwood Ave. 6-8 p.m.

June
14 – Well-Fed Artists Workshop: Topic TBA. 4th Floor, 1838 Parkwood Ave. 6-8 p.m.
16 – Art Walk. Downtown Toledo (Arts Zone, Warehouse District, Uptown). 6-9 p.m.
27 – Young Artists at Work Program Begins (runs through August 5). University of Toledo, Center for Visual Arts, 620 Grove Place (adjacent to TMA).

July
8 – Reception: Christensen, Labuda, Masternak Exhibition. 1838 Parkwood Ave. 6-8 p.m.
12 – Well-Fed Artists Workshop: Topic TBA. 4th Floor, 1838 Parkwood Ave. 6-8 p.m.
14 – Art Walk. Downtown Toledo (Arts Zone, Warehouse District, Uptown). 6-9 p.m.
22 – Downtown SoundTrek. Downtown Toledo (Arena District & Uptown). 7 p.m.-1 a.m.

August
5 – Young Artists at Work Program Ends. UT, Center for Visual Arts, 620 Grove Place
18 – Art Walk. Downtown Toledo (Arts Zone, Warehouse District, Uptown). 6-9 p.m.
26 – Reception: Salon des Refuses. 1838 Parkwood Ave. 6-9 p.m.

September
15 – Art Walk. Downtown Toledo (Arts Zone, Warehouse District, Uptown). 6-9 p.m.

October
Date TBA – Reception: Pottery Guild Juried Exhibition. 1838 Parkwood Ave. 6-8 p.m.
14 – Gallery Loop. Downtown (Arts Zone, Warehouse District, Uptown). 6-10 p.m.

November
16 – The Art of Fine Living Gala Auction. Oliver House, 27 Broadway. 6 p.m.-10 p.m..

December
Date TBA – Reception: Art in TARTA Reception. 1838 Parkwood Ave. 2-4 p.m.

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