In 2007 Ann Arbor adopted the
Percent For The Arts program, which
dedicates 1% of capital improvement projects toward public art. While
the program has been adopted by cities of every size across the country
(and sometimes entire states), this local investment has not been without criticism and
opposition.
Though new to us, only an hour away you can find the
oldest Percent for The Arts program east of the Mississippi. Toledo,
Ohio implemented one in 1977. In fact, the entire state of Ohio went on
to establish a percent for the arts mandate, providing millions of
dollars to local municipalities.
Over the last three decades, the
Arts Commission of Greater Toledo has
fostered support and conversation through arts funding at every level
and discipline. From the I-280 Bridge to manhole covers to art-covered
city buses, the program has become both popular with residents and
defining for a city whose state struggles under the same economic
hardships as Michigan.
Concentrate is very proud to
welcome the commission's
executive director, Marc Folk,
to our next Speaker Series Event. He'll be talking about why it's
important for communities to invest in public art --in good times and
bad-- and how Toledo has benefited from its Percent For The Arts
program. He'll also take your questions.
The Speaker Series event
will be held
Thursday, August 5th
in
The Michigan
Theater's Screening Room (located at 603 East Liberty
Street).
The event is free and open to the public, but seating is
limited so you must pre-register.
The event starts at
5
p.m.
Mark Folk's presentation
will begin around 5:15 p.m. and run for roughly an hour.
Refreshments
(beer, wine, and bottled water) will be provided.
Discussion and
networking afterward is greatly encouraged.
Concentrate's
Speaker Series is sponsored by the
Michigan State Housing Development
Authority
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