STUDY Art at UToledo!
When you major in the Visual Arts at UToledo, our degrees equip you with skills critical for success as a creator, thinker, maker, teacher, and more. The Department of Art is located on the campus of the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) in beautiful facilities designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. We offer 3 undergraduate art degrees: the Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts (B.A.), a B.A. in Art History, and the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.). In the B.F.A. program, choose a concentration in 2D Studies, 3D Studies, Photography and Digital Media, or Graphic and Interactive Design. You can also pursue art education degrees at the undergraduate and master's levels. More...
EVENTS
Visit our galleries and events page for past and upcoming events presented by the UToledo Department of Art.
Department of Art receives TLC/ARPA grant
The University of Toledo Department of Art has received a grant award to be shared with the UToledo Department of Theatre and Film. They were among 37 institutions and 101 individual artists to be awarded funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
ARPA funds were allocated by the City of Toledo and the Lucas County Commissioners and are administered by The Arts Commission. ARPA funds totaling $6 million dollars support a multi-year grant program, which aids the recovery of local arts and cultural organizations as well as individual artists negatively impacted by the pandemic.
The Department of Art and the Department of Theatre and Film will share a combined grant of $150,000.
Chair Barbara Miner says the Department of Art will use some of the grant funds to support the ongoing Axon Lab Creative Residency Program (ALCRP). The residency program “provides space and time for the selected resident’s creative ideas, independent of discipline, to grow and add to transdisciplinary dialogue with students and the broader community through either a public lecture or an exhibition or both.”
Miner says the funding will also be used to support the department’s 3D technician position. “This critical position and the safe coverage of open studio hours will allow student use outside of class time.” The 3D technician also supervises and maintains the vast array of traditional and cutting-edge equipment housed in the department’s studios.
ARPA Grant Funding Partners
Thank you to the ARPA Grant funding partners: The Arts Commission, Lucas County Commissioners and City of Toledo with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts and Ohio Arts Council.
Alumni Supporting Inclusion and diversity
Andrea Price
BFA '19
Andrea Price shares her insights and ideas with She Loves Magazine's, editor-in-chief Leah Abraham in a virtual video interview about her artwork, This Is Not My Art History.
“I want to be part of the history that shows the true diversity and true beauty that
exists in the world. So people can see themselves."
Alicia DiSantis has developed an entrepreneurial spirit and is the owner of 38th and Kip, a vibrant design, marketing, and illustration studio located in Denver, Colorado.
"38th & Kip is committed to a better tomorrow. We do not tolerate racism, bigotry, or injustice. In the words of the late Rep. John Lewis, 'When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.'"
Alicia DiSantis
BA '08
Jym Shipman
BFA '04
Diamond in the Rough is a family-friendly, LGBTQ comic strip written and drawn by Sylvania, Ohio artist Jym Shipman. Jym began publishing Diamond in the Rough in 2013.
It brings me joy knowing that the voices in my head that brought my comfort as a gay child and now as an adult are being viewed in physical form via "Diamond in the Rough" not just locally or in the United States, but all over the world."
Caroline Jardine is a tremendously active artist who also finds time to give back to the community. An alumna of the Young Artists at Work (YAAW) program herself, Caroline has guided other emerging artists in the YAAW program, helping develop community art murals throughout Toledo.
Caroline Jardine BAE '16 & BFA '17
Engaged faculty, Museum Access, Unique Opportunities, Leading-edge Labs and Studios
Fundamental Focus
When you major in Art Education, Art History, or Studio Art at UToledo, our degrees equip you with skills critical for success as a creator, thinker, maker, teacher, and more.
World-class faculty members bring exciting, real-world experiences into the classroom by continuing to pursue their own research and creative work.
Award-winning advisors help you smoothly navigate your degree path.
Career-Minded experiences
You'll learn to market yourself as a professional through hands-on exercises designed to elevate your career opportunities.
We encourage you to build your resume and portfolio by participating in exhibitions and community events and by pursuing internships as an undergraduate student.
Our engaged faculty members take time to get to know you and support your career goals long after graduation.
Unique Offerings
Inventive, meaningful programs provide you lots of opportunities to create, experiment and collaborate.
The Department of Art is located on the campus of the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) in beautiful facilities designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry.
Our museum and gallery practices courses allow you to curate and present exhibits in our galleries and at TMA.
We are a community-minded University and we and our students partner and collaborate with key local organizations such as the Toledo Symphony and the Arts Commission.
Location of opportunities
Strategically located in Northwest Ohio, the University of Toledo’s Department to Art is physically adjacent to the internationally recognized Toledo Museum of Art. Museum exhibitions and programming are right next door and are a value-added bonus for you as a student of the Department of Art. Our students and their professors have made trips to Chicago, Detroit, Columbus, Cleveland, Washington, D.C. and New York. We highly encourage you to take advantage of the many study abroad opportunities available through the University.
Campus of possibilities
The UToledo Department of Art museum campus includes two state of the art buildings which house studio and lecture classrooms, digital labs, photo labs, a newly created large format print center, 3D printers, a laser lab, a complete woodshop, and a foundry. Additionally, you can use the Gehry Building courtyard and the sculpture building’s green space for temporary artistic interventions and explorations!
Reliable and portable skill set
When you graduate with an art degree, you haven’t just improved your drawing skills (although that happens too!) you have actually acquired a whole new set of skills that make you a much more versatile job candidate:
- Great communication skills through oral and written presentation experience
- Critical, analytical and divergent thinking ability
- Problem finding as well as problem-solving skills
- Increased self-awareness and maturity
- Appreciation for other cultures
- Flexibility and ability to anticipate “next steps”
- Team project experience
- Time and work-flow management skills
- Research skills
- Familiarity with a wide variety of tools and technology from table saws to laser etchers, from traditional wet-based enlargers to large format archival printers
Culture of support and excellence
The University of Toledo offers a variety of services and programs designed to help you find ways to meet your educational expenses. The Department of Art offers generous scholarships for incoming freshmen who qualify, and, once you have declared Art Education, Art History, or Studio Art as your major, you can apply for even more departmental scholarships throughout your program.
The UToledo Department of Art is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.