About the collection

Explore the history of our collection, learn about our current programs, and get in touch

People looking at art

Fostering passionate discussion for over 45 years

The Progressive Art Collection promotes our company culture—the unique confluence of our people, values, aspirations, and work environment—by encouraging the pursuit of innovation and change.

The Progressive Art Collection challenges our natural inclination to remain inflexible in the face of an ever-growing need to be open to new ideas and alternative perspectives. In concert with Progressive’s Core Values, the Progressive Art Collection presents excellence in artistic achievement while providing a stimulating work environment that encourages open-mindedness to what is unfamiliar and different.

Wholly committed to creativity and diversity in our corporate community, the Corporate Art department uses The Progressive Art Collection as a tool to spark rich dialogue about the ideas and concerns of our time, ultimately inspiring our people to risk, learn, and grow. Sometimes bold and beautiful, sometimes subtle and profound, and always reflecting Progressive’s culture of change, art at Progressive changes you whether you know it or not.

Peter B. Lewis on the founding of the Progressive Art Collection:

“I wanted to hang modestly priced art made by contemporaries of Progressive’s wonderful young people on the walls of the offices. It would be a creative and economical way to make the space pleasing and interesting for the people working in it, communicate our respect for creativity, and support the careers of excellent young artists. This ambition was an extension of the philosophy that governed the building of Progressive—doing things differently in part just because they were different, challenging Progressive people to think ‘outside the box,’ and making it enjoyable to come to work.”

Toby Devan Lewis on the philosophy of the Progressive Art Collection:

“My main goal was to put together one of the best corporate contemporary art collections in the country. My objective was to challenge our natural inclination to be inflexible in the face of an ever-growing need to be open to new ideas and alternative perspectives. Art on the walls became a symbol of Progressive’s commitment to change. I never expected to get all of the people to like the art, but rather to engage everyone in a dialogue about ideas and transformation. I began to understand the role that art could play in humanizing the workplace, stimulating productivity, and reflecting the vitality of the company.”

A quick look at how our collection evolved

1974
The year the Progressive Art Collection began, with 30 artworks acquired that year.
2,000
Number of contemporary artists from around the world, continuously rotated in the collection.
10,000
Artworks now in the collection, distributed throughout 400 offices countrywide.

CONTACT US

Get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

You can contact us at:

The Progressive Art Collection
6300 Wilson Mills Road Mayfield Village, Ohio 44143
artinfo@progressive.com

We accept portfolios via email or by post. Recommended portfolio content:

  • Artist’s statement of purpose

  • Exhibition pamphlets, catalogues, press, or other pertinent bibliographic support material

  • Artist’s CV

  • 10 to 20 images

If the above information is published on the artist’s website, please provide us the web address. This is a suitable and sufficient way of introducing us to your work.

Man walking by art

Internship program

The Progressive Art Collection offers a valuable experience that places the intern in a world-renowned contemporary art collection supported by a skilled staff. As such, the internship rewards participants with practical knowledge about contemporary art and art collection management in an imaginative environment.

We provide a variety of internship experiences throughout the year. If you are interested, email your contact information to artinfo@progressive.com and we’ll share application opportunities as they become available.

The Corporate Art team

  • Joshua Herbert, Regional Art Manager

  • Morgan Hughes, Registrar

  • Julia Milbrandt, Preparator

  • Kristin Rogers, Art Education and Communications Manager

  • H. Scott Westover, Curator