North Columbus News

The Ohio State University has launched a new arts website and app to enhance public engagement with its extensive art collection. Megan Cavanaugh, the campus art collection manager, has been installing QR codes near most of the university’s public art pieces over the past month.

“I will admit, as I’ve been putting these signs up, I’m making a little bit of a ruckus,” Cavanaugh said about her recent project. “I’m hoping people will notice and wonder what I’m doing, then come over, look at the sign and scan the QR code.”

These QR codes link to the Bloomberg Connects app, which now includes a guide to Ohio State's public art. The app is utilized by over 550 institutions globally.

“They want to support the arts,” said Cavanaugh. “They want to help institutions get their content out. They want people to take advantage of it as a resource.”

The app provides information about campus art pieces, maps, and visitor information for all Ohio State campuses including Lima, Marion, Mansfield, and Newark.

“We have the regional campuses, too,” Cavanaugh said. “Lima, Marion and Mansfield all have gallery space and Newark has public art sculptures.”

Lisa Florman, who became vice provost for the arts in September 2022, spearheaded this initiative along with an arts website.

“That was at the top of my wish list when I started this job,” Florman said.

Florman aims to raise awareness about Ohio State's arts offerings.

“We’re quite good in the arts,” she said. “It’s been surprising to me, though, that people who’ve lived in the area for a long time aren’t aware of that. So we want to do whatever we can do to bring awareness to all that good work. If we can tell those stories in one place, I think the overwhelming evidence will make it clear that we have a lot of impressive things going on.”

The new website features special initiatives, public art information, and a university-wide arts events calendar.

“This includes all the College of Arts and Sciences areas – dance, theater, music, visual arts – but it also includes the Knowlton School, the libraries and the Wexner Center for the Arts. It will include non-academic areas like Urban Arts Space. Anything that feels arts-adjacent we’re happy to put it on there,” explained Cavanaugh.

Additionally, it serves as a platform for news that doesn’t fit on individual college websites. For instance, three Ohio State faculty members recently won Guggenheim Fellowships.

“We have all these people doing amazing things outside of their work on campus,” she said. “But it’s not really academic news. It’s not departmental news. But it’s a big deal. Three [Guggenheim Fellowships] is a lot!”

Both Florman and Cavanaugh hope these resources will foster greater interaction with Ohio State's arts scene.

“I think you have to have curiosity to want to learn more about something,” Cavanaugh said. “There’s a lot of stimuli in people’s worlds; we’re fighting through many things for people’s attention. But if we can pull one strand of curiosity that can lead to learning so much.”

“Check out the website,” Florman urged. “Check out the app. I think people may be surprised by what they find there.”