TIFFIN, Ohio — A new commission is working to beautify several parts of Tiffin.
The newly formed Tiffin Municipal Arts Commission was approved in September and is hosting its first community art competition. Commission chair Ryan Poignon said since holding the first meeting in January, members have been busy creating this group from the ground up, and already have a lot of big ideas for the community in the future.
"Some projects will happen quickly, and then some projects will take five years or so to establish," Poignon said. "But this commission is fully aware of the responsibilities and excited to see what's ahead."
The commission is accepting applications for artwork from local artists, students, and anyone else who can contribute. The group is seeking artwork that can be displayed on downtown traffic signal boxes.
Poignon says initially only six boxes will be wrapped in the vinyl artwork, but he plans on hosting multiple phases of this contest to slowly fill the city with vibrant colors and imagery.
"It's a cost-efficient project that we can spruce up our downtown just by adding some artwork to something that's already there," he said.
Residents have until March 31 to submit their ideas. The winners will be announced June 13 to kick off the first ever Tiffin Art Week.
"[We're doing this] through murals and sculptures and projects along that way, but also that they represent the community," Poignon said. "So what we're building here is a project that's going to show the pride of our community and what Tiffin is capable of."