Andrea Jackson of the OWE says Toledo’s art scene is “slept on”

Ari Collins: Who are you? Where are you from? What has the art in our community done for you?

Andrea Jackson: I’m Andrea, I’m from the Old West End in Toledo. Art, for me, has been an outlet to express myself and connect with people and really come out of my shell both as a person and as an artist.

AC: So cool. So what do you think about the involvement of young people in the arts? Do you think it is important?

AJ: I think getting young people involved with art is really important. It really helped me, personally. Like I said, it helped me come out of my shell and learn more about myself. I think it’s really important for education and community-building to incorporate art at a young age.

AC: What are your thoughts on the Toledo art scene?

AJ: The Toledo art scene is really good. It’s really slept on by a lot of people. Toledo and Ohio are really seen as like places with nothing to do, but if you really explore and go outside you can see all the opportunities that are waiting for you.