TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) today announced it is rebranding as Live Arts Toledo, a bold new identity that reflects its role as the cultural heartbeat of the region.
The new name embodies the energy, accessibility, and community impact that live performance brings to Toledo. With hundreds of events each year, from world-class productions to immersive educational programs, Live Arts Toledo will continue staging awe-inspiring experiences designed for everyone in the community, just under a new name.
“We’ve spent the last two years exploring the concept of the ‘live arts,’” said Zak Vassar, President and CEO of Live Arts Toledo. “Across our art forms, we create something that is fleeting, unrepeatable, and profoundly human. It’s living and alive. It’s created right before our eyes and is carried by the passion of those who perform it and those who witness it. Whether you’re attending a symphony concert, ballet production, student recital, or a high-energy jazz orchestra performance, the live arts bring people together, spark empathy, and create moments that stay with you forever.”
“Our focus on the live arts represents a strategic direction for how we connect with our community,” says Marna Ramnath, Board Chair of Live Arts Toledo. “It has sharpened our vision as a board, administration, faculty, and performers. The opening of the Toledo Center for Live Arts first introduced this concept publicly – not just as a home, but as a powerful commitment to advancing live art forms in that space. Now, by renaming the organization Live Arts Toledo, we are affirming that commitment in everything we do. The live arts will remain the lens through which we engage with our community, now and into the future.”
The rebrand signals a shift from an infrastructure-driven identity to one that puts the performance experience first. While the previous name emphasized merged arts organizations and collaboration behind the scenes, Live Arts Toledo highlights the vitality of live performance and the availability of the arts to everyone. The refreshed identity unifies member organizations and amplifies the arts as a dynamic force for connection, healing, and growth.
Live Arts Toledo represents the collective strength of its member organizations: the Toledo Symphony, Toledo Ballet, Toledo Jazz Orchestra, Toledo Symphony School of Music, and Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestras. Together, they represent over 300 years of performances in Northwest Ohio and create a diverse and inclusive platform for artistic excellence, education, and community engagement.
Part of this new identity includes a new logo, designed by Hart, Inc. Its icon incorporates inconnected shapes, which the organization calls the “Ascent.” According to Jessica Fisher, Live Arts Toledo’s Marketing Coordinator, “It represents the organization’s spirit of movement, progress, and growth, ascending together through performances, classes, and programs that uplift the community.”
As Toledo’s “cultural lighthouse,” Live Arts Toledo shines far beyond the stage, supporting local artists, attracting cultural tourism, enriching downtown vibrancy, and strengthening partnerships across the arts, business, and education sectors. From nurturing young talent to welcoming international artists, Live Arts Toledo is committed to ensuring world-class performances are available to all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels.
For more information, please visit liveartstoledo.com/our-brand.
About Live Arts Toledo
Live Arts Toledo, formerly the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), is the region’s artistic hub for live performance, cultural education, and community connection. Bringing together the Toledo Symphony, Toledo Ballet, Toledo Jazz Orchestra, Toledo Symphony School of Music, and Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestras, Live Arts Toledo presents more than 200 live performances annually, offering unforgettable experiences that stir the senses and strengthen the cultural fabric of Northwest Ohio.
In 2025, Live Arts Toledo opened its new headquarters at the Toledo Center for Live Arts, a multi-million-dollar renovation of the historic Masonic Temple adjacent to the Stranahan Theater on Heatherdowns Boulevard. Under one roof, this home unites all artistic and educational activity, including concerts, classes, rehearsals, and administrative operations.
