Collection History

Progressive's Art Collection, conceived and nurtured by former CEO Peter Lewis, began in the early 1970's as a print collection. Peter's goal was to bring the creative experience to the work environment.

In 1985, under the direction of Toby Devan Lewis, the Progressive art program was accelerated and the Corporate Art department was formed. Toby expanded the scope of the collection to include works of art by emerging artists in a variety of media.

Today the collection includes more than 6,000 artworks displayed in Progressive offices countrywide. While the collection has no central theme, its emphasis is on emerging artists who create innovative and daring work.

The purpose of the collection
The art is intended to challenge and inspire people's creativity and originality while serving as a visual reminder of the importance and necessity of risk-taking and innovation at Progressive.

While encouraging originality, the art reflects respect for all people. Artwork in the collection is often provocative and has fostered discussion and sometimes passionate controversy through the years. Each artwork is accompanied by a wall label giving a brief explanation and information about the artist.

Art created specifically for Progressive
Progressive has commissioned several artists to create site-specific works for its campuses in Cleveland and Tampa. Progressive began commissioning these large and unique pieces of art in December 1993, when the company moved into its new 630,000 square-foot headquarters on Wilson Mills Road. Two more site-specific commissions were installed in the new 600,000 square-foot campus in 2000 and 2001.

Progressive is also renowned for its unusual annual reports, which have received numerous graphic design awards of distinction. Peter Lewis decided to commission a different artist or group of artists to create art for the annual report in the 1970s. Each year the art relates to a different theme embodying the character and philosophy of the company. Much of the art in the annual report becomes part of the collection and is exhibited throughout the country. View 2004 annual report.