Akron just made it a whole lot easier to find (and take care of) the public art that’s been hiding in plain sight.

The Akron Public Art Commission has launched the Akron Public Art Inventory, an interactive online database that maps more than 700 pieces of public art and cultural items across the city. It’s a first-of-its-kind tool for Akron, built by ART x LOVE, and it focuses on artwork owned by, funded by, or located on City of Akron property.

The idea is simple: you can explore art across all 24 neighborhoods and filter by ward or category to find what’s near you, or plan a little “art walk” somewhere new. The numbers are pretty eye-opening too: the inventory lists 725 pieces total, including 166 sculptures and 128 murals. About 85% of the art is free and accessible to the public.

But the inventory isn’t just for browsing, it’s also a reality check. The condition assessments show a lot of Akron’s public art needs some love. Roughly one-third is listed in poor condition (32.97%) and another third in neutral condition (31.27%). The good news is that much of what’s needed is basic cleaning and light maintenance. City leaders say this data will help plan upkeep and guide future public art investments more fairly across Akron’s 10 wards.

The inventory was built using GIS mapping, documenting each piece and noting its condition, which should be helpful not only for maintenance planning, but also for educators, historians, and anyone curious about how art shapes Akron’s identity.

While they were at it, the commission also approved the first round of Traffic Control Box Wraps, designs from 20 local artists that now brighten intersections around the city. Those wraps are included in the inventory too, and a second call for designs has already closed, with artists expected to be notified in the new year.

The commission is encouraging residents to explore the database and even help improve it by sharing missing details about specific pieces, like titles or artist names.