Stage Whispers

To say Cincinnati is an art town is an understatement. Hailed as the “Paris of the Midwest” in the 19th century, that legacy continues, as Cincinnati has once again been named one of the top-20 most arts-vibrant communities in the country. (The fourth time we’ve had that distinction!)

From large scale events (like BLINK!) to showcasing the work of individual artists, the choices for favorites this year reflect the absolute embarrassment of riches Cincinnati arts have to offer. Special shout-out to “Six” from Broadway in Cincinnati, which was huge hit with our arts fans.

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“Cincinnati Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker!”
–Lauren Artino

Six at Broadway in Cincinnati

“Every musical we see via our Broadway In Cincinnati series season tickets has been amazing!”
–Julie Calvert

“Hands down, Six musical. It was INCREDIBLE. And closely followed by that was obviously BLINK.”
–Megan Coffey

“Blink (of course).”
Tim David

“I really enjoyed Six at the Aronoff!”
–Shae Huth

“BLINK”
–Susan Fisher

“I don’t think I could pick just one! We have so many high-quality, impactful arts experiences across this region that I can't imagine narrowing it down.”
–Alecia Kintner 

“Of course it was BLINK. I love this event that takes what we see every day and makes it surprising.”
–Julie Kirkpatrick 

“To Sir With Love” party at Cincinnnati Opera.
– Evans Mirageas

“Broadway in Cincinnati is always my favorite. Mrs. Doubtfire was surprisingly fun and heartwarming, Beetlejuice was memorably hilarious and I loved Six so much it was my third favorite ‘artist’ on Spotify Wrapped. Their lineup for 2025 is impressive as well!”
–Kathrine Nero

“Broadway in Cincinnati's Funny Girl was a delight!”
– Krista Katona Pille

“BLINK!”
– Tasha Pinelo

“‘The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century’ at the Cincinnati Art Museum.”
–Jackie Reau

“It’s hard to pick one, but I have to go with Liverpool Oratorio at Cincinnati Opera. This was production was a world premiere, the first fully staged performance of the piece written by Sir Paul McCartney. I had the chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the set design and watch a dress rehearsal. Seeing the process – and the dedication – not just of the Opera, but also the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Ballet, and Cincinnati Boy Choir was awe-inspiring.”
– Tricia Suit

“BLINK! I always love seeing the streets filled with people experiencing the incredible installations. It fills me with a sense of hope.”
– Courtney Tomasetti

“Summerfair 2024 – I may be biased but this year’s event was so great. The artists (350) were spectacular, the weather was great, and the crowd was fun all weekend. So looking forward to 2025!”
–Jayne Utter

“Cuisine Art Cocktails at the CAC!”
– Christian Vassallo

Face the Music

Resynator (2024)

Director: Alison Tavel

Writers: Kathryn Robson and Alison Tavel

Starring Jon Anderson, Fred Armisen, and Christian Castagno

Resynator can be streamed now on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.  

On the surface, the movie Resynator is a music fan’s treat, an origin story of the development of synthesizers in pop music in the ‘70s and ‘80s. But the film is much more than that—it’s a raw tale of personal discovery that was written, directed and lived by Cincinnati native Alison Tavel, whose mother still lives in Greater Cincinnati and whose story also is part of this multi-layered documentary, which was screened with the support of Film Cincinnati earlier this month at the Esquire Theater.

The basis for the story is Alison’s search to learn more about her father, an Indianapolis-based musician and early-adapter computer geek who developed a portable, simpler way to come up with the synth sound with a gizmo called the Resynator. By plugging in a guitar or microphone into the Resynator, which looks like a VCR machine with a lot more switches, musicians could tweak a few knobs and come up with tones that mimicked sounds like a tuba, a clarinet, a trumpet and more through their instruments.

But while the Resynator was praised by musicians and music producers alike, nothing ever came of the invention—and no one could explain why. When Alison finds a Resynator packed away in her grandmother’s attic in Indianapolis, it becomes the portal to learn more about his personal story. You see, her father, Don Tavel, was killed in a car accident less than three months after Alison was born.

Her search to learn more about her father through the Resynator takes her around the world as she meets with musicians and producers who worked with and knew Don Tavel and, just as importantly, knew his back story. Cameos include Peter Gabriel, Jon Anderson from Yes, Fred Armisen and producer Mark Ronson, among others.

While Don Tavel was praised as a genius, Alison soon learns that he had a dark side that looms over the family like a sour note. His drive for perfection and his thirst for acceptance within his own family may have been one of the reasons his invention never took off—and contributed to his rocky relationship with Alison’s mother.

Alison’s search teaches her much about her father, but in the process she learns so much about herself—perseverance in resurrecting the Resynator, searching for information about her father within her family, facing some of the truths that few wanted to discuss. It’s a documentary that Alison left her job as tour manager for best friend Grace Potter to continue—a documentary that started well before COVID, that won this year’s audience award for best documentary feature at SXSW, the best documentary award at the Lake County Film Festival and best documentary award at the Japan Indies Film Festival. It’s a story about music, yes, but it’s a story about family, about discovery and about dreams that die hard.

 – Betsy Ross

Ray of Sunshine

Summerfair 2025
May 30–June 1
Coney Island

Get tickets at www.summerfair.org.

The calendar may say December, but it’s the perfect time to think about Summerfair! Tickets are now on sale for Summerfair 2025, set for May 30 to June 1 at Coney Island.

“Summerfair tickets are a great holiday gift,” says Jayne Utter, Summefair’s managing director. “What better way to say summer is right around the corner when it’s this cold!”

Perhaps best known for the annual art fair, Summerfair is dedicated to supporting young artists, individual artists, and community-based arts organizations throughout the year.

“Our three-day fair, over the past 57 years, has generated enough funding to give back more than $2 million to our regional art community, says Utter. “Thanks to great financial planning, we now give over $130,000 each year to support high school, college, working artists and art organizations.”

One way Summerfair supports artists is through its annual poster competition, which is open through Jan. 11. Open to artists from around Greater Cincinnati, the winning design will be the official visual icon for this year’s event. The winning artist will receive $3,000, as well as wide spread recognition through the Summerfair marketing campaign.

“Each year our poster supports our advertising, merchandise and to promote excitement for the event,” says Utter. “All of our entries are judged for creativity, use of art forms and the ability to be used in the many ways necessary to insure a great fair. If you look at our library of past posters, you will see how they represent their times – Some years bold, others soft, but always iconic.”

Applications are also now available for for fair in June. Summerfair features more than 300 artists from around the country and Canada, exhibiting and selling their work.

“We generally get around 700 applications for the fair,” says Utter. “Out of the 340ish that are juried in to be in the Fair, 34 states are represented.”

Merry and Bright

The holidays are full of amazing traditions – finding a tree, making grandma’s cookies, wearing an obnoxious sweater – but in Cincinnati those traditions also include many of our beloved arts and culture institutions.

If you’re family celebration isn’t complete without the Mighty Wurlitzer or The Nutcracker, check this list to see when you’re favorite things are happening this year.

Photo: Mikki Schaffner

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
962 Mt Adams Circle
cincyplay.com

Through Dec. 29

Adapted and originally directed by Blake Robison

In Charles Dickens’ classic tale, Ebenezer Scrooge is a greedy curmudgeon who finds his heart changing when three spirits and the ghost of a long-lost friend show him the errors of his ways. Across one fateful Christmas Eve night, Scrooge recalls the warmth and generosity of past loved ones, learns the value of kindness through Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family and glimpses a terrifying future should his heart remain the same.

Featuring a dazzling set created especially for the new theater that opened last year, with amazing costume and lighting designs, A Christmas Carol is magical holiday experience for the whole family.

Cincinnati Nights of Lights
Clermont County Fairgrounds
1000 Locust St., Owensville
queencitylightshow.com

Through Jan. 5

The region's beloved drive-thru holiday light show is bigger and better than ever this year. For its ninth season, the show moves to a new home at the Clermont County Fairgrounds.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
The Otto M. Budig Theater, 1195 Elm St.
cincyshakes.com/

William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
Through Dec. 7

Shakespeare's delightful comedy of mistaken identities and romantic entanglements, is a family-friendly spectacle that promises laughter and joy for all. Set in the whimsical land of Illyria, the play follows the adventures of Viola, who, disguised as a man, finds herself at the heart of a hilarious series of misunderstandings and mishaps. With a colorful cast of characters, the play is a merry dance of romance, comedy, and playful deception perfect for audiences of all ages.

Every Christmas Story Ever Told
Dec. 13 – 29

CSC's holiday smash hit Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!) by Michael Carleton, James FitzGerald, and John K. Alvarez returns for another season of holiday hilarity! What begins as another annual production of A Christmas Carol, soon devolves into a slightly irreverent (but undeniably adoring) look at all of your “Beloved Holiday Classics” including pop culture favorites like It’s a Wonderful Life, The Grinch, Rudolph, Charlie Brown and more! Add in topical references that always keep this annual tradition fresh and fun as we send up everything from Dickens to Dr. Seuss in an evening of high-octane jollity and frivolity.

Holiday Junction featuring the Duke Energy Holiday Trains
Cincinnati Museum Center
1301 Western Ave
www.cincymuseum.org/holiday-junction

Through Jan. 6, 2025

The Duke Energy Holiday Trains have been a Cincinnati holiday staple for decades, delighting generations since they first debuted downtown in 1946. Track-level views reveal intricate details of the display, where over 300 rail cars and 50 locomotives steam past anxious passengers waiting to board while cars sit with snow to their hubcaps and the perfect trees strapped to their roofs.

Holiday Junction features bursts of winter whimsy that greet you as soon as you enter the door. The Northern Lights display serves as the perfect backdrop for family photos as wispy green lights dance behind you and snow-rimmed trees surround you. The history of the Duke Energy Holiday Trains is also told through an interactive storybook filled with photos of the iconic trains over the decades.

Photo: Lisa Hubbards

PNC Festival of Lights
Cincinnati Zoo, 3400 Vine St.
cincinnatizoo.org/events/festival-of-lights

Through Jan. 5, 2025

The Cincinnati Zoo is shining bright for the 42nd annual PNC Festival of Lights! Come early to see more animals and stay for the lights!

In addition to admiring the beauty of 5 million LED lights, visitors can find the 5 Fiona fairies in Fairyland, take in a blacklight puppet show, marvel at the spectacular Wild Lights on Swan Lake, or snack at one of our seasonal concessions.

PNC Festival of Lights is included in Zoo admission. Visit the Zoo early and stay for the lights!

A few tips

• To avoid crowds, visit on a weeknight.

• PNC Festival of Lights is all about… the LIGHTS! The Zoo animals usually head indoors around 5 p.m. or sooner so make sure to come early and stay for the lights if you’re hoping to see animals!

• Meet-A-Creature: meet ambassador animals at Manatee Springs, Discovery Forest, and Club House

• Buildings open during PNC Festival of Lights: Reptile House, Gorilla World*, Night Hunters, Dragons, World of the Insect, Manatee Springs, Jungle Trails West, Discovery Forest

• Goat contact yard closes at 6:30pm but goats may be viewable

Pyramid Hill Lights
1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton
www.pyramidhill.org/

Through Jan, 5, 2025​​

Pyramid Hill ‘s annual light show combines art and nature along a route illuminated by more than one million lights, with installations by local artists. Bring the whole family along for a drive through our magical holiday experience.​

Each year, Pyramid Hill works with local artists to bring fresh installations to the light show! Works have included fiber art, woodworking, sculpture, and light projections throughout the years.​

The Pyramid Hill Lights is an entirely drive-through holiday experience, which means that everyone in your family (including your fur-family) can come along! We are continuously striving to make our Park more accessible, and hosting a drive-through holiday experience means that everyone can enjoy the show from the comfort of their own car.

Taft Museum of Art
316 Pike St.
taftmuseum.org

Explore all the Taft has this season and enjoy delightful teas, unique holiday displays, and more.

Holiday Traditions Old & New
Through Jan. 5, 2025, Collection Galleries

Do you often find yourself taking a break in the afternoon, perhaps for a cup of tea? Museum founders Charles and Anna Taft hosted an afternoon tea reception annually on New Year’s Day. According to a local newspaper, they provided their guests with “hot temptations” and “a delicious brew of eggnog.” Taking inspiration from these historical gatherings, we have adorned the museum’s dining room with a few must-haves for such an occasion, including gleaming tea and coffee services and a variety of dishes waiting to be filled with sweet treats.

Festive Transformations
Through Jan. 6, 2025 ,Taft Historic House

To celebrate the holidays this year, the Taft Museum of Art has partnered with Indigo Hippo, a Creative Reuse Center located in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Defining themselves as “a thrift store for art supplies,” the organization strives to bolster environmental sustainability, arts accessibility, and community engagement, all core values of the Taft as well. In keeping with this mission, Indigo Hippo chose to decorate this holiday tree by upcycling outdated Taft Museum of Art booklets, creating over two hundred ornaments. Indigo Hippo Executive Director Emily Dake says: “This project was a beautiful manifestation of Indigo Hippo’s mission to give materials a second life, and even more special that these publications by the Taft Museum of Art get to live on in the space the images feature.”

Join representatives from Indigo Hippo for an ornament-making workshop at the Taft on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. These special days offer music, art-making, and gallery engagements throughout the day to inspire young creators.

The Taft’s celebration also includes Holiday Family Fundays, on Sundays from, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 

• Dec. 1 – German Christmas

• Dec. 8 – Festive Folk 

• Dec. 15 – Hanukkah 

Let It Glow!
Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive
www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org

Nov. 26, 2024 to Jan. 5, 2025, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

The museum’s courtyard has been transformed into an outdoor, immersive, light-filled winter wonderland! This new installation is a new holiday event featuring several attractions surrounding the main feature—a 30-foot interactive snow globe located in the museum’s Alice Bimel Courtyard. Visitors may enter the globe and experience themes of light. Other art-filled attractions include: infinity mirror, fractal walk, baubles & bubbles, and more!

Get your camera ready, because photo- and video-worthy moments can be discovered around every corner!The Terrace Café will sell an assortment of holiday goodies. Registration is not required. Free for members. $15 general public; $11 seniors, college students and children 6–17 years. Save $2 when buying tickets online.

Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland
Newport Aquarium
1 Levee Way, Newport
www.newportaquarium.com

Nov. 29 – Dec. 24

t’s a Water Wonderland full of playful penguins, colorful holiday lights and a flurry of magical bubbles! See Scuba Santa swim underwater with a tank full of sharks – including the NEW Zebra Sharks and Shan the NEW Shark Ray! Through some holiday magic, you can even tell him what you want for Christmas. Meet cheerful elves straight from the North Pole and join in the fun as Scuba Santa fills the Theater with bubbles. His magical bubbles will float and fall all around you and every time a bubble pops, a wish will come true for someone throughout the world.

Photo: Mikki Schaffner.

Alice in Wonderland
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati
1127 Vine Street
ensemblecincinnati.org

Nov. 30 – Dec. 30

Based on the beloved, imaginative tale by Lewis Carroll, this modern retelling is the toe-tapping story of a lost girl, a cool cat, a wild hare, and the original “dancing queen.” When ever-curious Alice falls from her own world into another, she must find her way home with the help of some whimsical and wonderful characters. Featuring an updated score and exuberant new costumes, this beloved musical will delight audiences of all ages this holiday season. book by Joseph McDonough | music & lyrics by David Kisor

Relaxed Performance
Saturday, Nov. 30, 2 p.m.

Relaxed performances create a comfortable arts experience for any audience member who may benefit from a more relaxed attitude surrounding theatre “rules.” Enjoy a welcoming, judgment-free environment with modifications including lower sound levels, relaxed attitude towards noise and movement from the audience, and more! Learn more and get your tickets to our relaxed performances

Show Up! Young Professionals Event
Saturday, Dec. 7, 2 p.m.

Join other Young Professionals (at a special YP price) for the performance then mingle and discuss the show over bites and a free drink at ETC’s bar!

American Sign Language
ASL-Interpreted Performance
Wednesday, Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m/

Interpreters perform a translation of the play into ASL alongside the performance in a position with great sightlines to see both the action of the play and the interpreters.

Audio Described Performance
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2 p.m.

Patrons can use a headset for one ear to hear descriptions of key visual elements inserted into natural pauses in the show, allowing patrons to still hear dialogue, sound effects, and music.

Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Music Hall, 1241 Elm St.
www.cincinnatisymphony.org/pops

JMR and the Cincinnati Pops bring bring the joy, fun and vibrant energy you've come to know and love adding to the magic of the season with their beloved Holiday Pops program.

Home Alone
Nov. 30 and Dec. 1
Hilarious and heartwarming, Home Alone is holiday fun for the whole family! This Thanksgiving weekend, experience holiday hijinks and mayhem with Kevin, Harry and Marv as John Williams’ charming score is performed live by your Cincinnati Pops with the film projected on a giant screen in stunning high definition above the stage.

Holiday Pops
Dec 13–15
There’s nothing quite as magical as the memories made during the holiday season and, thanks to you, Holiday Pops has allowed us to share and create those memories year after year. With sold-out performances in a decked-out Music Hall, we invite you to join us again this year as Broadway star Norm Lewis joins JMR and the Pops with choruses, vocalists and dancers from around the city bringing festive favorites and holiday classics to life!

Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer
Music Hall, 1241 Elm St.
Friday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m.
friendsofmusichall.org/events/happy-holidays-with-the-mighty-wurlitzer-2024

This holiday season, join in the celebration with the Friends of Music Hall and their annual Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer concert in Music Hall’s beautiful and historic Ballroom. Fan-favorite Mark Herman returns at the keyboard of the Mighty Wurlitzer.

Singer/actress Michele Ragusa returns as the special guest artist for this concert. In her 2019 Happy Holidays appearance, her rendition of "Santa Baby" brought smiles and laughter to everyone - and even made Santa blush!

Friends of Music Hall welcomes the award-winning Q-KIDZ Dance Team to the program to share their passion for dance with the Wurlitzer Holiday audience. The entire family will enjoy the concert, featuring favorite old and new holiday melodies, and, of course, the Wurlitzer's jingling bells.

Santa Claus: The Musical
The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati
Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifh St.
thechildrenstheatre.com/shows/santa-claus-the-musical

Dec. 7–15

It’s Christmas Eve! After 1,000 years of faithful service, Santa and Mrs. Claus announce their decision to hang up the big red suit and train a replacement. Enter Nick: a website designer and single dad to tech-savvy daughter, Bee. With pressures mounting–and a jealous, naughty elf thwarting their every move–will everyone in Santa’s Workshop come together in time for Nick to take the reins?

Jingle jam-packed with a sleigh full of fun, energetic, and original holiday music, Santa Claus: The Musical‘s heartwarming story and score put joyful audiences in the spirit of the season. Featuring Local 12’s Bob Herzog!

David Choate’s Hot Chocolate
Revolution Dance Theatre
Jarson-Kaplan Theater, Aronoff Center
750 Walnut St.
www.cincinnatiarts.org/events/detail/david-choates-hot-chocolate

Dec 13 –15

Experience the joy of the season with David Choate's Hot Chocolate. Returning for its fourth year, this year's performances include several surprises you're sure to love, while still providing the same great storytelling and wonder you expect. Do yourself a favor and see why this show has quickly become one of Cincinnati's most cherished holiday traditions.

The Nutcracker
Cincinnati Ballet
Music Hall, 1241 Elm St.
cballet.org

Dec. 19–29  

This season, Cincinnati Ballet celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Nutcracker in Cincinnati. The Company first performed the holiday classic in 1973. New this season are additional performances after Christmas.

When a curious young girl named Clara receives a magical Nutcracker for Christmas, her dreams come to life. Joined by her Nutcracker Prince, Clara meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and a cast of colorful characters. With Tchaikovsky’s beloved score performed live by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

A Flavorful Mix

Cuisine Art Cocktails with
Honorary Chair Maria Kalomenidou
Saturday, Nov. 23, 5–10 p.m.
Contemporary Arts Center
44 E. Sixth St.

$2,500 Contemporary Cincinnati Sponsor
4 VIP tickets | Recognition on CAC website and social media | Recognition on events signage and program.

$600 Host/Hostess
2 VIP tickets | Recognition Host/Hostess on CAC website and social media | Opportunity to invite friends and family with discount code.

$300 VIP
1 VIP tickets. 1-hour early admission, VIP access and exclusive art experiences with food and drink from Chef Jose Salazar and Molly Wellmann.

$225 General Admission
One General Admission ticket, includes food, drink, art experiences, and more.

$175 Member General Admission
One General Admission ticket, includes food, drink, art experiences, and more.

Tickets and information.

What’s the best part of a party – the food, the drinks, the crowd?

Sample the best of all three during the Contemporary Arts Center’s largest fundraiser of the year – Cuisine Art Cocktails.

This evening supports and celebrates the contemporary culture of Cincinnati with an artful collaboration between community, chefs and mixologists, creatives, and business leaders.

“Since it’s founding in 1939, CAC has been a champion of emerging ideas in contemporary art and culture,” says Carolyn Hefner, CAC’s external affairs director. “And for longer than that, food and drink have played pivotal roles in art movements around the globe.”

In 2016, CAC enlisted the talents of the city's finest chefs and mixologists to create a coffee-table cookbook, “Cuisine Art Cocktails.” Every dish or drink was inspired by provocative works of American and international contemporary art.

“We are most excited to revisit the idea because Cuisine Art Cocktails – in its past and current form – reflects the creativity, nourishment and sense of community that are central to the CAC and to those partnering with us for this year’s event: brilliant chefs, mixologists, restauranteurs, dancers, visual artists, singers, and more,” says Hefner.

CAC is also teaming with other non-profits, including American Sign Museum, Brewing Heritage Trail, Cincinnati Art Museum, and Newport Aquarium, yet still showcasing contemporary culture and contemporary art only the way the CAC can. Cuisine Art Cocktails is an example of CAC’s cutting edge approach, providing a platform to lift up the work of those contributing to contemporary culture in Cincinnati all, including mixologist, restaurants, tattoo artists, and more

“In our events in more recent years, we’d departed from showcasing contemporary culture in our region, focusing much more on presenting contemporary visual arts,” says Hefner. “This year’s Cuisine Art Cocktails gets back to our roots of being sensitive to a multisensory approach of experiencing culture and art, but also sets the tone for our future and reminding folks that CAC serves as the premier venue in our region for all forms of contemporary art.”

A Work in the Park

Though it’s still under construction, the new ArtWorks ArtPark in Walnut Hills just unveiled a sculpture that celebrates the organization’s new neighborhood of Walnut Hills.

The Hannan ArtPark presented by Fifth Third Foundation is ArtWorks’s new public gathering space, located across from its soon-to-open permanent building. The park’s name honors the Hannan Family for their generous support of the Cincinnati community, especially their dedication to creating positive opportunities for teens and young adults through Saturday Hoops and ArtWorks.

The new interactive sculpture and monument celebrating Walnut Hills, unveiled on Wednesday, was designed by acclaimed American artist, social activist and educator Roberto Lugo, in collaboration with members of the Walnut Hills community. Lugo, whose art uniquely blends hip-hop, history, politics, and his cultural heritage into formal ceramics, is no stranger to Cincinnati.

“ArtWorks was introduced to Roberto Lugo during his residency in Walnut Hills at the Cincinnati Art Museum,” said Colleen Houston, CEO & Artistic Director of ArtWorks. “We were impressed by his commitment to community. We loved that he invited youth to join him in making ceramics in the museum, he honored local Cincinnatians in his artwork, and he gifted sculptures to many local nonprofits.”

Lugo’s sculpture joins “Numbers and Trees: Cincinnati Cottonwoods” (2024), the first completed public art contribution on the site. Created by Charles Gaines, the monumental mural was completed by 21 apprentices (ages 14–21) and four professional teaching artists. This mural was sponsored by Sara and Michelle Vance Waddell and Ron and David Houck-Nebel.

ArtWorks is invited Walnut Hills residents to participate in the creation of this community monument during free workshops led by local artists Kathryne Gardette, Gary Dangel. and Karla Batres Gilven that allowed community members to contribute to this masterpiece. The workshops gave residents the chance to contribute designs and patterns to be incorporated into the sculpture.

In addition to the mural and sculpture, a sculptural bike rack, greenspace, parking designed to also be a plaza for community events and additional features will make the area a draw for the community. Two new crosswalks will better connect the Hannan ArtPark presented by Fifth Third Foundation to the growing business district, and new plantings in the median will further enhance this investment in the growing arts and cultural corridor in Walnut Hills.

The Story of My Life

“I hope that sharing these stories, told in both words and images can help to foster a more vibrant and welcoming global community,” says Kate Currie executive director of Maketank Inc.

The “Illustrated Memoir Project” currently on view at the Contemporary Art Center, is curated by Currie with collaboration from the CAC's Creative Learning Department. For the project, Currie engaged English language learner students to tell stories from their lives in words and images. Each participant writes some true story from their life and then creates original illustrations to support that story.

The result is an exhibition of poignant drawings that reflect the children’s experiences as well as short stories that explore their lives.

“I originally conceived the Illustrated Memoir Project in 2018 as my dissertation research project while I was getting my PhD in Educational Leadership,” says Currie. “It proved to be such a powerful project that after completing my PhD work I realized this is what I needed to do with the rest of my life!”

In 2019, Aaron Parker, ESL Specialist at Cincinnati Public Schools' Aiken New Tech High School invited Parker to meet with his English Language Learner students. Originally brought together by Refugee Connect, and the two have continue to partner, inviting students to participate in the “Illustrated Memoir Project” to students each year.

This year the “Illustrated Memoir Project” was integrated into the ELL classroom curriculum for the first time, as an optional project for students co-led with the classroom teachers. This new format allowed them to work with many more young people and allowed them to take the project to different locations.

“In May we will be taking the project abroad for the first time. A former participant from Aiken, Enock Sadiki, and I will be traveling to the Nakivale Refugee settlement in Uganda (where Enock was born and raised) to run the project together with 40 young people there. This has always been a goal of the project but the pandemic made such a move unrealistic until recently,” says Currie.

At the beginning of this year, Currie was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to develop a traveling exhibition of original artwork from “Illustrated Memoir Project.” Through a partnership with the CAC, the work is now on view to the with the Cincinnati community.

“We hope that viewers gain a deeper understanding of who our immigrant and refugee neighbors are, the diversity of their experience, and the richness they bring to our community,” says Currie. “I believe individual stories can impact our understanding of ourselves and each other in ways that statistics and generalizations fail to do.”

One of the benefits of the project, according to Currie, is the opportunity for the public to gain a more robust perspective of immigrant and refugee experience from the student authors and illustrators. Participants decide whether they want to make their memoirs available as open educational resource. If they do, Currie and the team at Maketank then find diverse ways to share those experience with the community. This can take the form of storytimes at schools, libraries, and community centers, as well as sharing digital copies of the books on Maketank’s website.

“I developed the idea for the ‘Illustrated Memoir Project’ in the hopes of using my strengths and interests in visual storytelling to help increase intellectual self-trust for immigrant and refugee youth,” says Currie. “I believe that centering the lived experience and unique knowledge of these young people by positioning them as the authors and illustrators of their own stories can increase their self-efficacy as well as language and visual literacies, critical thinking skills, and social emotional learning.”

Maketank Inc’s “Illustrated Memoir Project” is on view at the CAC through Sunday, Nov. 10. The project includes images and stories from more than 20 immigrant and refugee children. The exhibition is made possible by support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign. Maketank Inc. is also actively fundraising to pay for this iteration of the project as well as the regional implementations.

“The hope is that the intellectual self-trust engendered by this project provides a basis on which the participants can continue to build additional academic and creative achievements,” says Currie.

Revisit The Old Haunts

Just in time for Halloween, we look back at some of Cincinnati’s most treasured scary stories!

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Halloween is the one day a year even the most cowardly among us longs to hear a scary story. (Just not too scary!)

From ghostly tales about local landmarks to embarking on a guided trek of spooky spots around town, it’s easy to get your fright on. For Halloween, we explore a few stories perfect for Halloween night. All you need to do is a flashlight to put under your chin!

Not a photo from The Shining.

Need a drink to steady your nerves? If you find yourself having a martini at the Hilton Netherland Plaza, don’t be surprised if you run into a Lady in Green.

According to the Walking Tour and Pocket History of the hotel, the Lady in Green was the wife of one of the hotel’s laborers back who was killed during construction. His body was never found! Her restless spirit continues to search for him his wife continues to search for his body even in the afterlife. Construction workers who helped in the hotel’s renovation in the 1980s reported seeing her on the Mezzanine level and the Hall of Mirrors.

Cincinnati’s history, and ghostly mysteries, is older than the 20th century. The Taft Museum of Art, home to notable Cincinnatians including Nicholas Longworth and Anna and Charles Taft, is also home to its share of ghost stories. On the internet, that repository of accurate information, you’ll find plenty of tales of wandering apparitions and even poltergeist-like activity in the gift shop.

Reader, I worked at the Taft. While I didn’t experience terror in the gift shop or Scooby Doo-esque following eyes, I have a tale to tell.

The attic at the Taft, which was once the servants’ quarters, is now used for storage. Holiday decorations and other seldom needed items are kept there. On the rare occasions when you need something, you pop up, grab what you came for, and head back down the steps.  

One night after leaving an event, I saw a light on in the attic. I called a colleague and asked her to remind Security to turn it off – They had obviously left it on during a routine walk-through.

She said the attic isn’t part of their usual Security check. No one had been up there.

They hadn’t turned on the light.

. . .

Insert gif of Carrie Bradshaw blinking.

For a Halloween program at the Taft, we hosted local paranormal investigators who offered tours of the house, complete with electromagnetic field (EMF) meters. One of the investigators told me a lot of what the EMF meters pick up are readings from electrical outlets. They said that’s often the simple explanations for ghostly activity in old buildings like the Taft. As we walked through the museum at the end of the night they demonstrated with the EMF.

Except in one spot.

On the stairs in the old house, by a portrait of Nicholas Longworth, the EMF reader was going crazy. But there was no outlet under the painting.  The wall had didn’t have an outlet on the other side of the wall. The reasonable explanation didn’t work in this situation.

One of the most allegedly haunted buildings in Cincinnati is Music Hall. Longtime employees have shared numerous ghost stories over the years, and the building was once featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters.

The Friends of Music Hall offer the story of John Engst, a former night watchman who heard music one night during his usual rounds. But there was no concert or rehearsal happening.

“I re-entered the elevator and closed the doors. The music was still there. I opened the rear of the elevator, entered the adjoining hall, no sound. Returning to the elevator to proceed to Corbett Tower and closed it up, the music was as beautiful as ever,” he reported. 

If you’d like to explore just how haunted Music Hall really is, you can join the Friends of Music Hall for a Ghost Tour with the Cincinnati Research and Paranormal Studies on Nov. 18.

For a tour that will bring the stories of the long dead to life, look no further than American Legacy Tours. Their Queen City is Haunted Tour promises to uncover “stories of grisly murders, ghastly deaths and other disturbing tales” from Cincinnati's past. Centered in Over-the-Rhine, the tour includes ghost stories about Music Hall and finding the truth about the “Witch of Washington Park.”

–Tricia Suit

Creating a Monster

Photo by Mikki Schaffner

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
Through Nov. 2

Tickets and info at cincyshakes.com.

On a dark and stormy night, a group of friends challenged each other to tell a frightful tale and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was born.

As the novel unfolds, Victor Frankenstein’s rejected creature is cast away by his creator, thrust into a world that recoils in terror. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company offers a new spin on the gothic tale from the mother of science fiction. Find a spine-tingling encounter with one of literature's most iconic monsters, ideal for the Halloween season, as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein asks the question: who is the real monster, creature or creator? 

This version of Frankenstein was adapted by David Catlin in 2019 and originally produced by the Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein takes place on the night Mary Shelley conceived the story of Frankenstein. Actors portray the historical figures present at the story’s creation, including Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and Mary Shelley herself, as they gather to tell each other grim tales of the macabre. They begin to recount the story of Frankenstein, using props and costumes from the set to embody the characters of the gothic tale, bringing the story to life! Director Brian Isaac Phillips remarks, “It’s full of thrills and chills, but it also has this really fantastic heart to it… specifically with Mary Shelley’s journey and who she is and how she creates the story.” Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is thrilled to bring this over 200 year old classic to life this Halloween season!

This production of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein will have a life following this run in Cincinnati.  Produced in partnership with Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell, Mass., the production will travel and perform at the partner organization from November 8th- 24th. Designers from Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Merrimack Repertory Theatre will work together to bring Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to life at both cities.  Producing productions in partnership like this is cost-effective, helping theaters streamline operations, maximize budgets, and deliver high-quality performances to a wider audience.

Audiences can join Cincy Shakes Halloween night at “Frankenstein’s Monster Bash.” Audiences are invited to see Mary Shelley's Frankenstein while dressed in their spookiest duds and costumes. Featured cocktails, thrilling performances, and monstrous surprises await ticket holders Oct. 31 at 7:30 PM.

This adaptation is directed by CSC’s Producing Artistic Director and CEO, Brian Isaac Phillips and features an ensemble of five actors comprised of Jasimine Bouldin. Alexis Bronkovic, Billy Chace, John Patrick Hayden, and Jay Wade. This production’s design is generously sponsored by Rance and Marilyn Duke.

Take Care

Believing a colorful figure deserves a colorful remembrance, Tender Mercies collaborated with ArtWorks on a mural of Jerry Springer, famous for his role as Cincinnati mayor and iconic talk show host.

The new mural, dedicated on Saturday at Tender Mercies, 24 West 12th St., Cincinnati, bears Springer's signature sign-off “take care of yourself and each other.” The mural and motto reflect Springer's support of philanthropic endeavors, including advocacy for social justice issues and support for charitable organizations.

The mural also includes a QR code that takes viewers to a page with a short appeal from Springer's colleague Courtis Fuller and offers the opportunity to donate to Tender Mercies on the spot, as an ongoing fundraising effort for the organization.

Springer was a generous supporter of Tender Mercies for 25 years. He had a legacy of supporting the Cincinnati nonprofit dedicated to providing housing and support services for homeless adults with histories of severe mental illness.

Light It Up

BLINK® is the nation's largest immersive art and light festival, creating an awe-inspiring event spanning Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, promising large-scale projection mapping, murals, and interactive light sculptures from artists around town and around the globe.

But with 80+ installations, 30+ blocks and two million fans waiting to experience the nation's largest light and art festival, choosing what to see first can be daunting! Check out a curated list of can’t miss projects from the brains behind BLINK.

INSTALLATIONS

“Crescendo” by Kyle Eli Ebersole and Ian Molitars, 8 p.m.
Lytle Park, 311 Pike St., Cincinnati

The Crescendo piano light installation invites viewers to step up and perform as it transforms sound into light.

“Mystic Eye” Drone Show, 8 and 10 p.m.
Ohio River at The Banks & Covington

The show transforms the night sky into a canvas, drawing from the vibrant BLINK brand identity. As the drones take flight, they weave intricate patterns and dynamic displays that echo the essence of BLINK’s bold and innovative spirit.

“Suaveciclo” by VJ Suave, 7:30, 8:30, 9:30 p.m.
BLINK at Lytle Park

Dive into the colorful world of VJ Suave as we navigate the city with a specially equipped tricycle, illuminating the night with art and light. Live performances project animated characters onto urban landscapes, transforming parks and streets into vibrant canvases.

“Phases & Actions” by Brett Bolton, 9 & 10 p.m.    
Doerr Alley, Cincinnati

“Phases” explores the phases of matter, transforming the screen into solid, liquid, gaseous, and plasma states with drums and an XY controller. “Actions” focuses on human interaction with a digital canvas, manipulating music and visuals. Between performances, the venue becomes an interactive installation, allowing the audience to play the visual systems.

SPECIAL EVENTS

BLINK Parade, presented by Skyline: “Let It Shine”
Thursday, Oct. 17, 8 p.m.
Parade starts at Paycor Stadium, winds down Mehring Way and ends at Great American Ball Park

This year's theme is “Let It Shine” and it will feature more than three thousand participants in glowing splendor at The Banks, one of the six zones features during the four nights of BLINK. Ten TorchBearers will also be honored during the parade.

Secret Walls
Friday, Oct. 18 9–10:30 p.m.
AGAR, 1205 Walnut St.

Secret Walls is the world’s premier competitive live art event - where artists of all kinds come to test their skills and show off their style. Artists compete against (and with) each other to finish a mural in 90 minutes.

afterglow
Saturday, Oct. 19, 10 p.m.
MegaCorp Pavilion, 101 Fourth St., Newport

The first-ever BLINK after party is at MegaCorp Pavilion in Newport, where DJ Austin Millz will entertain and guests will be amazed at the projection mapping inside.

PERFORMANCES / interactive

Silent Disco
Thursday–Sunday, Oct. 17–20, 7–11 p.m.      
Newport on the Levee, 1 Levee Way, Newport

Cincy Silent Disco celebrates BLINK's expansion into Newport. Grab a special set of headphones and choose your own soundtrack as you rock out nightly to the free event.

“Midwest Block Party” by Warmth Culture
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Oct. 17–19, 7–11 p.m.
Findlay Market

Midwest Block Party is an immersive sound and light installation near Findlay Market, featuring DJ and live music performances. The “living room” stage reflects Midwestern hospitality, while the surrounding area evokes the warmth of an outdoor community gathering.

“Who Do You Say That I Am” Runway Show
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Oct. 18–20, 8 p.m.
15th St. between Race and Republic

“Who Do You Say That I Am?” is a deeper look into the layered pieces that make designer Asha Ama into the person she is today. Take a journey through her history and take account of the pieces that make you - you.

BLINK Skate Park
Saturday, and Sunday, Oct. 19–20, 5 p.m.
Liberty and Race

Love skateboarding? Love skate graphics? Join Australian BLINK artist Sonny Day for a series of skate deck painting workshops.

SHOPPING / DINING

BLINK Pop-Up Shop: Limelight
1326 Vine St., Cincinnati

Apparel, accessories, collectibles and more are available in person or online, with local pickup. Plus Busken’s official BLINK cookies will be available.

Hours: Wednesday, Oct. 16, 4–8 p.m.
Thursday and Friday, Oct. 17 & 18: 2–11 p.m
Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19 & 20: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Asianati Night Market,
Thursday–Sunday, Oct. 17–20, 7-11 p.m.  
Court Street Plaza

The Asianati Night Market returns to BLINK, featuring unique Asian street foods, Asian-owned businesses and artists in our immersive installation. Expect family-friendly activities, games, snacks, & merch.

First of All

Learn more about "Native Resistance" programs.

This year’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day Convergence, with the theme “Native Resistance,” explores the powerful – and varied – ways that resistance manifests. This four day celebration is a collaboration on current issues affecting Indigenous communities between Urban Native Collective, 21c Museum Hotel and the Contemporary Arts Center.

“21c and the CAC have been incredible partners to the Urban Native Collective for many years,” says Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard, executive director of Urban Native Collective (UNC). “Their allyship has allowed us to amplify contemporary Indigeneity in many different ways and their locations, in downtown Cincinnati, are perfect for drawing in all of the region's creatives. We are thrilled to work with both museums for our 2024 Indigenous Peoples’ Day exhibition.”

The weekend’s programming is designed to amplify authentic Indigenous voices and highlight Native Peoples working and creating today.

“UNC is a wonderful community partner,” says Shawnee Turner, the CAC’s chief of Interpretation and experience. “We began working with them on our land acknowledgment statement in 2020 and resumed the relationship earlier this year for programming.”

The weekend begins with an opening party at the Contemporary Arts Center and an exhibition opening at the 21C Museum Hotel, on Friday, Oct. 11 from 5 to 9 p.m. This event will showcase the work of Indigenous artists and feature performances from the Copper Face United Powwow Dancers and DJ Creepingbear. Indigenous Chef will serve a select menu of food items for purchase.

“In our exhibition, folks can expect to see everything from photography and paintings, to video media, sculptures, and traditional beadwork,” says Mazzolini-Blanchard. “People will also experience traditional pow wow drumming, dancing, and singing at our exhibition opening party.”

“UNC is an important partner for the CAC because of the alignment in our missions,” says Turner. “We believe wholeheartedly in the organization's mission to preserve and represent the culture and heritage of Indigenous and provide education and advocacy. While we do not have a collection of art that includes Indigenous artworks, it is important that as we work contemporary Indigenous artists we seek the counsel of community partners, like UNC.”

On Saturday, the Artist Speaker series at 21c holds artist’s talks about the “Native Resistance” exhibition from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“Our hope is that people attending our Indigenous Peoples’ Day Convergence experience contemporary Indigeneity and Native Resistance in all of its forms: in our art, our community, our food, our joy, our music, our dancing, our singing, our culture, and ultimately our existence,” says Mazzolini-Blanchard.

On Monday, Oct. 14, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the community is invited to a potluck dinner in Jacob Hoffner Park in Northside from 5 to 9 p.m. UNC organizers are encouraging participants to bring a traditional dish from their respective cultures to share, plus eating utensils to reduce waste, and a blanket/lawn chair. Copper Face United Powwow Dancers will perform from 6 to 8 p.m.

UNC serves the broad interests of Indigenous Peoples throughout Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. The UNC Community Center, The Native Sovereignty Center (1710 Blue Rock St.), houses an Indigenous Pages Lending Library and also holds events throughout the year.

A Sight to Behold

If you’ve even driven on Liberty Street, you’ve seen the work of muralist William Rankins Jr.

His portraits bu Ollie’s Trolley of President Obama, Muhammed Ali, Mayor Mark Mallory, and others are iconic. Sadly, most of Rankins’s work from his years of working in the city have been painted over.

After a stroke and a diagnosis of glaucoma, it seemed as though Rankins’s days as an artist might be behind him. But now Rankins is working with one of Cincinnati's notable up-and-coming artists, Javarri Lewis, on a new mural at 1619 Moore St., set to debut during BLINK.

Rankins is one of the city’s most prolific muralists, but this is Lewis’s first mural. Though Rankins has lost his sight, Lewis is stepping in to assist as they work together on the mural that bears the phrase “Walk by Faith, Not By Sight.”

This collaboration is a nod to the past and gift for Cincinnati's future. Rankins and Lewis will be back together to dedicate the mural the week of BLINK.

Sunday in the Park

Is there a better way to spend an afternoon than strolling outside, looking at art, and having an ice cream cone? You can do all three this Sunday when you visit the Hyde Park Square Art Show. Ahead of the show, we checked in with Janet Smith, a longtime organizer and volunteer with the show, to find out more about what’s happening.

Edwards Road and Erie Avenue
Free and open to the public. More information at facebook.com/hydeparksquareartshow.

The Hyde Park Square Art Show, one of Cincinnati’s oldest and most well-respected art shows, features more than 200 fine artists from throughout Greater Cincinnati and across the country, exhibiting and selling works in a wide variety of mediums, including painting, photography, glass, jewelry, wood, fiber/leather, and ceramics.

The largest one-day art show in Greater Cincinnati, all work included in the Hyde Park Square Art Show is reviewed by a panel of judges, comprised of artists and art educators. The show draws more than 3,000 attendees each year.

Launched in 1966, the Hyde Park Square Art Show has grown from the vision of two Hyde Park residents into a community-wide event that supports the arts and arts education throughout the year.

C’mon Get Appy

The new ArtsWave app is your passport to the best in arts and entertainment throughout the region.

Download the ArtsWave app by Oct. 20 to be automatically entered to win a luxurious stay at 21C Museum Hotel in the NightWatch Room. This exclusive experience includes dinner at the famed Metrople and two theater tickets.

The $10 donation helps to fund BLINK and Cincy’s arts, making it the only BLINK guide that gives back to the arts community.

Download the ArtsWave App today in the App Store or on Google Play to discover arts and entertainment at your fingertips.

With this free app, users will now have a one-stop destination for a variety of experiences, with a personalized event calendar of the best arts, live music, visual arts, sports, performances, and even retail and dining options in the region.

The Cincy A&E calendar in the app offers the Cincinnati area’s most comprehensive online calendar. Users will be able to create personalized itineraries and have event-sharing capabilities. Though the app is free to download for anyone, ArtsWave donors will have access to free and last-minute passes through their ArtsWave Pass.

Current ArtsWave Pass subscribers will also automatically have access to the app's BLINK Insider, launching later this month, plus other benefits including more than 100 half-off passes to arts events as well as unlimited access to exclusive content!

New users will be able to unlock the BLINK Insider with a $10 donation to ArtsWave.

The BLINK Insider is the best way to see what’s happening before and during the event, with insights from BLINK’s executive director, artists interviews, and sneak previews. The Insider also includes easy-to-use zone maps, itineraries for each day of the festival, and the music line-ups, all at the click of a button. Along with information about parking and finding restrooms, the BLINK Insider will offer real-time event updates from BLINK’s Command Central.

Simply the Best

Gee Horton, “Coming of Age”

Cincinnati Pops: “Simply the Best”

Step Afrika!

ETC: “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”

Charles Gaines: “The American Manifest”

Flow Pass subscribers receive premium access to the curated series, plus subscriber-only gatherings with food, drinks, artist talks and more at each event.

Cost: $200,

Subscriptions available at artswave.org/flow. 

Looking for insider-access and behind-the-scenes opportunities for BLINK and beyond? Let the good time “Flow” with African American- focused arts experiences with ArtsWave.

ArtsWave, the region’s main source for arts funding, has announced a new season of Flow, An African American Arts Experience along with the return of the region’s first cross-venue subscription series, the Flow Pass, featuring five unique, Black-centered events. 

“The return of Flow Pass is another opportunity for us to cultivate and grow a core audience that is asking for more Black-centered arts created and presented by local and national partners,” says Alecia Kintner, ArtsWave president and CEO.

Flow, which began in 2020, complements and expands the region’s existing multicultural experiences offered by local arts organizations.

The Flow Pass season kicks off on Oct. 5 with an “unveiling” event for Cincinnati-based Gee Horton’s “Coming of Age” three-part mural series, the first multi-building BLINK® series of its kind. An intimate exploration of African American Adolescence, the series fuses contemporary visuals with hip-hop iconography. Flow Pass subscribers will see the mural before the general public, meet the artist and enjoy food and drinks as paint is still going on the wall. 

“I’m honored to kick off the Flow series this year with my work for BLINK,” says Horton. “ArtsWave’s commitment to supporting Black stories aligns with my mission to elevate and celebrate the Black experience through creative expression. Being featured alongside the Cincinnati Pops and Charles Gaines highlights the incredible diversity of talent this region has and continues to attract.”

On Jan. 17, 2025, Flow Pass subscribers will groove with the Cincinnati Pops as they perform “Simply the Best,” an exuberant tribute to Tina Turner. Conductor Damon Gupta leads the orchestra through hits like “Simply the Best,” “Private Dancer” and more. Subscribers will meet in the Wilks studio for a special Flow Social featuring themed food and drinks before seeing the show that evening.

Continuing the series on March 11, at the Aronoff Center, Flow Pass subscribers will experience a performance by Step Afrika!, one of the best African American dance companies in the country. The company blends percussive “step” dance styles practiced by historically Black fraternities and sororities, traditional African dance, and contemporary style for a unique and compelling experience. Subscribers will not only gain premium access to the show, but will gather before for an exclusive Flow Social gathering at the Aronoff Center for food, drinks, and great company.

Begin summer on June 19 as the series moves to Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati with their production of “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.” The Tony-nominated story about the intersecting lives of the women in a bustling hair braiding shop in Harlem makes its regional premiere in the queen city, and Flow subscribers will guarantee their ticket to see it all. As always, the experience begins with the exclusive Flow Social event before the show. 

The Flow Pass season continues in the summer with an exclusive, inspiring conversation with foremost conceptual artist Charles Gaines on his monumental project, “The American Manifest” – called “one of the most consequential works of public art of the century” – coming to Cincinnati after a successful stay in New York. The project was purpose-built to be exhibited both in New York and Cincinnati to tell the complicated story of the movement of African slaves from importation to captivity to liberation and the complicated and often misunderstood interplay between all three that underpin our nation’s foundation.

“Our continuing opportunity is to build an audience that appreciates the varied expressions of Black artistry,” says Mel Gravely, Flow’s co-chair, 2025 ArtsWave Community Campaign Chair and Triversity Construction Executive Chair. “In the end, we hope to cultivate a culturally curious and racially diverse audience that will create a level of demand that enables more and more Black artists to sustain, thrive and inspire. An audience that is ready and willing to connect with rhythm, vibe and yes, the flow of Black artists that may have been unfamiliar to them.” 

Matter of Choice

Voter Registration

Voter registration led by area arts organizations will kick off on Sept. 17, National Voter Registration Day. The CAC will sign up visitors to vote at its front desk on Sept. 21, 22, 28, 29 and Oct. 5 and 6, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The Art Academy will have a Voter Registration Booth onsite on Sept. 17, 24, and Oct. 1, from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Renowned street artist Shepard Fairey returns to Cincinnati for the first time since 2010, as the nation’s eyes turn to Ohio during 2024 election.

Fairey is teaming up with ArtWorks and other arts organizations across the state to re-ignite voter enthusiasm and drive participation just in time for National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

ArtWorks is organizing the nonpartisan “Get Out the Vote” mural project, which includes the creation of a large-scale mural in Cincinnati. This will be Fairey’s first permanent mural in Ohio, accompanied by dozens of smaller, temporary wheatpaste murals in both Cincinnati and Columbus.

“It’s an important moment in American politics, and it’s a moment to bring a get-out-the-vote message to the streets,” says Fairey. “I’m excited to be in Ohio to not only get art out there but also to be part of a movement to recognize the ideals of democracy. I believe that democracy functions most ideally when as many as possible participate.” 

The murals will be installed from Sept. 15–21. Fairey and his team will work with local artists and apprentices ages 18–24. This collaboration emphasizes the importance of voting and empowers artists to engage in the democratic process. Up to 30 nonpartisan murals divided between Cincinnati and Columbus—will amplify the “Get Out the Vote” message, along with the permanent mural in Over-the-Rhine.

Additional Ohio artists will be involved, designing “Get Out the Vote” yard signs to be distributed across the state in key cities. Twelve artists, three each from Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, and Dayton, will create 18" x 24" full-color signs that will be provided for free to Ohio residents.

ArtWorks is working closely with statewide partners CreativeOhio, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, and ArtsVote Ohio. Local arts partners include ArtsWave, the Contemporary Arts Center, and the Art Academy of Cincinnati. In addition to distributing “Get Out the Vote” yard signs, many arts organizations will also be locations for voter registration with voter drive events, starting on Sept. 17 and ending Oct. 7, the last day to register to vote in Ohio.

“Get Out the Vote” builds on ArtWorks’ previous voter engagement efforts, including its 2020 campaign “Hear Me Out,” which provided a mobile voter registration hub and guide researched and designed by young artists for young people in Ohio to inspire voter turnout amongst a demographic with historically low turnout.

“We’re excited to partner with Shepard Fairey, a pioneer in public art, to use new murals and wheatpastes to inspire citizens to vote," said Colleen Houston, CEO and artistic director, ArtWorks. "Public art has the unique ability to inspire action across a large audience. This is one of the most ambitious public art projects we have worked on to date across the state of Ohio. Through this project, we hope to engage Ohioans in the democratic process and create a platform for the arts sector to increase engagement with the upcoming election.”

To further amplify the project, Orange Barrel Media will showcase Fairey’s murals, along with the work of the 12 Ohio-based artists, across their network of IKE Smart City kiosks in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland. This partnership expands the artwork’s reach across more than 180 digital screens in Ohio’s cities.

On Sept. 17, National Voter Registration Day, Fairey will speak to the next generation of creatives at the Art Academy of Cincinnati College of Art & Design. The event will be livestreamed at www.artacademy.edu. During this engagement, Fairy will explore how street art can be a powerful force for social change.  

“Shepard Fairey has been an influential artist for young students in the creative fields to understand that art can be an impactful method for social and cultural change,” says Joe Girandola, president and CEO of the Art Academy of Cincinnati. 

Fairey made waves in Cincinnati at the 2010 Contemporary Arts Center exhibition “Supply and Demand,” a 20-year retrospective of the artist’s work. At that time, the CAC organized installing Fairey’s wheatpaste murals on the exterior of buildings in Downtown, Over-the-Rhine, Northside, Oakley, Silverton, Madisonville and Covington. One of those historic wheatpastes can still be found at Arnold’s Bar and Grill, 210 E. Eighth Street in Over-the-Rhine.

Open Arms

Images from More than Meets the Eye: An Immersive Display of Narrative Power through Photos

Welcoming Week is celebrated around the country from Sept 13 to 22. This nationwide series of programs, volunteerism, and unity is an opportunity for immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees to share their stories with their new communities.

But Cincinnati non-profits are taking Welcoming Week a step further, stretching those efforts into a months-long series devoted to welcoming immigrants and refugees to Greater Cincinnati called Welcome CincyNKY 2024. The programming is led by Cincinnati Compass in partnership with A Picture’s Worth, FotoFocus, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Maketank Inc., Norwood Together, and Summermusik. Welcome CincyNKY 2024 continues through Nov. 13 and includes events on both sides of the river.

Summermusik is working with a number of organizations on an expansive series that sheds light on the resilience, innovation, and creativity of immigrants and refugees in our region while simultaneously celebrating the unique cultural identities they bring.

Knowing Ourselves, Understanding Each Other: The Illustrated Memoir Project

On view through Nov. 10
Contemporary Arts Center

This exhibition in the CAC’s Community Gallery featuresoriginal paintings and drawings created by participants in Maketank Inc’s Illustrated Memoir Project.

More than Meets the Eye
An Immersive Display of Narrative Power through Photos

On view Sept. 13–Nov. 3, Purple People Bridge

A collaborative exhibition and immersive experience, More than Meets the Eye: An Immersive Display of Narrative Power through Photos, amplifies the stories and cultural strengths of local immigrants and refugees.

Cincinnati Rhythm

Friday, Sept. 13, 6–10 p.m. Cincinnati Museum Center,

Special event for the immigrants and refugees who call our region home.

Norwood International Arts Show

Saturday, Sept. 21, 2–7pm Victory Park, Norwood

To celebrate Welcoming Week (Sept. 13-22, 2024), immigrants and refugees as well as all local artists are encouraged to register for the show.

Still Moving – A Facilitated Discussion (Featured FotoFocus Biennial Exhibit)

Opening Reception: Thursday, Oct. 3, 5–7 p.m. | Reed Gallery at the UC DAAP

Delve into the powerful stories showcased in the Still Moving art exhibit.

More than Meets the Eye

Thursday, Oct. 10, 6–8 p.m. Sawyer Point Building

This program seeks to continue Little Amal’s impact in Greater Cincinnati by combining music, art, and storytelling in a one-hour program. .

More than Meets the Eye Multimedia Narratives that Connect Generations and Cultures

On view Saturday, Oct. 12–Nov. 30 | Walnut Hills Library Branch

This extension of More than Meets the Eye features photos, audio stories, and illustrated memoirs created and selected by immigrant and refugee youth.

More than Meets the Eye

Monday, Oct. 14, 6:30–8:30 p.m. | Walnut Hills Library Branch

This program celebrates teen immigrants and refugees and their narratives of resilience, peace, and hope.

BLINK: Community Night 1

Friday, Oct. 18, 7:30–9:30 p.m.
Roebling Books & Coffee, Covington

Take a break to engage in artmaking and conversation around guided topics celebrating immigrants and refugees.

BLINK: Community Night 2

Saturday, Oct. 19, 7:30–9:30 p.m. Roebling Books & Coffee, Newport

Join Summermusik musicians for live performances, along with a dancer, and a celebratory walk to the Purple People Bridge will end the experience.

Owning Your Story: Counternarrative and Storytelling as Tools for Advocacy

Wednesday, Nov. 13, 6 p.m. | Reed Gallery, UC DAAP

An engaging educational event associated with the “Immigrant Leaders of Cincinnati” art exhibit.

More information.

“We believe that art has the unique power to bring people together, and we are thrilled to continue promoting the message of hope that Little Amal brought to our region,” says Evan Gidley, Summermusik’s executive director.

Summermusik, an independent ensemble of 32 professional musicians, recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Under the direction of Music Director Eckart Preu, Summermusik concerts offer a fun and informative musical experience in an intimate and informal setting. Collaborations are a hallmark of Summermusik, including partnerships with Walk with Amal, Cincinnati Ballet, and Cincinnati Art Museum. The “We Are One” festival series was launched in 2022 and amplifies under-consulted voices and celebrates unique cultures through music, art, and dialogue.

Host venues for Welcome CincyNKY are Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library, Cincinnati Museum Center, Contemporary Arts Center, Purple People Bridge, The Reed Gallery at the University of Cincinnati, Roebling Books & Coffee, Sawyer Point Building, and Victory Park in Norwood.

Maketank Inc’s “Illustrated Memoir Project” on view now at the Contemporary Arts Center engages refugee and immigrant youth to write and illustrate true stories from their lives which are then published as individual books. The goal of this project is to foment intellectual self-trust in the participants, center their lived experience, enhance social emotional learning, and increase multi-modal literacies. Through sharing these stories, we strive to foster a richer understanding of the experience of refugee and immigrant youth and create a more welcoming global community.  

During BLINK, Summermusik and A Picture’s Worth will hold Community Nights in Covington and Newport. On Friday, Oct. 18 at Roebling Books & Coffee in Covington, A Picture’s Worth will provide conversation starters, and a craft for families, as Summermusik’s performance for Little Amal in September 2023 is projected throughout the evening. That Saturday, oin Summermusik musicians for a live performance at the Roebling Books in Newport, followed a walk to the Purple People Bridge to view the “More than Meets Eye” exhibition.

A Picture's Worth is a training and service-providing nonprofit that both champions and helps spark narrative change. The organization supports individuals and communities in sharing accurate, strengths based narratives. Through community projects, each of those narratives is sparked by an individual image and audio story. Thee story-gathering methodology is built upon years of researching and practicing restorative media and systems change. A Picture’s Worth intentionally works alongside community members to elicit narratives that center them and honor their expertise and strengths as well as their challenges. By doing so, they do the critical work of deepening media coverage beyond headlines and stereotypes.

“More than Meets Eye,” on view beginning Sept. 13, is part of the 2024 FotoFocus Biennal and will be installed across the Purple People Bridge. The exhbition includes 32 stories of peace, hope and resilience shared by local immigrants and refugees, inviting viewers to hear directly from many new and many well-established neighbors.

“By showcasing experiences that represent the depth and breadth of the immigration journey to the United States, this exhibit helps us understand that across cultures and borders, our shared values, hopes and dreams connect us to one another,” says Elissa Yancey, executive and creative director of A Picture’s Worth and curator of the collaborative exhibit.

“The visual narratives of FotoFocus offer a platform for counternarratives by immigrant and refugees to no longer accept stories told about them, but to become the author and teller of their own stories,” says Bryan Wright, executive firector of Cincinnati Compass. “The lives and contributions of immigrants and refugees are deeply woven into the rich, vibrant culture of the region and these series of events offer a celebration of those contributions and an inclusive path forward.”

Cincinnati Compass is a collaborative project of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, City of Cincinnati, and more than 65 community partners who believe that immigrants and refugees are key contributors to a strong regional economy and a diverse, vibrant community. As part of this work, we advocate for social and economic inclusion; connect individuals and organizations to resources and to each other to build capacities and opportunities; and promote and celebrate the cultural and economic contributions of new Cincinnatians. 

Many events are free to attend, though some require registration. Find ticket and reservation information at the link in the sidebar.

An Outside Chance

Artist Robert Lugo with a sculpture he created for a Philadelphia park.
Courtesy of ArtWorks.

Community Workshop

Saturday, Sept. 7, 2 – 4 p.m.
ArtWorks New Building
2429 Gilbert Ave.

ArtWorks invites Walnut Hills residents to participate in the creation of a new community monument in the Hannan ArtPark .

Join a free workshop led by artists Kathryne Gardette and Gary Dangel to contribute designs and patterns to be incorporated into the sculpture.

Sign up 

From vibrant murals on neighborhood walls and public art projects throughout the region, ArtWorks creates art that is meant to be experienced outside.

It is fitting, then, the arts non-profit is opening a dedicated art park across from its soon-to-open permanent building in Walnut Hills.

“When people think of ArtWorks, they think of public art, so it makes sense to have an outdoor space where we can showcase incredible sculptures and murals for everyone to enjoy,” says Jill Dunne, ArtWorks’ senior director of marketing and communications. “The Hannan ArtPark will be a place where the Walnut Hills community can come together, celebrate, and experience art in a shared, vibrant space.

The park is named in honor of the Hannan Family for their generous support of the Cincinnati community, especially their dedication to creating positive opportunities for teens and young adults through Saturday Hoops and ArtWorks. The Hannan ArtPark presented by Fifth Third Foundation honors the Hannan Family for their generous support of the Cincinnati community, especially their dedication to creating positive opportunities for teens and young adults through Saturday Hoops and ArtWorks.

Lauren Hannan Shafer, a board member at ArtWorks, Saturday Hoops, and the Cincinnati Art Museum, inspires each organization with her passion, leadership and support. Her father, Richard Hannan, the founder and president of Mercury Instruments, inspired her as an entrepreneur who demonstrated integrity, love of family and respect for all people 

With a gift from the Fifth Third Foundation, the vision for the new Hannan ArtPark is becoming a reality. The transformation is already underway, with Triversity spearheading the development at the corner of Gilbert Ave and Curtis Street. This ambitious initiative is set to transform a vacant, blighted lot and breathe new life into the historic building across the street, creating a dynamic creative campus for ArtWorks and the community.

The first completed public art contribution on the site is a monumental mural by world-renowned American Artist Charles Gaines. In early August the work, “Numbers and Trees: Cincinnati Cottonwoods” (2024), was completed, after weeks of work by 21 apprentices (ages 14–21) and four professional teaching artists. This mural was sponsored by Sara and Michelle Vance Waddell and Ron and David Houck-Nebel.

The mural will be joined by a new interactive sculpture and monument celebrating Walnut Hills, designed by acclaimed artist, activist and tducator Roberto Lugo, in collaboration with members of the Walnut Hills community. Lugo, whose art uniquely blends hip-hop, history, politics, and his cultural heritage into formal ceramics, is no stranger to Cincinnati. He was an artist in residence for two weeks at the Cincinnati Art Museum in 2023, where his work is part of the museum’s permanent collection.

“ArtWorks was introduced to Roberto Lugo during his residency in Walnut Hills at the Cincinnati Art Museum. We were impressed by his commitment to community. We loved that he invited youth to join him in making ceramics in the museum, he honored local Cincinnatians in his artwork, and he gifted sculptures to many local nonprofits.” says Colleen Houston, CEO and artistic eirector of ArtWorks. “He is a truly inspiring artist and it is a great honor to bring a permanent public art monument to Walnut Hills created in tribute to our neighborhood.”

In addition to the mural and sculpture, a sculptural bike rack, greenspace, and a parking area designed to also be a plaza for community events will make the area a draw for the community. Two new crosswalks will better connect the Hannan ArtPark to the growing business district, and new plantings in the median will further enhance this investment in the growing arts and cultural corridor in Walnut Hills.

“We’ve seen the energy that 5 Points Alley brings to the neighborhood thanks to Cincy Nice and the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation, and we want the Hannan ArtPark to expand on that,” says Dunne. “It will be a place where people can gather, meet, and connect, both now and well into the future.”

This catalytic investment is part of ArtWorks’ newly renovated building at 2429 Gilbert Ave. which will center arts in the heart of Walnut Hills, one block south of historic Peebles Corner. The growing arts district in Walnut Hills includes notable neighbors such as the Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Harriet Beecher Stowe House and CincyNice. ArtWorks plans to celebrate and dedicate the new building and the Hannan ArtPark presented by Fifth Third Foundation at a public event on Sunday, Nov. 17.

On the Bright Side

Jayne Utter, Summerfair managing director, with 2024 “Best in Show”
winner Alex Lanier.

Sunshine Artist magazine recently announced its 2024 “200 Best,” with a familiar fair taking a top spot.

“What an honor to be #4 on this prestigious list again this year,” says Jayne Utter, Summerfair Cincinnati’s managing director. “Artists from all over the county are asked which shows are most profitable and how they are treated. Thanks to our volunteers and patrons, we have landed in the top 10 for over 20 years. Of course, my wish is to one day make #1!”

Launched in 1993, Sunshine Artist’s “200 Best” is split into two categories: Fine Art & Design for events that focus on unique, fine-art pieces and Classic & Contemporary Craft for events that focus on traditional or modern craft and production work. 

Summerfair Cincinnati is ranked at #4 in the Fine Art & Design category on the list.

Artists cast their votes for the list from February through April 2023, nominating their highest money-making shows from the previous year. The ballot asks artists to list the 10 most profitable art and/or craft shows where they exhibited, indicate their level of gross sales at each event, and note whether they considered themselves fine artists or craftspeople for each event.  

The results were tabulated using a weighted scale based on four sales levels to ensure all events competed against each other fairly. 

Sunshine Artist’s “200 Best” focuses solely on artists’ show revenue because that is the most objective indicator of a show’s future success. Subjective attributes, such as artist treatment, amenities, attendance levels, management, and overall quality, can impact sales but are harder to gauge and have no direct bearing on the rankings. 

If you’re interested in being part of one of the best art shows in the country, Summerfair is always looking for volunteers! Find out more at summerfair.org/volunteer.