How Your Support Fuels Queer Creative Expression in Cincy

Imagine a fashion show where clothing becomes a canvas for authentic self-expression. Picture elder LGBTQIA+ voices, once silenced, now inspiring a new generation of artists. What if a groundbreaking magazine positioned Cincy as a hub for Queer creativity? These aren’t just ideas. They’re realities made possible by donors like you through the 2026 ArtsWave Pride Grants.

Projects from 14 local organizations will receive funding to celebrate and uplift our region’s LGBTQIA+ community through the arts. These grants represent ArtsWave’s ongoing commitment to fostering inclusive creative expression throughout Greater Cincinnati.

Thanks to the generosity of people like you, ArtsWave Pride continues to make meaningful investments in projects that build bridges, share important stories and create spaces where everyone can express their authentic selves. Let’s look at three of this year’s funded projects that showcase the impact of your support:

The Threads of Self-Expression
This three-part workshop series from Art Equals empowers participants through clothing alteration and creative design. In partnership with the Cincinnati Transgender Resource Collective, the program teaches practical skills like hemming, fabric dyeing and decorative techniques that can transform clothing into personalized expressions of identity. The series culminates in a fashion show where participants will showcase their creations.

Beyond artistic skill-building, this project provides tools for self-affirmation and creates a supportive community space where individuals can express their authentic selves through the art of clothing.

Growing Gold: Honoring the Stories that Came Before Us
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s intergenerational project invites elder members of the LGBTQIA+ community to share their life stories and lessons. These valuable narratives will inspire ETC’s Apprentice Company to create short plays, preserving important perspectives for future generations.

By centering the voices of LGBTQIA+ elders, “Growing Gold” creates meaningful connections across generations while documenting and celebrating our region’s Queer history.

Queer Kentucky and Nymph(o) Magazine
This collaborative magazine project brings together nationally recognized nonprofit Queer Kentucky and Cincinnati’s own Nymph(o) magazine to explore Queer art and equity in the Cincinnati region. The publication will feature interviews, photo stories, artwork and personal narratives centered around the theme of collective freedom.

With both print and digital distribution, the magazine will spotlight local LGBTQ+ artists and activists while highlighting the region for its Queer expression, reaching audiences both locally and nationally.

Your Impact
These projects represent just a sample of the creative work made possible through ArtsWave Pride Grants. Your support enables local artists and organizations to create spaces where LGBTQIA+ community members can share their stories, develop their talents, and build connections.

The impact extends beyond the participants themselves. These projects enrich our entire region by:

• Preserving important cultural perspectives and histories.
• Creating opportunities for dialogue across different communities.
• Showcasing Cincinnati as a place where diverse creative expression is valued.
• Building a more inclusive arts ecosystem that reflects all who call our region home.

Thank you for making these projects possible. Your support of ArtsWave ensures that our community remains a place where everyone’s story can be told and where the arts truly belong to all of us.

To learn more about all of the projects supported by the 2026 ArtsWave Pride Grant, visit artswave.org/pridegrants.