If you were downtown on July 26, you may have noticed a few digital billboards looking a bit more like a gallery than an ad space. That's because ArtsWave and Orange Barrel Media got together to light up the streets with art from the last four years of the Black and Brown Artist Program.

The REWIND Digital Showcase lit up two large billboards and five ground-level kiosks with artwork highlighting four years of projects from the region's leading BIPOC artists. It was a celebration of culture, identity and expression, putting art into places you might not expect to find it.

Many cities and regions work to make art visible every day in public spaces outside of galleries and theaters. When public art is woven into the fabric of the city it enriches public spaces and sparks connections between neighbors. It can transform overlooked areas into vibrant, welcoming spaces to draw in residents and visitors. Public art sourced from the Black and Brown Artist Program can also promote cultural understanding and elevate the voices of artists with unique perspectives and stories, building a more cohesive and resilient community.

Through ArtsWave and initiatives like the Black and Brown Artist Program, Cincinnati is showing just how powerful art can be in enlivening neighborhoods, deepening roots, and making the city more vibrant and connected. By making art an essential part of public life, Cincinnati is not just beautifying its spaces but also enriching the lives of its residents and visitors.

It's through the support of the community that ArtsWave is able to maintain the Black and Brown Artist Program, find innovative new ways to display the resulting work and continue to make more public art possible.

To help ensure the arts can continue expanding into unexpected places, consider giving to ArtsWave today.