The Carnegie stands as Covington's cultural cornerstone — a unique three-pronged arts organization housing a gallery, theater and education department under one roof. As the largest multidisciplinary arts center in Covington, it serves as both showcase and incubator for regional artistic talent.

"We're a safe space for people to experiment and play with their work," explains Matt Distel, The Carnegie's executive director. "We give them the opportunity to show the work they want to show." What sets The Carnegie apart is its commitment to creating dialogue between local artists and the broader art world. Their visiting curator program invites professionals from outside the region to organize exhibitions, building organic relationships that connect Cincinnati-area artists with wider audiences.

"We're in the Midwest and there is something very interesting about our region," notes gallery curator Sso-Rha Kang. "We want to make sure that our artists get exposure." This approach is evident in an exhibition featuring Cincinnati-based artist Erika NJ Allen. Her ceramic fruit sculptures, ranging from mulberries and pawpaws to Korean pears, reflect a practice deeply rooted in gift-giving and personal connection.

Beyond exhibitions, The Carnegie's educational impact reaches thousands of students throughout the region. With crucial support from ArtsWave, they provide specialized art faculty to schools that can typically only sustain one arts faculty member per building. This partnership enables The Carnegie to deliver over 100,000 contact hours annually in public schools, introducing students to visual arts, dance, and other disciplines they might otherwise never experience. "If we didn't have ArtsWave, students in our region would not be exposed to the arts in the same way," Distel explains.

Through exhibition spaces that challenge artists to grow and educational programs that nurture the next generation of creative thinkers, The Carnegie exemplifies how arts organizations can serve as vital community resources when supported by funders like ArtsWave who understand the transformative power of artistic expression.

This blog post is based on content from "Better Know Cincy's Arts," featuring The Carnegie.