Making Waves Blog

The first of the programs supported by the new ArtsWave YP Grants kicked off in September, attracting crowds of young professionals eager to engage with the arts that make Greater Cincinnati amazing.

Running from The Banks to Over-The-Rhine, the Cincinnati Bell Connector will give people a new and convenient way to get to arts performances and exhibits.

ArtsWave wants all kids to benefit from arts education, and we know from our research that more than 90 percent of Greater Cincinnati parents agree. Join in us in reminding decision-makers of the importance of arts education by sharing your #BecauseOfArtsEd story on Twitter or Facebook.

As summer turns to fall, we have some farewells to say in the arts world and a whole new season of amazing experiences to get ready for.

For more than 20 years, Heather Hallenberg has been “the best friend small arts ever had.” Heather has consistently lead from behind to foster momentum and change.

ArtWorks’ Summer Celebration took place on Friday, August 5 at Union Hall, celebrating the murals and projects created and in progress over 2016.

I was delighted to see Cincinnati arts organizations jump on the Pokémon GO bandwagon last week and encourage players to come inside to visit Pokéstops and collect characters. Pyramid Hill and the Cincinnati Art Museum were two enterprising cultural destinations that embraced the game. In the case of Pyramid Hill, they were rewarded with an 18 percent increase in visitors!

The Cincinnati Opera, with "Fellow Travelers," is just the latest of our region’s amazing arts assets to shine the national spotlight on our region.

CAALA is letting convention attendees know about all the amazing arts experiences exploring the African American experience that are happening while they're in Greater Cincinnati and throughout the next year.

Have your cake and eat it, too, when concert:nova ends its 2015-16 season July 19 on a sweet note with "Bon Appetit!"

Started as a wine promotion in select restaurants downtown, ArtsWave’s Toast to the Arts campaign has grown into a year-round, city-wide campaign by cocktail lounges, breweries and restaurants that invite guests to enjoy Greater Cincinnati’s finest libations while supporting the arts that make the region amazing. In July, Taste of Belgium and Fifty West Brewery each will Toast to the Arts.

June is almost gone, summer is heating up, and there’s no more time to waste. Here are five arts events to do – all supported with the generosity of tens of thousands of donors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign – while the days are still long.

LUMENOCITY, the annual light projection festival accompanied by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, returns Aug. 5-7. Tickets go on sale July 5, so we spoke with Sherri Prentiss, vice president of marketing at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, to get the inside scoop on the fourth and final LUMENOCITY.

Conventions for the NAACP and the Church of God in Christ will bring thousands of people to Cincinnati in July, and the banners that welcome them will feature the work of local artists Annie Ruth and Joyce Phillips Young.

More than 40 arts organizations helping to build a more vibrant economy and connected community across Greater Cincinnati will receive operating support grants thanks to the thousands of contributors to the 2016 ArtsWave Community Campaign, chaired by Jill Meyer and Awadagin Pratt.

Diverse audiences start from a culture of diversity. That was the message delivered byDonna Walker-Kuhne, a national arts marketing and community engagement expert, to 100 Greater Cincinnati arts and culture leaders who attended an ArtsWave workshop on leveraging the arts to bridge cultural divides.

Art, artists, and the act of engaging in the arts can build understanding between people who are fundamentally speaking different languages. And if that is true, then the work of artists and arts organizations has never been more important, and increasing opportunities for all people to engage in the arts has never been more critical.

The oldest baseball team in the country – our beloved Redlegs – and the oldest united arts fund in the country – yours truly, ArtsWave – are at it again.

Last week, I had the opportunity to present two award checks to individuals in our community making a difference in the arts. Honoring the annual Sach Prize Fund winners made me stop and think about the power to make a difference. The power a Life Plan can inspire.

Through a collaboration with Music Theatre International and iTheatrics of New York City, Educational Theatre Association has created JumpStart Theatre, a three-year pilot program to start and support theater programs in middle schools that have none.