Making Waves Blog

A new year means new leadership for ArtsWave Pride. We are thrilled to welcome Kara Sanders and Tim Giglio as the 2024 Steering Committee Co-Chairs for 2024. We sat down with Tim and Kara to hear all about the professional and personal journeys that brought them to where they are now.

According to Americans for the Arts, "cultural equity is critical to the long-term viability of the arts sector." How has the national arts sector lived up to that statement in recent years? How does the Cincinnati region stack up, and what can we do today to support a stronger, more arts-vibrant region for the future?

Let's face it: Investing in a brand new arts program for local kids sounds more exciting than helping an arts organization keep the lights on and pay its staff. But those bills still need to be paid. That's why ArtsWave's Sustaining Impact grant program is a central pillar in how it supports the Cincinnati region's arts.

This month, local artists of color enjoyed the spotlight through the Truth & Healing Artist Showcase. The culmination of the 2023 Black and Brown Artist Program, the Showcase spotlights 18 local artists who examine themes of healing, rebirth and reconnection through fashion, painting, sculpture, film, music, podcasts, theater, dance and more.

As traditional audiences change their habits, Cincinnati's arts leaders see an opportunity to listen, respond and change, building a new base that better reflects the region while deepening their connections with the community.

This weekend, 18 prominent local artists of color reveal new works at the at the "Truth & Healing Artist Showcase," hosted by ArtsWave at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Take an up-close look at two of the projects that will be featured at the Showcase.

Storytelling is an art form that new leaders of the Taft Museum of Art and the Cincinnati Ballet are leveraging in engaging the community through their organizations. Research suggests that there are chemical changes that happen when we learn through stories, allowing us to better feel and understand the arts experience more fully.

The May Festival Chorus, one of the first arts organizations in Cincinnati and the oldest choral festival in the Western Hemisphere, has been uniting different communities for 150 years.

Companies in the Cincinnati region turn to the arts to build essential connections between employees, the workplace and the community. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's Nerissa Morris and GE Aerospace's Joe Plante share how the arts can boost employee engagement and foster innovation.

As audiences return to live performances, the Cincinnati region's theater leaders see both silver linings and new challenges on the horizon.

While an overwhelming majority of Cincinnatians see the value of the arts in education, more than half of the region's teachers report a reduction of arts education opportunities in their schools.

Arts and community leaders recently kicked off the 2023 ArtsWave Campaign, setting a fundraising goal of $11.7 million. The money raised by the Campaign will support 150+ organizations and projects that create thousands of cultural performances, exhibitions and other arts experiences over the next year.

Walnut Hills is building a roadmap through the arts to flourish for years to come.

Artist Brent Billingsley, 2023 ArtsWave Campaign Co-Chair Carl Satterwhite and ArtsWave VP of community investments Ray Gargano discuss how the arts can inspire our youth while bridging cultural divides.

What do the 140-year-old Cincinnati Art Museum and 30-something Black choreographer, David Choate, have in common? Both spend time thinking about historic legacies. And both are determined to push the region into the future.

ArtsWrap is an all-new podcast from ArtsWave, featuring interviews and discussions with the Cincinnati region's most exciting artists, creators, thinkers and more. Catch new episodes monthly by subscribing on your favorite podcast app.

When it returns October 13-16, BLINK®, illuminated by ArtsWave, will demonstrate how the arts can foster connectivity and put Cincinnati on the map. You can see it already in recently announced collaborations between local arts organizations and international artists.

From July 15-17, the 22 artists of ArtsWave's 2022 Black and Brown Artist Program reveal their work at the Truth & Inspiration Artist Showcase. These multidisciplinary projects reflect the program's theme of "truth and reconciliation" by taking an honest look at racial injustice and imagining a more equitable future for the Cincinnati region. We asked the artists about their work and what to expect at the Showcase.

After a two year wait due to COVID-19, Cincinnati Opera raises the curtain on the world premiere of "Castor and Patience" in July 2022. ArtsWave supports the production as part of Flow, an African American Arts Experience, as it brings world-class Black artistic talent to the region, elevates appreciation for Black artists and helps cultivate a diverse audience.

ArtsWave's CincyJams is the Cincinnati region's first workplace Battle of the Bands competition. Attendance is free and you, the audience, choose the winning bands. The event comes as recent trends show how important workplace engagement can be.