Making Waves Blog

ArtsWave announces $10.4 million in grants and initiatives to create a vibrant regional economy and bring people together through the arts. These investments are made possible by the thousands of people and organizations who contributed to ArtsWave’s recent community campaign chaired by Tom Williams. ArtsWave continues to be the largest united arts fund in the country, both in contributions and in number of donors.

The arts have been in the news a lot over the past two weeks. In response to these stories, I’ve heard more than a few times that these results are impressive for “a city our size.” As much as I understand the sentiment and our region's population size, I think we are selling ourselves short with this qualifier. Within the space of twelve days, Cincinnati has done something that other cities, large or small or in between, can only envy. We’ve shown our unique capacity for collaborative action around things that we value—namely, a thriving, innovative, and inclusive arts scene.

What does it mean to be the largest community arts campaign in the country? $12,250,000 in community contributions is a big number, but it doesn’t capture the full scope of our region’s amazing commitment to the arts. Take a look at a few more impressive numbers from the 2015 campaign.

This ArtsWave partner company has seen amazing growth its ArtsWave campaign over the past two years. What's the secret to their success?

ArtsWave announced the successful completion of the 2015 Annual Community Campaign, with gifts totaling in excess of $12,212,657 in support of arts organizations across the region.

I’m inspired today by the IT group of First Financial Bank, one of 2015’s 270 business partners conducting ArtsWave campaigns. Their entry into an organization-wide sculpture competition took top prize, thanks to its ingenious incorporation of a list of required everyday materials transformed into something magical. Ladybug buttons, shredded paper grass, pipecleaner flowers and a popsicle stick birdhouse all were combined in a beautiful tabletop diorama.

With Valentine's Day approaching, treat your sweetie to tasty wine AND give back to ArtsWave at the same time. Use your ArtsPass to get a great deal on an amazing artsy date night! Discover a selection of wine offerings at local restaurants, as well as some amazing ArtsPass events this weekend.