Making Waves Blog

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.

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.

For their artistic achievements, particularly in the area of social justice, conductor James Conlon and writer Kathy Wilson have been awarded the 2015 Sachs Fund Prize.

CincyDance! returns for the third year to Washington Park at noon May 18, when Cincinnati Ballet brings more than 1,000 third-graders out for an interactive dance performance. Read more to find out how you can be a part of the fun!

ArtsWave raised $12,450,000 during the 2016 Annual Community Campaign for the arts that build Greater Cincinnati’s national reputation, deepen people’s roots in the region, enliven neighborhoods, bridge cultural divides, and fuel creativity and learning for children. An additional initiative, in partnership with the Cincinnati USA Regional Tourism Network, also was announced at the Community Campaign celebration.

“We want people to look down and say, ‘Look at all those seniors. We’re all going to be those seniors. We will always have options and the connection with Cincinnati. There’s always something new and different going on. We don’t want to miss the opportunities to experience them.”

The first-ever Tidal ArtsWave Art x Tech Challenge yielded new collaborations and great ideas.

From LUMENOCITY to Riverbend to Clifton, Melodic Connections is doing just as its name implies — making meaningful and musical connections between its musicians and their community. We caught up with development director Lynn Migliara and executive director and co-founder Betsey Zenk Nuseibeh to learn more about Melodic Connections and see what’s coming up on the group’s calendar.

Today is the annual Arts Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. Find out two ways to show your support of the arts right now.

The 2016 ArtsWave Community Campaign is picking up speed! We have a big target to reach by April 28 -- $12,450,000 – but literally hundreds of volunteers are helping hit that number, and already nearly 8,000 gifts have been counted. Three weeks in, $3 million is in the door. Here's five more ways to show your support.

Beginning February 12, people can Toast to the Arts at more than two dozen local bars, restaurants and breweries supporting the 2016 ArtsWave Community Campaign. Establishments will offer special wines, cocktails and beers for ArtsWave during the Toast to the Arts. A portion of the sales of those drinks will go to the 2016 Community Campaign, which runs through April 28 and supports more than 100 arts organizations making an impact in Greater Cincinnati.

Tidal, Greater Cincinnati’s first Arts + Tech Challenge, will unite two thriving sectors of the region's economy, bringing entrepreneurial innovation into the vibrant arts community. Part of the 2016 ArtsWave Community Campaign, the first-ever problem-solving event will be April 8-10 at Union Hall, 1313 Vine St. Conceived by LISNR Co-founder Chris Ostoich, the event is being hosted by Cintrifuse and sponsored by Fifth Third Bank.

People can enjoy free art performances and activities all over Greater Cincinnati on February 27 and 28 during the 30th Macy's Arts Sampler, presented by ArtsWave.

Andrew Hungerford, artistic director of the Know Theatre, spoke with ArtsWave about bringing new and innovative works from exciting playwrights to Cincinnati audiences and the significance these productions hold for the Cincinnati.

Greater Cincinnati has a thriving arts scene -- and that's important for making sure the region also has a thriving economy.

ArtsWave kicks off its 2016 Community Campaign with a special February 1 concert that brings together world-class pianist Awadagin Pratt and University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono on the same stage at the College-Conservatory of Music.

Teams are forming for CincySings, the singing competition ArtsWave started in 2014. Presented by Accenture, the event is wowing local crowds and earning national attention.

At ArtsWave, we believe Greater Cincinnati's long-standing and vibrant arts community helps differentiate our region. How can we get more people talking about these successes and unique organizations that make Cincinnati amazing? How do we create, polish and amplify a positive reputation through the arts?

Myles Yeazell and Matthew Adams are the first Cincinnati area musicians selected to perform in the Detroit Sphinx Competition since 2002. Both young men perform with the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra and are performing in a benefit recital January 19.