Making Waves Blog

I want to tell you the stories of Three Wise Men and One Very Brave Young Woman – all of them committed to those wonderful holiday ideals of Peace and Harmony, in unlikely ways.

My twin 7-year-olds have a big-deal, second-grade project this week: to write and present reports on their favorite holiday traditions I confess that this assignment has caused me some angst because, thanks to the various dreams and ambitions imposed on them by me and my husband, their young lives have been fairly nomadic. I worry that we've done a less-than-pinterest-worthy job of things like instilling and documenting family traditions. So imagine my surprise and delight...

This weekend made me take stock of all the things that arts organizations do in Greater Cincinnati to ensure access to stimulating, inspiring experiences like these for people dealing with the physical challenges of age or disability.

‘Tis the season to count our blessings, and ArtsWave has begun taking inventory. Here’s Part One of our Gratitude List:

Music Hall and Union Terminal are hubs of very necessary educational and cultural activity – activity that results in a ripple effect of benefits for the entire community. Mine are just two among thousands of personal memories that have been made inside Music Hall and Union Terminal.

I often get asked why my husband and I would leave our life on a Caribbean island behind to move back to the United States. The short answer to this question is similar to the reason why you would choose to stay in a place like Cincinnati: you miss things like concerts, museums, theaters and libraries if they aren’t readily available.

Now, as a parent, naturally I think about the world our kids will inherit. Numerous studies have shown the connection between arts education and academic achievement, social and emotional development, critical and creative thinking skills, and interpersonal skills.

It’s been four years since the Fine Arts Fund changed its name, mission, and vision for building community. Like any bold endeavor, the new “ArtsWave” made a splash. What did it mean, then? And what does it mean, today?

As more and more people find themselves changing locations for work or family reasons, it’s not unusual for newcomers to communities to wonder how to get connected. It takes a while to put down the proverbial “roots” at the same time you are navigating a new environment.