Making Waves Blog

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.

BLINK®, illuminated by ArtsWave, is the most anticipated event of the year. It's built on an ecosystem of arts festivals and special events that enliven the Cincinnati region and draw national and worldwide acclaim.

Asha Ama Daniels and Brent Billingsley's projects explore the themes of "truth and reconciliation" with the community playing an active role.

Jazzmeia Horn is a vocal force to be reckoned with. Even as her third album is under consideration for a Grammy, she's hard at work on a fourth. She'll share songs from both, plus jazz standards, when she comes to the Aronoff Center April 1-2.

The Cincinnati region's biggest ever event returns this fall. Take a look at what BLINK®, illuminated by ArtsWave, does for the region, see how it can deliver even more, and learn about special BLINK benefits you could get thanks to your gift to ArtsWave.

The arts can help to bridge cultural divides. They can provide a starting point that leads to more understanding at a historically divisive moment in history.