Making Waves Blog

This time of year, Cincy's arts organizations serve up annual traditions. However, just because they're classics doesn't mean they always have to be the same. Two local performing arts groups prove that with their holiday shows this year. For one, that means using a classic to grow into a new space. For the other, it means bringing back a popular reimagining of a nearly 141-year-old work.

Where can you find the nation's first professional children’s theater, second oldest opera company, and the longest-running choral festival in the Western Hemisphere? They're all right here, and they all have rich histories. Their stories and more are coming to life through a new guided tour from American Legacy Tours and ArtsWave.

Cincy's arts landscape is sculpted by artists, administrators, patrons and more. Since 1929, the Rosa F. and Samuel B. Sachs Fund Prize has been awarded to those proverbial sculptors. The Prize honors individuals who have made a lasting impact on the Cincinnati region through its arts. Past recipients include Zaha Hadid, Kathy Y. Wilson and Stephen Sondheim. The 2023 recipients share a common thread — both use their artistic success to create social change in our community.

As someone who pays attention to the region's arts, you probably know there's something special about Cincy. Did you know that intuition is backed by hard data? SMU DataArts, the National Center for Arts Research, recently released its 8th annual list of the most arts-vibrant communities in the United States. Out of over 900 regions across the country, the Index has listed the Cincinnati region as one of its top 20 large communities since 2020.

Ideas are living things. Sometimes they grow beyond your expectations. Community leaders Mel Gravely, Delores Hargrove-Young and Edgar L. Smith launched the Circle of African American Leaders for the Arts in 2015, envisioning exclusive experiences with local arts organizations that could connect those who prioritize the arts for their potential to bridge cultural divides. That vision evolved in 2020

The Black and Brown Artist Program represents much more than a source of funding for artists. The grants come with a supportive cohort and a powerful endorsement that can open doors to new opportunities. We checked in with artists Michael Coppage and Julia O. Bianco to learn what impact their participation in the program had on their career trajectory. Spoiler alert: It was big.

"Do we accurately represent the community we serve?" Every arts organization must ask itself that question. What happens when the answer is no? More importantly, how do you address shortcomings in diversity, equity, inclusion and access while keeping the changes sustainable?

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.