2025 Catalyzing Impact Grants

Catalyzing Impact grants are awarded to new or expanded projects that support the goals of ArtsWave’s Blueprint for Collective Action and are funded by the community with support in part from the National Endowment of the Arts.

Here are the projects that will receive the grant in 20245

A community-led arts project showcasing Price Hill's cultural diversity through interactive displays and programming. The project builds cross-cultural understanding through workshops, exhibitions and live events.

Free afterschool arts programming for historically underserved students. The program ensures equitable access to arts education while supporting social-emotional learning and academic achievement.

Offers students diverse cultural experiences, including meeting authors and attending performances. The program focuses on helping students discover their creativity and develop a sense of belonging in artistic spaces.

A multi-gallery exhibition showcasing emerging, professional, historic and young artists from the region. The project highlights Cincinnati's world-class arts culture and promotes the city as a destination for innovative art.

A community-designed and painted mural project incorporating interactive programming. The project focuses on therapeutic artistic engagement and the healing power of art.

A new pottery program offering classes and cultural education, expanding arts access in Warren County.

Educational workshops and publication focused on preserving and amplifying marginalized voices through art. The program provides trauma-informed curriculum resources for educators.

Monthly events bringing together local residents and artists for live music and collaborative art creation. The program aims to unite the community through creative expression.

Provides modern theatre set design tools and training for Sycamore High School students. The project prepares students for careers in technical theater, design and more.

Summer camps serving multiple Cincinnati communities with arts and educational activities. The program's activities will focus on building social-emotional wellbeing through artistic expression.

A free program combining dance, literacy and mentorship for under-resourced families in Walnut Hills. The program partners with local libraries and universities to provide comprehensive arts education.

EMMY Award-winning arts program expanding digital content and in-person events, showcasing Cincinnati's diverse arts community to new audiences.

"Come Together" brings classical and contemporary works to the region through four major concerts. Also includes educational programming for youth in underserved areas.

Intensive summer art education program for grades 3-6. Focuses on fundamental artistic principles and creative development.

Adapted stage productions of "Goodnight Moon" and "The Runaway Bunny" for neurodivergent children, including staff training and facility modifications to create an inclusive environment.

A production of the groundbreaking Broadway musical featuring soul, gospel, rock and funk.

A project inviting guests to engage with sculptural art within nature at Cincinnati Nature Center's Rowe Woods. The integration of art and nature fosters a deeper connection to our natural world.

The mainstage music lineup for one of Cincinnati's largest events. The free community festival at Sawyer Point is an inclusive celebration of diversity and arts.

The week-long "Fellowship of the Song" festival retuns for its second year of supporting emerging music artists. The festival provides free opportunities for singers and pianists to develop their craft.

Expanded lapidary arts classes, open to the public, teaching stone cutting, shaping and jewelry making at the CLG shop in Camp Washington.

Chamber music performances for underserved students, introducing classical music while inspiring future musicians.

An environmental education program using documentary theatre to engage high school students, who will perform local environmental histories.

CAST, working with Cincinnati Arts Association and Broadway Across America, will develop theater programs in schools throughout the region. Participation in theater helps develop skills like collaboration and communication.

Sayler Park SChool's Jaguar Creates Art program will expand, adding monthly Family Art Nights, expand class options and afterschool activities, and focus on portfolio development and skill-building.

The Outerspace Community Leadership Hub will host four creative exhibitions showcasing Lower Price Hill artists. The series celebrates neighborhood diversity through various artistic media.

A community quilt project documenting the history and memories of Findlay Market, featuring public events and a permanent installation.

An intergenerational art program connecting high school students with senior residents. Students and seniors will meet weekly, building bridges across age and cognitive barriers through creative expression.

Creative Asian Society's third annual exhibition celebrates Cincinnati and Ohio Valley landscapes during AAPI Heritage Month, featuring work from fifteen Asian American artists.

Bellevue Live, curated by members of the local arts community, provides equitable opportunities to artists. This monthly concert series features local and touring musicians, along with vendor opportunities and community resource programming.

An arts education series hosted in the Lawrenceburg Public Library District, offering hands-on workshops in various artistic media.

A free performance of three Mozart compositions with a professional ensemble in collaboration with community organizations for accessible classical music.

An interdisciplinary performance piece about local HIV/AIDS experiences, combining multiple art forms for awareness and storytelling.

Programming for artists and creative entrepreneurs that provides business development tools specific to arts-related ventures.

A two-week workshop helping teens express emotional challenges through music. Led by Eliot Sloan of Blessid Union of Souls, it will address issues like bullying, young love, divorce, suicide, and the emotional toll of school lockdown.

An installation in Hamilton's Jefferson neighborhood celebrating Latino cultural heritage, created by artists with developmental disabilities in partnership with residents.

A project to transform Over-the-Rhine traffic boxes from plain infrasctructure into public art displays, using culturally-inspired designs to enhance pedestrian spaces.

A program for K-5 students focusing on emotional expression, confidence building and creating safe spaces for creative development.

A free symposium and exhibition exploring botanical legacies of the Atlantic Slave Trade. The program combines historical research with contemporary artistic interpretation.

A creative writing and illustration program for immigrant and refugee teens that integrates personal storytelling into English language learning.

A free breakfast and art program combining nutrition with creative activities. The program addresses summer learning loss while fostering artistic development and combatting hunger.

A series of murals commemorating LGBTQIA+ community contributions in the original home of Pride in Cincinnati, celebrating the neighborhood's role in local history.

Summer camp programs teaching cultural education and social justice through arts, engaging young people in community-based creative expression.

A project empowering visual arts classes and artist residencies in public libraries. The program is expanding to include Bond Hill's library branch in summer 2025.

A performance celebrating LGBTQ+ rights achievements at Christ Church Cathedral, featuring commissioned works by Queer composers and special guest soloists.

An arts-based resource guide for community building, covering topics like mutual aid and featuring work from local artists addressing social issues.

Comprehensive theatre education courses for all skill levels, covering everything from performance and technical skills to creative development.

A Halloween-themed performance showcasing LGBTQIA+ artists, combining spooky themes with Queer storytelling.

Cincinnati's second Africa Day celebration features music, art and cultural connections and uses immersive arts to honor Cincinnati's African community.

The first SWS Youth Summer Music Camp will kickstart the Springboro Youth Wind Symphony, providing professional instruction and ensemble experience.

An exhibition exploring art, science and environmental sustainability. "All Else Pales 2" includes community discussions and performances designed to bridge the gap between creativity and advocacy.

A series of AfroFuturistic art installations and events in Over-the-Rhine, creating interactive spaces for cultural celebration and content creation.

An international community festival celebrating women's contributions and featuring performances, storytelling and cultural showcases.

A four-day celebration of Native American culture and contemporary issues, with a gallery show and community dialogue.

A free outreach concert celebrating Appalachian heritage in Cold Spring, KY, featuring a Bluegrass Mass with multiple choirs.

A collaborative arts festival from WCHS, the Harmon Museum, Warren County Foundation, the City of Lebanon, ArtScape Lebanon and Soul Sidekick Studio, showcasing regional talent and providing diverse programming for all ages.

A biennial festival celebrating craft arts with demonstrations and sales and uniting nine local craft guilds. The Gathering features live demonstrations in blacksmithing, glassblowing, printmaking, weaving, enameling, gemstone cutting, woodturning and more.