Cincinnati artists and museums hope to bask in Blink's glow
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Cincinnati Art Week cofounder Destinee Thomas (second from the right) and other members of the creative team. Photo: Courtesy of Cincinnati Art Week
Blink's millions of lights will illuminate Cincinnati Oct. 8-11, but local artists and arts organizations hope some of that glow lands on them, too.
Why it matters: The biennial art festival brings massive crowds downtown and to Over-the-Rhine, giving arts groups a coveted chance to reach new audiences.
Driving the news: The inaugural Cincinnati Art Week, underway through Saturday, is making the most of that opportunity.
- More than 100 artists and creative groups are participating in dozens of exhibitions, performances and pop-ups, plus a market selling original work.
- Most spaces are open noon-7pm, before Blink begins each night.
What they're saying: Cofounder Destinee Thomas says Art Week isn't meant to compete with Blink or FotoFocus but draw the crowds already exploring OTR into galleries and other creative spaces.
- "We have a 'rising tide lifts all boats' mindset," she tells Axios.
The big picture: That foot traffic matters as rising costs make art more expensive to produce and funding remains tight.
- ArtsWave raised $12.1 million this year to support more than 150 local artists, organizations and projects, but that investment only goes so far without community support, spokesperson Ryan Strand tells Axios.
- Supporting local arts is "an investment in the kind of community we've all been building," he says.
Elsewhere: OTR's Know Theatre is hosting a free, sensory-friendly under-the-sea installation.
- Downtown's Contemporary Arts Center is an "oasis station," where visitors can escape the crowds as projection mapping lights up the outside of the unique building.
- Once inside, CAC interim executive director Lacy Schutz hopes they'll grab a coffee, browse a special gallery and check out what it has to offer, she tells Axios.
What's next: For Thomas, success means turning this week's attention into something lasting.
- "If people walk away feeling more connected and more hopeful, then I think we've done something meaningful," she says.