Making Waves Blog

More than 40 arts organizations helping to build a more vibrant economy and connected community across Greater Cincinnati will receive operating support grants thanks to the thousands of contributors to the 2016 ArtsWave Community Campaign, chaired by Jill Meyer and Awadagin Pratt.

ArtsWave’s signature singing competition, CincySings presented by Accenture, returns for a third year to leverage the power of the arts to deepen people’s connection to their coworkers and Greater Cincinnati.

Beginning February 12, people can Toast to the Arts at more than two dozen local bars, restaurants and breweries supporting the 2016 ArtsWave Community Campaign. Establishments will offer special wines, cocktails and beers for ArtsWave during the Toast to the Arts. A portion of the sales of those drinks will go to the 2016 Community Campaign, which runs through April 28 and supports more than 100 arts organizations making an impact in Greater Cincinnati.

Tidal, Greater Cincinnati’s first Arts + Tech Challenge, will unite two thriving sectors of the region's economy, bringing entrepreneurial innovation into the vibrant arts community. Part of the 2016 ArtsWave Community Campaign, the first-ever problem-solving event will be April 8-10 at Union Hall, 1313 Vine St. Conceived by LISNR Co-founder Chris Ostoich, the event is being hosted by Cintrifuse and sponsored by Fifth Third Bank.

People can enjoy free art performances and activities all over Greater Cincinnati on February 27 and 28 during the 30th Macy's Arts Sampler, presented by ArtsWave.

Recognizing the power of the arts to connect communities and contribute to a thriving economy, 2016 ArtsWave Community Campaign Chairs Jill P. Meyer and Awadagin Pratt announced a goal to raise $12,450,000 this year to support arts making an impact in Greater Cincinnati.

Teams are forming for CincySings, the singing competition ArtsWave started in 2014. Presented by Accenture, the event is wowing local crowds and earning national attention.

ArtsWave will start a Creative Placemaking Network in Greater Cincinnati thanks to a $35,000 grant from National Endowment for the Arts. This grant is one of just 18 made to local arts agencies around the country for supporting public engagement in the arts in this funding round.

ArtsWave announces its Young Professionals Grant Program, a new initiative that provides funding to support the development of programming – or the expansion of an existing program – that engages young professionals.

Veteran journalist Hillary Copsey has been appointed Director of Communications and Marketing at ArtsWave.

ArtsWave, the greater Cincinnati region’s leading local arts agency, launched a new service to the community today with its online arts calendar, Cincy Arts Guide. Designed to increase all kinds of community participation in the arts, Cincy Arts Guide provides detailed listings on performances, exhibitions, classes, fundraisers and other arts events from arts organizations across the region.

ArtsWave announces $10.4 million in grants and initiatives to create a vibrant regional economy and bring people together through the arts. These investments are made possible by the thousands of people and organizations who contributed to ArtsWave’s recent community campaign chaired by Tom Williams. ArtsWave continues to be the largest united arts fund in the country, both in contributions and in number of donors.

ArtsWave announced the successful completion of the 2015 Annual Community Campaign, with gifts totaling in excess of $12,212,657 in support of arts organizations across the region.

ArtsWave announces three new Arts for Health grants to expand arts programs that improve health outcomes for Greater Cincinnati residents. ArtsWave believes that investing in Arts for Health partnerships can help expand the benefits of the arts to more people in our community, helping everyone to lead a healthy and creatively expressive life

As the Greater Cincinnati region draws more national buzz as a city on the rise, 2015 ArtsWave Campaign Chair Tom Williams leads the charge for increased investment in the arts that make our community an amazing place to live. Today, Williams announced a goal of $12.2 million for the 2015 Community Campaign.-

The 2015 Macy’s Arts Sampler Weekend presented by ArtsWave, will be held over one weekend from March 7-8, 2015, and will offer more than 100 events, activities and performances throughout Greater Cincinnati. All events are free and open to the public through the sponsorship of Macy’s.

ArtsWave announces opportunities for arts and community organizations to apply for more than $100,000 in new support to connect the arts to larger community initiatives around health and education. These targeted grants programs are part of ArtsWave’s strategy to leverage the power of the arts to address broad community goals. These opportunities are funded through restricted gifts to the ArtsWave annual community campaign.

ArtsWave, the first and largest united arts fund in the country, announced today at its annual meeting that Lisa Sauer was elected as the new chair of the ArtsWave Board of Directors, effective today. ArtsWave also announced that Tara Townsend, PhD, will assume the newly-created position of Chief Impact Strategy Officer, overseeing a workplan to drive and measure the impact of arts in creating a vibrant regional economy and a more connected community. Townsend joined the ArtsWave staff in 2012.

On December 10, ArtsWave honored acclaimed author Leah Stewart with its 2014 Rosa F. and Samuel B. Sachs Fund Prize at a reception and reading at The Mercantile Library. The award recognizes Stewart for her award-winning novels and contributions to Cincinnati’s literary scene. Stewart read from her recent book, The History of Us, which is set in Cincinnati.

At a special celebration of her career on July 23, ArtsWave’s retiring CEO Mary McCullough-Hudson received the Key to the City from Cincinnati Vice Mayor David Mann, in recognition of her 35 years of service to the community. More than 300 colleagues and friends attended the cabaret-style evening at the Patricia Corbett Theater at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. The ArtsWave Board of Trustees also announced the creation of an arts innovation grantmaking fund in her honor. McCullough-Hudson will officially retire as CEO of ArtsWave at the end of August, as previously announced.