CINCINNATI (September 22, 2015) – 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. Built on the Artsopolis platform developed by Silicon Valley Creates, San Jose’s local arts council, Cincy Arts Guide makes it easy to find arts events by date, geography, interest, and other criteria.  

"For years, our donors and local arts organizations have asked for a calendar that includes all of the arts events across the region,” said Alecia Kintner, President & CEO of ArtsWave. “With the Artsopolis platform, we are able to develop a beautiful site that makes it easy to discover new and fun things to do.  Cincy Arts Guide helps ArtsWave achieve its vision of greater arts participation and engagement in our community.”

Cincy Arts Guide includes a wide variety of events from experimental theater performances and music lectures to cultural festivals and art house films. Families can easily find events that are age-appropriate for their children under the tabs for Tots (0-4), Kids (5-12), and Teens (13 -18). The Guide includes activities for Young Professionals, free arts events, arts fundraisers, and volunteer opportunities in the arts. ArtsWave will also curate themed streams of content seasonally, starting with a page of spooky events for Halloween during the month of October. 

Arts organizations and other presenters can create online profiles and upload their event information online for free. Events can be tagged with multiple categories, allowing for serendipitous discovery.   At the time of launch, more than 50 organizations had uploaded over 300 events.

“We wanted to launch with content from as many of our local arts organizations as possible, but we are really just getting started” said Rebecca Bromels, Senior Director, Communications and Engagement. “Now that the site is live, we are inviting more organizations, venues, and performing arts groups to create free profiles and add their content.  Our goal is to include as many organizations and events as possible from the region’s amazing, diverse arts scene.”  

The site is mobile-responsive, easily viewed and accessed from a smartphone or tablet. Event listings include information on admissions, a map to the venue, and a direct link to the arts organization’s ticketing system.

“Cincy Arts Guide will help us connect with new audiences,” said Krista Katona Pille, Marketing Director for The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. “It’s a great way to increase the visibility of the arts in our community.”

Content from Cincy Arts Guide can also be syndicated to other websites.  ArtsWave is working with several media partners, including CET and Family Friendly Cincinnati, to provide the event listings on their sites. 

Cincy Arts Guide is one of two new digital tools created by ArtsWave to support its ten-year plan, the Blueprint for Collective Action for the Arts. Designed to advance ArtsWave’s vision of a more vibrant regional economy and more connected community for all, the Blueprint identifies five community goals that leverage the power of the arts.  Promoting the region’s arts events supports the Blueprint goal to deepen feelings of engagement and connection to the community by widening participation in arts experiences for all. Cincy Arts Guide is being funded by a gift to ArtsWave restricted for this purpose.

"Collaborative marketing of the region’s arts is a new role for ArtsWave, but one that makes sense," said Alecia Kintner, President  & CEO of ArtsWave. “As the region’s largest funder of the arts, we can coordinate efforts, leverage scale, and amplify impact.  The more people can discover events in their neighborhood and become actively engaged in the arts, the greater the ripple effect of benefits for our community.”

To view the Guide, visit www.cincyartsguide.com.  To add your organization or events to the Guide, contact Leyla Shokoohe, ArtsWave Communications Consultant, at Leyla.shokoohe@theartswave.org.