October 2024

October 2024

BLINK IS BACK

and Music Hall rejoins the party

Movers &Makers

October 2024

Publisher’s Letter 4

Arts & Culture 5

Terri Kern at the Taft Museum 5

MoversMakers.org

Clarinetist Richie Hawley returns 5

ArtsWave Flow lays out its season 6

Major Ansel Adams exhibit at CAM 6

The A&C List 8

BLINK spotlight returns to Music Hall | By David Lyman 18

The Datebook 20

Social calendar with a spotlight on the movers and makers behind Greater Cincinnati’s fundraisers, friend-raisers and community events

FOCUS ON: Artificial Intelligence 28

Pro AI tips for nonprofits 28

StartupCincy Week 2024 29

Notables in local AI 30

Names in the News 32

Snapshots

34

Best Point Rockin’ at Riverfest 34

Aviatra showcases women entrepreneurs 35

Easterseals Redwood’s Honor Ride supports vets 36

CISE annual campaign kickoff 37

Smashing pickleball success for Talbert House 38

Emergency Shelter of NKY opens new facility 38

Golf outing scores $150K for Wellington Foundation 39

August Mix & Mingle with M&M 40

Preservation group marks 60 years, takes new name 41

Paddlefest a successful journey for Adventure Crew 42

Musicians for Health panel talks AI in art, medicine 44

Festival of Faiths hosts a day of unity 45

Best Point opens Klekamp Music Center 47

ArtWorks events celebrate its new neighborhood 48

ProSeniors honors those who ‘Rock’ 49

The Last Word 50

Polly Campbell: Breaking patterns of poverty

PUBLISHERS’ LETTER

AI. Just two little letters, right? And yet, they represent one of the most polarizing topics on the planet: artificial intelligence. Fascinating to some. Terrifying to others. Regardless of your view, there is no turning back; we must react.

Perhaps it’s time we all embrace this technology and learn how to harness it to our advantage. Knowledge is power, after all. Since Movers & Makers is a people publication, first and foremost, we want to introduce you to some Cincinnati folks on the front lines of this groundbreaking technology. See our Notables feature on Pages 30-31 to meet individuals from across the AI spectrum working to encourage the responsible use of this tool that is changing our lives on a continually accelerating basis. Interested in learning more? Attend StartUpCincy week, Oct. 7-10, and meet some of these people in person. And we’ve shared a little sample of what AI can do with some application tips for nonprofits. See Pages 28 and 29.

BLINK is back and reportedly bigger than ever, extending now east into Newport. One welcome return is the inclusion of Music Hall as a visual landscape, the grand faç ade where all of this light-based art was introduced back in 2013 with the Cincinnati Symphony and LumenoCity.

David Lyman spoke with three local artists involved in the reanimation of one of our city’s most precious landmarks. See Page 18. Polly Campbell revisits a topic she addressed two years ago and highlights current, creative efforts to help people break through the barriers presented by poverty, as

supported by United Way. See Page 50.

As FotoFocus Biennial 2024 shifts into high gear, there are opportunities from Northern Kentucky to Butler County and beyond to explore the full breadth of lens-based art being generated by regional and national artists. Nowhere else in the world does such an opportunity exist. See our massive A/C List starting on Page 8 and look for the red FF under both Film and Visual Art. Fundraisers abound over the next two months, in every size and shape you can imagine. We encourage you to choose at least one cause dear to your heart and attend or at least support. Let’s invest in making Cincinnati the very best it can be.

We wish you an enlightening and meaningful month ahead. Thanks for reading M&M and being part of what makes Cincinnati great.

Thom & Elizabeth Mariner Co-publishers

Help keep nonprofit news

Fiscal sponsor:

For their work on this issue, our gratitude to:

• Casey Weldon, associate editor

• Phil Fisher and Ray Cooklis, copy editors

• Shasta Taber, volunteer proofreader

• All the nonprofits that contributed news and photos.

Elizabeth & Thom Mariner, co-publishers; Doug Bolton, board chair

Mix

& Mingle

21c Museum Hotel

Wednesday, Oct. 9, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Casual opportunity to make new friends or business contacts. Mingle with notables, nonprofit staff and supporters and fellow M&M readers. Light bites & drinks.

Publishing schedule

Digital edition & daily posts MoversMakers.org

Social media

@moversmakerscincinnati Movers & Makers Magazine @moversmakers

Advertising & distribution Thom Mariner, 513-543-0890 or tmariner@moversmakers.org

Creative & accounting Elizabeth Mariner, emariner@moversmakers.org

News/calendar submissions editor@moversmakers.org

Free direct mail subscriptions and email newsletter sign up: moversmakers.org/subscribe

See our website for 2025 dates.  moversmakers.org/publishing-schedule

© Copyright

but are not responsible for incorrect information or misidentified photos provided to us.

Readers are advised to confirm event dates and other important details and check for last-minute changes with the organizations or advertisers involved.

Publication of this magazine and its website (MoversMakers.org) does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of any information contained within, including advertisements and links.

Movers & Makers Publishing is a nonprofit with fiscal sponsorship provided by Cincinnati Cares.

Arts & Culture

Local ceramic artist explores theme of resilience in Taft exhibition

Cincinnati ceramic artist Terri Kern explores resilience in an exhibition opening Oct. 5 at the Taft Museum of Art, downtown.

Inspired by the natural world, Kern’s works tell stories of love, loss, triumph and hardship, showing what nature can teach us about the ability to embrace life’s challenges.

Terri Kern (American, born 1964), Stitching Time, 2024, earthenware, 6 3/4 x 3 1/2 in. diameter. Collection of the artist.

She also sought inspiration from objects in the Taft’s collection, including Chinese porcelains, Italian maiolica (Renaissance pottery), and European timepieces and portrait miniatures.

“Kern weaves the concept of resilience in her ceramics, which tells stories of life’s twists and turns,” said Ann Glasscock, associate curator.

Kern’s award-winning ceramics are held in public and private collections in the United States, Europe and Asia. Her exhibits include shows in China, Japan, Cuba and Germany.

The exhibit runs through Feb. 16, 2025, in the Taft’s Sinton Gallery. General admission: free for Taft members, active military, youth (17 and under); $15 for adults; $12 for seniors. Admission is free Sundays and Mondays.

 taftmuseum.org/kern

Holocaust & Humanity Center to offer free January admission

An endowment from the Schneider family will allow the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center to offer free admission every January, the center and the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati announced.

Anita & Hank Schneider Family Holocaust Remembrance Month coincides with United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the anniversary of the center’s opening at Union Terminal more than five years ago.

To address the rise in Holocaust denial and antisemitism, the center waived ticket fees last January and saw record attendance.

“Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of the Schneider family,

Clarinetist Hawley returns for Matinée Musicale duo recital

The Hanick Hawley Duo – former Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra principal clarinetist Richie Hawley and pianist Conor Hanick – performs in the Matinée Musicale series at 3 p.m. Oct. 13 in Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine.

Noted for collaborations with contemporary composers, the duo seeks “to reinvigorate the repertoire for clarinet and piano.” They have performed at music festivals and on concert series nationwide. Their album “A Gentle Notion” includes music by Jennifer Higdon, Aaron Copland, Joan Tower and Pierre Jalbert.

Hawley, who made his orchestral solo debut at age 13 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, served as CSO principal clarinet for 17 years. In 2011, he became a faculty member at Rice University.

Hanick, known for premiering more than 200 new works, is a faculty member at the Juilliard School, the Peabody Institute of Music, and Music Academy of the West.

 matineemusicalecincinnati.org/hannick-hawley-duo

the Center can ensure that the critical lessons of the Holocaust are accessible to all, year after year,” said center CEO Jackie Congedo.

The contribution came from Anita and Hank Schneider, with their children Ronna & Ben Schneider and Jessica & Micah Max, and their grandchildren Abby, Emma, Will, Lucy, Avi and Linus.

 holocaustandhumanity.org

Hank and Anita Schneider



Pianist Conor Hanick and former Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra principal clarinetist Richie Hawley make up the Hanick Hawley Duo.

Photo by Michael svach

ArtsWave’s Flow season –beginning this month –highlights contemporary Black artistry

ArtsWave has announced the new 2024-25 season of Flow, An African American Arts Experience, featuring five Black-centered events that highlight the richness of contemporary Black artistry, culture and creativity. The series is presented by Fifth Third Bank.

The new season also will bring the return of the Flow Pass, a $200 subscription that features premium access to the series, plus subscriberonly gatherings with food, drinks, artist talks and more at each event.

Flow kicks off Oct. 5 with an unveiling for Cincinnati-based Gee Horton’s three-part mural series “Coming of Age,” the first multibuilding BLINK series of its kind. An exploration of African American adolescence, the series fuses contemporary visuals with hip-hop iconography.

The series continues in 2025 with “Simply the Best,” a tribute to Tina Turner by the Cincinnati Pops in Music Hall on Jan. 17. Conductor Damon Gupta leads the orchestra

through hits such as “Simply the Best,” “Private Dancer” and “We Don’t Need Another Hero.”

On March 11 at the Aronoff Center, the series will feature a performance by Step Afrika!, one of the nation’s top African American dance companies. The company blends percussive “step” dance styles of historically Black fraternities and sororities, traditional African dance and contemporary styles.

The series moves to Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati on June 19 with its production of “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” a Tonynominated story about the intersecting lives of the women in a bustling hair braiding shop in Harlem, making its regional premiere in the Queen City.

In the summer of 2025 (date and location to be announced) Flow presents a conversation with conceptual artist Charles Gaines on his monumental project, “The American Manifest,” which is coming to Cincinnati after a successful

Art Museum hosts premiere photo exhibition of early work of Ansel Adams

The Cincinnati Art Museum will premiere an unprecedented exploration of the early career of Ansel Adams, showing how he developed from a teenage tourist with a camera into the country’s most celebrated photographer.

Drawn from the Adams archive at the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, Arizona, “Discovering Ansel Adams” will be on view Sept. 27-Jan. 19, 2025. The exhibition presents about 80 photographs plus handwritten correspondence, snapshots, personal possessions and photographic working materials. Photographs range from small, one-of-a-kind prints from Adams’ teenage years to mural-sized prints of his most iconic views.

“Discovering Ansel Adams” traces the artist’s professional evolution as he experienced the American Southwest, communicated with a new national audience and undertook an epic quest to photograph the country’s national parks.

The exhibit is a featured project in the 2024 FotoFocus Biennial: backstories, and support was provided in part by FotoFocus.

Tickets are $12, with discounts for students, children and seniors. Admission is free for members. Admission is also free for FotoFocus Passport Holders Sept. 27-Oct. 31, and will be free for nonmembers 5-8 p.m. Thursdays and during Art After Dark events Sept. 27 and Oct. 25.  cincinnatiartmuseum.org

A work by Gee Horton, whose three-part mural series “Coming of Age” kicks off the 2024-25 ArtsWave Flow series, Oct. 13.

stay in New York.

Flow, which began in 2020, is an ArtsWave initiative to complement and expand the region’s existing multicultural experiences.

ArtsWave, the nonprofit arts funding agency serving Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, was formerly known as the Fine Arts Fund – the first united arts fund in the nation and the first organization to initiate workplace giving for the arts.

 artswave.org/flow

 Ansel Adams (American, 1902–1984), Aspen Grove, Jackson Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, circa 1948, gelatin silver print, image 18 9/16 x 14 3/4 in. (47.1 x 37.4 cm), Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona: Ansel Adams Archive/Purchase, 78.152.16, © The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust

 Ansel Adams (American, 1902–1984), The Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 1942, gelatin silver print, image 39 15/16 x 51 1/4 in. (101.4 x 130.1 cm), Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona: Ansel Adams Archive, 76.562.2, © The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust

The A&C List

Cultural Exhibits/Tours

American Legacy Tours | Over-the-Rhine. 859-951-8560. americanlegacytours.com

ƒ Historic tours

American Sign Museum | Camp Washington. 513-541-6366. americansignmuseum.org

ƒ Permanent collection

Archaeological Research Institute | Lawrenceburg. 812-290-2966. exploreari.org

ƒ Hands-on educational experiences

ArtWorks Mural Tours | artworkscincinnati.org

ƒ Thru October. Walking tours of Pendleton, Over-the-Rhine and downtown

Behringer-Crawford Museum | Devou Park, Covington. 859-491-4003. bcmuseum.org

ƒ Artifacts and history of Northern Kentucky

Betts House | West End. 513-651-0734. thebettshouse.org

ƒ Appointment only. Oldest home in Cincinnati

Brewing Heritage Trail Tour Center | Over-the-Rhine. 513-604-9812. brewingheritagetrail.org

ƒ Exploring Queen City brewing culture

Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame | Brady Center, The Banks, downtown. cincyblackmusicwalkoffame.org

ƒ Daily, 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Monument to local Black music history

Cincinnati Fire Museum | Downtown. 513-621-5553. cincyfiremuseum.com

ƒ Permanent collection

Cincinnati Food Tours | Findlay Market. 513-602-5602. cincinnatifoodtours.com

ƒ Exploring Queen City food culture

Cincinnati Museum Center | Queensgate. 513-287-7000. cincymuseum.org

ƒ Current exhibits. “A Year on the Edge”

• “An Unfinished Revolution: Women and the Vote” • “Inspired by Nature: The Art and Activism of Charley Harper” • “Made in Cincinnati” • “Ancient Worlds Hiding in Plain Sight”

Cincinnati Observatory | Hyde Park. cincinnatiobservatory.org

ƒ Oldest professional observatory in the United States

Cincinnati Type & Print Museum | Lower Price Hill. cincinnatitypeprintmuseum.org

ƒ Permanent collection of equipment, tools and artifacts

Cincinnati Zoo | Avondale. 513-2814700. cincinnatizoo.org

ƒ World-renowned fauna and flora

Friends of Music Hall | 513-621-2787. friendsofmusichall.org

ƒ Indoor and outdoor tours by appointment

Glendale Heritage Preservation | Glendale. 513-771-8722. glendaleheritage.org

ƒ Thursdays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. “For 50 Years, Preserving the Past for the Future”

Greater Cincinnati Police Museum | Pendleton. 513-300-3664. police-museum.org

ƒ Permanent collection

Harriet Beecher Stowe House | Walnut Hills. 513-751-0651. stowehousecincy.org

ƒ Historic family home of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” author and later a Green Book location

Heritage Village Museum | Sharonville. 513-563-9484. heritagevillagecincinnati.org

ƒ Fridays-Saturdays, Oct. 11-26, 6-10 p.m. Haunted Village

ƒ Oct. 5, 7-10 p.m. Spirits by Starlight Ghost Tours

Holocaust & Humanity Center | Cincinnati Museum Center, Queensgate. 513-487-3055. holocaustandhumanity.org

ƒ Memorializing the Holocaust

Krohn Conservatory | Eden Park. 513421-4086. cincinnati-oh.gov/cincyparks

ƒ Thru Oct. 13. “Mums the Word” – A Garden of Silent Reflection

Lloyd Library and Museum | Downtown. 513-721-3707. lloydlibrary.org

ƒ Permanent exhibit. George Rieveschl Jr.: History of Pharmaceutical Chemistry

The Cincinnati Coffee Festival takes place Oct. 24-26 in the Music Hall Ballroom and benefits the Ohio River Foundation

Loveland Castle & Museum | Loveland. lovelandcastle.com

ƒ Full-scale replica of medieval castle

Milford Historical Society | Promont Museum, Milford. 513-248-0324. milfordhistory.net

ƒ Permanent exhibit. Historical displays of art, artifacts and more

Mill Creek Alliance | 513-563-8800. themillcreekalliance.org

ƒ Oct. 5, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Urban Stream Adventure (Mill Creek)

Mt. Adams Civic Association | Mt. Adams. 513-235-3957. mtadamscincy.org

ƒ Thru October. Historic walking tours

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center | The Banks, downtown. 513-333-7500. freedomcenter.org

ƒ Thru Oct. 13. “The Negro Motorist Green Book”

National VOA Museum of Broadcasting | West Chester. 513-777-0027. voamuseum.org

ƒ Radio’s golden age and Cincinnati’s role in America’s global voice

Newport Aquarium | Newport. newportaquarium.com

ƒ Thousands of exotic aquatic creatures

Railway Museum of Greater Cincinnati | Covington. cincirailmuseum.org

ƒ Oct. 6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Exhibited railroad yard collection

RAPTOR Inc. | Milford. raptorinc.org

ƒ Oct. 27, 1-4 p.m. Open house for birds of prey sanctuary

Skirball Museum | Hebrew Union College, Clifton. 513-221-1875. csm.huc.edu

ƒ Permanent exhibit: “An Eternal People: The Jewish Experience”

Sorg Opera House | Middletown. sorgoperahouse.org

ƒ Oct. 13, 3 p.m. Guided tour

Tri-State Warbird Museum | Batavia. tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org

ƒ Permanent exhibitions of military and historic aviation

Valley View Nature Preserve | Milford. valleyviewcampus.org

ƒ Preserved 190-acre farm and open land

Vent Haven Museum | Ft. Mitchell. 859-341-0461. venthaven.org

ƒ World’s only museum dedicated to ventriloquism

White Water Shaker Village | Harrison. whitewatervillage.org

ƒ Oct. 5, 2-5 p.m. Open house and guided tours of preserved historic village

Dance

Cincinnati Ballet | Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine. 513-621-5219. cballet.org

ƒ Oct. 31-Nov. 3. “Giselle”

Mutual Dance Theatre | Jarson-Kaplan Theater, Aronoff Center, downtown. 513-494-6526. mutualdance.org

ƒ Oct. 25-26. Blue13 Dance Company

School for Creative & Performing Arts | Over-the-Rhine. 513-363-8100. scpa.cps-k12.org

ƒ Oct. 24-26. Dance Ensemble: “Balance Pointe”

Fairs/Festivals/Markets

BLINK Cincinnati | blinkcincinnati.com

ƒ Oct. 17-20, 7-11 p.m. Light and art festival

Charm at the Farm Markets | Lebanon. charmatthefarm.com

ƒ Oct. 18-20. Rustic gifts, furniture and home decor

Cincinnati Coffee Festival | Music Hall Ballroom. cincinnaticoffeefestival.com

ƒ Oct. 26-27. Midwest’s largest coffee festival, benefits Ohio River Foundation

Cincinnati Zoo | Avondale. 513-281-4700. cincinnatizoo.org

ƒ Oct. 3-6, 11-13, 18-31. Jack O’Lantern Glow, largest illuminated pumpkin show in Tristate

ƒ Oct. 12-13, 19-20, 26-27, noon-5 p.m. HallZOOween

City Flea | Washington Park, Over-the-Rhine. thecityflea.com

ƒ Oct. 12, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fall Market

East Walnut Hills Farmers’ Market | Clayton St. ewhfarmersmarket.com

ƒ Thursdays, 3-6 p.m.

Gorman Heritage Farm | Evendale. gormanfarm.org

ƒ Oct. 5-6. Sunflower Festival

Madeira Farmers Market | Dawson Road at Miami Avenue, Madeira. madeirafarmersmarket.com

ƒ Thursdays, 4-7 p.m. Local growers and purveyors

Market Bleu | Contemporary Arts Center, downtown. marketbleu.com

ƒ Oct. 19, 6-10 p.m. Artisan handcrafts and fine arts

Midwest Prana Flea Market | Esoteric Brewing, Walnut Hills. midwestprana.com

ƒ Oct. 26, noon-6 p.m. Neighborhood flea market

Ohio Renaissance Festival | Waynesville. 513-897-7000. renfestival.com

ƒ Weekends, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Ohio Sauerkraut Festival | Waynesville. sauerkrautfestival.waynesvilleohio.com

ƒ Oct. 12-13. Celebration of all things sauerkraut

RiverArts Festival New Richmond. nroba.org/riverarts-festival

ƒ Oct. 5, noon-6 p.m. Juried fine arts fair with plein air event, Taste of New Richmond and classic car show, plus multiple live music stages

Second Sunday on Main | Main Street, Over-the-Rhine 45202. facebook.com

ƒ Oct. 13, noon-5 p.m. Eclectic street festival

Washington Park | Over-the-Rhine. washingtonpark.org/events

ƒ Tuesdays, 3-7 p.m. Over-the-Rhine Craft & Farmers Market

Film

FF denotes FotoFocus event.

Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library | Downtown. 513-369-6900. chpl.org

ƒ Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m. “Inferno”

ƒ Oct. 29, 6 p.m. FF “Capturing Life”

Cincinnati Museum Center | Queensgate. 513-287-7000. cincymuseum.org

ƒ Now playing/OMNIMAX . “Volcanoes: The Fires of Creation” • “Blue Whales: Return of the Giants”

ƒ Oct. 9, 17 & 29 FF “Capturing Life” (Reakirt Auditorium)

Cincinnati Symphony & Pops | Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-3300. cincinnatisymphony.org

ƒ Oct. 25, 6 p.m. Multicultural Awareness Council Film Series: “Paul Laurence Dunbar: Beyond The Mask” (Wilks Studio)

Clifton Cultural Arts Center | Clifton. 513-497-2860. cliftonculturalarts.org

ƒ Carpool Cinema (Clifton Recreation Center - 320 McAlpin Ave.)

ƒ Oct. 5, sundown. “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial”

ƒ Oct. 12, sundown. “Creature from the Black Lagoon”

ƒ Oct. 26, sundown. “The Addams Family”

Esquire Theatre | Clifton. 513-281-8750. esquiretheatre.com

ƒ Oct. 6, 13 & 20, 1 p.m. FF “Caribbean Eye: Auteur Cinema from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic”

HANICK CINCINNATI DEBUT

13 • 3PM

[Hanick’s playing is reminiscent of a] “young Peter Serkin.” —Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times

“[Hawley:] An intellectually astute and technically untouchable clarinetist.” Casa magazine

• The duo reinvigorates the repertoire for clarinet and piano through collaboration with some of music’s leading composers

• Hanick has premiered over 200 works and is on the piano and chamber music faculty of The Juilliard School and the Peabody Institute of Music

• Hawley, first prize winner at the Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition, was principal clarinet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from 1994–2011

ARTS

& CULTURE | The List

Fitton Center for Creative Arts | Hamilton. 513-863-8873. fittoncenter.org

ƒ Oct. 25, 10 p.m. “Rocky Horror Picture Show”

Indian Film Festival | iffcincy.com

ƒ Oct. 3-6. Films from and about India (Kenwood and Mariemont theaters)

The Lodge KY | Dayton, Ky. 513-467-9115. thelodgeky.com

ƒ Oct. 18-20. FF “Hunting Island”

Loveland Stage Company | Loveland. 513-443-4572. lovelandstagecompany.org

◆ Spooky Movie Series:

‚ Oct. 12, 5 p.m. “Frogman”

‚ Oct. 19, 5 p.m. “Hocus Pocus”

‚ Oct. 26, 5 p.m. “Rocky Horror Picture Show”

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center | The Banks, downtown. 513-333-7500. freedomcenter.org

ƒ Oct. 12, 2 p.m. FF Alphonso Wesson: “Excavated: From Soil to Stars”

NightLight 513 | Covington Plaza. nightlight513.com

ƒ Oct. 3, sundown. “Hocus Pocus”

Northern Kentucky University | Griffin Hall Digitorium, Highland Heights. nku.edu

ƒ Oct. 17, 5 p.m. FF “Capturing Life”

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum | Hamilton. 513-868-1234. pyramidhill.org

ƒ Oct. 27, 6 p.m. “The Shining”

Sorg Opera House | Middletown. sorgoperahouse.org

ƒ Oct. 5, 3:30 p.m. “Gone with the Wind”

ƒ Oct. 12, 8 p.m. “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror”

ƒ Oct. 17, 7 p.m. “Night of the Living Dead”

Woodward Theater | Over-the-Rhine. 513-345-7981. woodwardtheater.com

ƒ Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m. “Stop Making Sense”

ƒ Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m. “Whiplash”

ƒ Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m. “Eno”

ƒ Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. “Feet in the Sand”

ƒ Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. FF “Rafaela”

ƒ Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m. “Union”

ƒ Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. FF “All the Flowers”

Literary/Lectures

American Sign Museum | Camp Washington. 513-541-6366. americansignmuseum.org

ƒ Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m. The Mail Pouch Barn Painter: Harley Warrick’s Legacy

ƒ Oct. 23, 7 p.m. Cartoon Clarity: Signs & Symbols in Editorial Cartoons

Barnes & Noble | 513-972-5146. stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/3408

ƒ Oct. 1, 3 p.m. Discussion: Danzy Senna

“Colored Television” (virtual)

ƒ Oct. 3, 3 p.m. Discussion: Freida McFadden “The Boyfriend” (virtual)

ƒ Oct. 8, 3 p.m. Discussion: Nita Prose “The Mistletoe Mystery” (virtual)

ƒ Oct. 28, 7 p.m. Discussion: Louise Penny “The Grey Wolf” (virtual)

Cincinnati Preservation | cincinnatipreservation.org

ƒ Oct. 11, noon. Fall Forum: Julie Olds, cultural resource officer, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma (Hilton Netherland Plaza)

ƒ Oct. 15, 5:30 p.m. Preservation in the Park series: “Fire Museum – Cincinnati First Fire,” Sarah Strickland, executive director, Cincinnati Fire Museum (Washington Park, Over-the-Rhine)

Joseph-Beth Booksellers | Rookwood Plaza, Norwood. 513-396-8960. josephbeth.com

ƒ Oct. 17, 7 p.m. Discussion: Timothy Snyder with Stephen Norris “On Freedom”

ƒ Oct. 26, 7 p.m. Discussion: Nico Lang with Jim Obergefell “American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era”

Mercantile Library | downtown. 513-621-0717. mercantilelibrary.com

ƒ Oct. 8, 6 p.m. Memoir Lecture: Christian Cooper

ƒ Oct. 10, 6 p.m. Discussion: Victoria Kastner “Julia Morgan: An Intimate Biography of the Trailblazing Architect,” in cooperation with AIA Cincinnati

ƒ Oct. 16, 6 p.m. The Modern Novel Lecture: Jesmyn Ward

Urban Appalachian Community Coalition | Clifton. uacvoice.org

ƒ Oct. 30, 5-6:30 p.m. Place Keepers Wide Open Mic (virtual)

Women Writing for a Change | Silverton. 513-272-1171. womenwriting.org

ƒ Oct. 11, 7 p.m. Dr. Taylor Byas, poetry reading

Word of Mouth Cincinnati | MOTR Pub, Over-the-Rhine. cincywordofmouth.com

ƒ Oct. 27, 6 p.m. Open poetry

Music

Bach Ensemble of St. Thomas | St. Thomas Episcopal, Terrace Park. 513-831-2052. bachensemble.org

ƒ Oct. 20, 5 p.m. “Vespers” Orchestra, Bachtet and St. Thomas Choristers

ƒ Oct. 23, 7 p.m. “Best in Concert” Dwight Parry, oboe; Christian Pursell, baritone

Bogart’s | Corryville. bogarts.com

ƒ Oct. 4, 5:30 p.m. Asking Alexandria

ƒ Oct. 6, 7 p.m. Briston Maroney

ƒ Oct. 7, 6 p.m. Hatebreed

ƒ Oct. 8, 7 p.m. COIN

ƒ Oct. 9, 7 p.m. Ricky Montgomery

ƒ Oct. 11, 7 p.m. Yung Gravy

ƒ Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m. Polish Ambassador

ƒ Oct. 13, 6 p.m. Mushroomhead

ƒ Oct. 16, 8 p.m. Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes

ƒ Oct. 18, 7 p.m. Marauda

ƒ Oct. 22, 7 p.m. Little Stranger

ƒ Oct. 23, 8 p.m. Cowboy Bebop

ƒ Oct. 24, 7 p.m. Corey Kent

ƒ Oct. 26, 7 p.m. Catfish and the Bottlemen

ƒ Oct. 29, 8 p.m. Buena Vista Social Orchestra

Brady Music Center | The Banks, downtown. bradymusiccenter.com

ƒ Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m. Wage War

ƒ Oct. 4, 7 p.m. Ray Lamontagne & Gregory Alan Isakov

ƒ Oct. 5, 8 p.m. Elle King

ƒ Oct. 12, 8 p.m. Quinn XCII

ƒ Oct. 18, 7 p.m. King Diamond

ƒ Oct. 25, 7:15 p.m. A Day To Remember

Bromwell’s Harth Room | Downtown. bromwellshearthroom.com/music

ƒ Wednesday-Saturday evenings Live jazz

Author Jesmyn Ward delivers The Modern Novel Lecture at the re-opened Mercantile Library on Oct. 16

Butler Philharmonic | 513-844-5151. butlerphil.org

ƒ Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m. Silent Movie (Sorg Opera House, Middletown)

ƒ Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. Tillman Concert (First Baptist Church, Hamilton)

Chamber Music Network | chambermusicnetwork.org

ƒ Oct. 19, noon-4 p.m. Chamber Palooza, smorgasbord of chamber music (Cincinnati Art Museum)

Christ Church Cathedral | downtown. 513-621-1817. cincinnaticathedral.com

ƒ Oct. 6, 5 p.m. Choral Evensong (organ prelude, 4:30 p.m.)

◆ 12:10 p.m. Music Live@Lunch:

‚ Oct. 1. Appalachian Grass

‚ Oct. 8. Poiesis Quartet

‚ Oct. 15. Sassafras Grass

‚ Oct. 22. Monica Hill, violin, and friends

‚ Oct. 29. Ricky Nye, piano

Christ Church Glendale | 513-771-1544. christchurchglendale.org

ƒ Oct. 3, 12:05 p.m. Columbus Alternative High School Choir

ƒ Oct. 13, 4 p.m. Choral Evensong

Cincinnati Arts Association | Aronoff Center, downtown. 513-621-2787. cincinnatiarts.org

ƒ Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m. “Stomp”

ƒ Oct. 12, 2 & 7:30 p.m. “Stomp”

ƒ Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m. “Avatar: The Last Airbender In Concert”

Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra | 513-280-8181. www.cincinnatijazz.org

ƒ Oct. 13, 2 p.m. Jazz@First Series: The Slide Advantage w/ trombonist John Fedchock (First Unitarian Church)

ƒ Oct. 17, 7 p.m. The Divine One: Big Band Series: Mandy Gaines Sings Sarah Vaughan (The Redmoor)

Cincinnati Civic Orchestra | Glendale Lyceum. 513-861-9978. cincinnaticivicorchestra.org

ƒ Oct. 27, 3 p.m. Fall Concert

Cincinnati Parks | Bellevue Hill Park. cincinnati-oh.gov/cincyparks

ƒ Oct. 17, 3 p.m. Jazz at the Biergarten

Cincinnati String Project (formerly 4-Way Quartet) | cincinnatistringproject.org

ƒ Oct. 5, 5 p.m. New Beginnings (New City Presbyterian Church, Norwood)

ƒ Oct. 6, 5 p.m. New Beginnings – Red Door Chamber Music Series (All Saints Episcopal Church, Pleasant Ridge)

Cincinnati Symphony & Pops | Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-3300. cincinnatisymphony.org

ƒ Oct. 4-5. (CSO) “Gershwin, Price & Copland” Thomas Wilkins, conductor; Béla Fleck, banjo

ƒ Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m. (CSO Recital) “Voice and the Violin” Joshua Bell, violin; Larisa Martínez, soprano; Peter Dugan, piano

ƒ Oct. 16, 8 p.m. (CSO Proof) “The Dark Night”

ƒ Oct. 19, 10:30 a.m. & 2 p.m. (Lollipops) “Music, Magic & Mayhem”

ƒ Oct. 26-27. (CSO) “Sibelius & SaintSaëns” Ramón Tebar, conductor; Benjamin Beilman, violin

Clifton Cultural Arts Center | 513-497-2860. cliftonculturalarts.org

ƒ Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m. Colin Palmieri Quartet

ƒ Oct. 10, 6:30 p.m. Faux Frenchmen

College-Conservatory of Music | University of Cincinnati. 513-556-4183. ccm.uc.edu

ƒ Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m. “Power Dressing” CCM Philharmonia, Mark Gibson, conductor (Corbett Auditorium)

ƒ Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m. Stravinsky, Schubert and Mendelssohn. Ariel Quartet, plus CCM student graduate ensemble (Werner Recital Hall)

ƒ Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m. “Halloween…” CCM Philharmonia, Mark Gibson, conductor (Corbett Auditorium)

Concertnova | Alice, Over-the-Rhine concertnova.com

ƒ Oct. 17-20. “Echo Play” BLINK festival

Fitton Center | Hamilton. 513-863-8873. fittoncenter.org

ƒ Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. Back 2 Mac

Fountain Square | Downtown. 513-621-4400. myfountainsquare.com

ƒ 5-8 p.m. Jazz at the Square:

ƒ Oct. 1. Kelly Mackenzie-Thurley & Ben Tweedt Duo

ƒ Oct. 8. Bobby Sharp Trip with Jennifer Ellis

Heritage Bank Center | Downtown. heritagebankcenter.com

ƒ Oct. 1, 7 p.m. $uicideboy$

Kenton County Public Library | 859-962-4000

ƒ Oct. 12, 2 p.m. Ma Crow (Erlanger Branch)

Linton Chamber Music | 513-381-6868. lintonmusic.org

ƒ Oct. 20, 4 p.m. “Tour de Force for Four” Espressivo! Quartet (First Unitarian Church, Avondale)

ƒ Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. “Tour de Force for Four” Espressivo! Quartet (Congregation Beth Adam, Loveland)

Linton Peanut Butter & Jam Sessions | 513-381-6868. peanutbutterandjam.org

◆ A World of Music:

‚ Oct. 4, 10:30 a.m. (Cincinnati Public Library, downtown)

‚ Oct. 5, 10:30 a.m. (Kennedy Heights Arts Center)

‚ Oct. 10, 6:30 p.m. (Harriet Beecher Stowe House)

‚ Oct. 12, 10:30 a.m. (Sycamore Presbyterian Church)

‚ Oct. 17, 6 p.m. (Living God Church)

‚ Oct. 19, 10:30 a.m. (Mt. Washington Presbyterian Church)

‚ Oct. 23, 3:30 p.m. (College Hill Branch Library)

‚ Oct. 24, 6 p.m. (Child Focus – The Carter Center)

‚ Oct. 26, 10:30 a.m. (Lakeside Presbyterian Church)

‚ Oct. 28, 10:30 a.m. (North Central Branch Library)

Longworth-Anderson Series | Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine. longworth-andersonseries.com

ƒ Oct. 11, 8 p.m. John Hiatt

ƒ Oct. 27, 8 p.m. Pink Martini

Ludlow Garage | Clifton. ludlowgaragecincinnati.com

ƒ Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m. Orianthi

ƒ Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. Shawn Mullins

ƒ Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m. Gong

ƒ Oct. 5, 8 p.m. Melvin Seals and JGB

ƒ Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. Arturo Sandoval

ƒ Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m. Lyfe Jennings

ƒ Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m. David Cross

ƒ Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m. Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees

ƒ Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m. Jazz Funk Soul

ƒ Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. Dead Letter Office: A Tribute to R.E.M.

ƒ Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m. Lotus Land

Madison Theater | Covington. 859-491-2444. madisontheater.com

ƒ Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. Mean Jeans

ƒ Oct. 6, 5 p.m. David E. Leonard Band

ƒ Oct. 11, 8 p.m. Thumpasaurus

ƒ Oct. 12, 8 p.m. Pink Talking Fish

ƒ Oct. 13, 7 p.m. Skeletal Remains

ƒ Oct. 18, 8 p.m. LaMP • Puddles Pity Party

ƒ Oct. 19, 3 p.m. Venom Roctober

ƒ Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. Mason Ramsey

ƒ Oct. 24, 8 p.m. Deuces II

ƒ Oct. 25, 8 p.m. Too Hot for Leather

ƒ Oct. 26, 8 p.m. Rav and Kill Bill The Rapper • Jadakiss

ƒ Oct. 30, 8 p.m. Disco Biscuits

ARTS & CULTURE | The List

Matinée Musicale | Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine. matineemusicalecincinnati.org

ƒ Oct. 13, 3 p.m. Hanick Hawley Duo

MegaCorp Pavilion at Ovation | Newport. promowestlive.com

ƒ Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m. Tori Kelly

ƒ Oct. 6, 6:30 p.m. Here Come The Mummies

ƒ Oct. 10, 6 p.m. Chromeo & The Midnight

ƒ Oct. 18, 6 p.m. Dayseeker

ƒ Oct. 19, 10 p.m. Austin Millz

ƒ Oct. 30, 7 p.m. KMFDM

ƒ Oct. 31, 6 p.m. Haunted Fest Cincinnati

Memor ial Hall | Over-the-Rhine. 513-977-8838. memorialhallotr.com

ƒ Oct. 2, 8 p.m. Roger McGuinn

ƒ Oct. 4, 8 p.m. Dreamboat Annie

ƒ Oct. 5, 5:30 & 8:30 p.m. A New World: Intimate music from Final Fantasy

ƒ Oct. 9, 8 p.m. Martin Sexton Abbey Road Show

ƒ Oct. 23, 8 p.m. Judy Collins

ƒ Oct. 25, 8 p.m. Steep Canyon Rangers

Musica Sacra | Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington 513-385-5583. musica-sacra.org

ƒ Oct. 27, 3 p.m. Fall Concert

Northern Kentucky University | Greaves Concert Hall, Highland Heights. 859-572-5464. music.nku.edu

ƒ Oct. 1, 7 p.m. Jazz Ensemble

ƒ Oct. 3, 7 p.m. Symphonic Winds

ƒ Oct. 8, 7 p.m. Vocal Jazz Ensemble

ƒ Oct. 10, 7 p.m. Philharmonic Orchestra

ƒ Oct. 24, 7 p.m. Fall Choral Concert

Queen City Cabaret | The Carnegie, Covington. queencitycabaretcincy.com

ƒ Oct. 26, 7:0 p.m. “I Put a Spell On You: A Creepy Cabaret”

Queen City Opera | Seton High School, Price Hill. 513-503-8323. queencityopera.org

ƒ Oct. 30, 6 p.m. Beethoven: Symphony No. 9. Isaac Selya, conductor. Northern Kentucky Community Chorus

Sorg Opera House | Middletown. sorgoperahouse.org

ƒ Oct. 4, 8 p.m. ThunderBeard (ZZ Top Tribute)

ƒ Oct. 12, 8 p.m. Butler County Philharmonic Orchestra: “Nosferatu:

A Symphony of Horror”

ƒ Oct. 18, 8 p.m. Gabriel Sanchez – The Prince Experience

Summermusik | Sawyer Point Building. 513-723-1182. summermusik.org

ƒ Oct. 10, 6 p.m. “More than Meets the Eye.” Music, art and storytelling about immigration in Greater Cincinnati. Summermusik String Quartet with A Picture’s Worth and Kentucky Refugee Ministries

Taft Theatre | Downtown. tafttheatre.org

ƒ Oct. 13, 8 p.m. The Mountain Goats

ƒ Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. Jim Henson’s “Labyrinth: In Concert”

ƒ Oct. 17, 8 p.m. Neighbor

ƒ Oct. 24, 7 p.m. K-LOVE’s Found Collective feat. Lisa Harper, Sadie Robertson Huff, TAYA and Oneka McClellan

ƒ Oct. 25, 7 p.m. America

ƒ Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m. MANIA - The ABBA Tribute

TempleLive at River Front Live | East End. riverfrontlivecincy.com

ƒ Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m. The Motet & Keller Williams

ƒ Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. California Honeydrops

Turfway Park Events Center | Florence. turfway.com

ƒ Oct. 12, 9 p.m. Sara Evans

ƒ Oct. 18, 9 p.m. Oak Ridge Boys

ƒ Oct. 25, 9 p.m. Righteous Brothers

ƒ Oct. 26, 9 p.m. Blues Traveler

Urban Artifact | Northside. artifactbeer.com

ƒ Experimental music, theater and more

Vocal Arts Ensemble | Christ Church Cathedral, downtown. 513-381-3300. vaecinci.com

ƒ Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m. “The Wounded Heart: Songs of Passion and Loss.” Benedict Sheehan, guest conductor

Composer Benedict Sheehan conducts his own work, “The Wounded Heart,” sung by the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati at Christ Church Cathedral on Oct. 18

Washington Park | Over-the-Rhine. washingtonpark.org/events

◆ Mondays, 6-9 p.m. Jazz at the Park

‚ Oct. 7. Al West, Jr. Quartet

‚ Oct. 14. Spherical Agenda

‚ Oct. 21. Carlos Vargas Trio

‚ Oct. 28. Tough Friend

Woodward Theater | Over-the-Rhine. 513-345-7981. woodwardtheater.com

ƒ Oct. 3, 8 p.m. Jonathan Richman

ƒ Oct. 17, 8 p.m. Finom

Xavier Music Series | Bellarmine Chapel Xavier University. 513-745-3161. xavier.edu/musicseries

ƒ Oct. 12, 2 p.m. Ana Vidovic, classical guitar

Young Professionals Choral Collective | First Lutheran Church, downtown. 513-601-8699. ypccsing.org

ƒ Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. “Woven in Song”

Opera

Cincinnati Opera | Wilks Studio, Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine. 513-241-2742. cincinnatiopera.org

ƒ Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. Opera Fusion: New Works: Workshop performance of Sarah Kirkland Snider’s “Hildegard”

Theater/Comedy

Brady Music Center | Downtown. bradymusiccenter.com

ƒ Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m. Dane Cook, comedian

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati | Taft Theatre, downtown. 513-569-8080. thechildrenstheatre.com

ƒ Oct. 12-21. “Disney’s Beauty and The Beast Jr.”

Cincinnati Arts Association | Aronoff Center, downtown. 513-621-2787. cincinnatiarts.org

ƒ Oct. 11-12. The Improvised Shakespeare Company

ƒ Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m. Cirque Kalabanté: “Afrique en Cirque”

Cincinnati Landmark Productions | Price Hill. 513-241-6550. cincinnatilandmarkproductions.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 6. “Nunsense” (Covedale Center)

ƒ Oct. 17-Nov. 10. “Something Rotten” (Covedale Center)

Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative | Fifth Third Bank Theater, Aronoff Center, downtown. 513-621-ARTS. cincyplaywrights.org

ƒ Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. Michael DeFrancesco: “Thump”

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company | Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-2273. cincyshakes.com

ƒ Oct. 11-Nov. 2. “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein”

Clifton Cultural Arts Center | Clifton. 513-497-2860. cliftonculturalarts.org

ƒ Oct. 13, 2 p.m. The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati: “A Pirate-y Peter Pan”

College-Conservatory of Music | University of Cincinnati. 513-556-4183. ccm.uc.edu

ƒ Oct. 3-5, 10-12, 17-19. Play Series: Shakespeare: “The Winter’s Tale” (Corbett Theater)

ƒ Oct. 10-12 & 17-19. Musical Theatre Series: Grace McLean: “In the Green” (Cohen Family Studio Theater)

ComedySportz Cincinnati | Madcap Education Center and Clifton Comedy Theatre. cszcincinnati.com

ƒ Fridays, 8 p.m. Comedy improv

ƒ Sundays, 2 p.m. Comedy improv

Commonwealth Sanctuary | Dayton, Ky. commonwealthsanctuary.com

ƒ Weekly comedy shows

Drama Workshop | Cheviot. 513-598-8303. thedramaworkshop.org

ƒ Oct. 4-20. “Crimes of the Heart”

Ensemble Theatre | Over-the-Rhine. 513-421-3555. ensemblecincinnati.org

ƒ Thru Oct. 2. “The Garbologists”

Fitton Center | Hamilton. 513-863-8873. fittoncenter.org

ƒ Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m. River City Puppets: “The Hungry, Hungry Bookworm”

Footlighters | Stained Glass Theatre, Newport. 859-291-7464. footlighters.org

ƒ Thru Oct. 6. “The Drowsy Chaperone”

The Funny Bone | Liberty Township. liberty.funnybone.com

ƒ Weekly comedy shows

The Ghostlight Stage Company | theghostlightstageco.com

ƒ Oct. 21, 7 p.m. Nell Adkins and Elizabeth Sacktor: “Esther Made Me Do It” • Erin K. Considine: “Artists & Vandals” (Playhouse in the Park)

Go Bananas Comedy Club | Montgomery. gobananascomedy.com

ƒ Weekly comedy shows

Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre | Parrish Auditorium, Hamilton. 513-737-PLAY. ghctplay.org

ƒ Oct. 3-6. “Jekyll & Hyde”

Hard Rock Casino | Downtown. hardrockcasinocincinnati.com

ƒ Oct. 18, 7 & 10 p.m. Andrew Schulz, comedian

ƒ Oct. 19, 7 p.m. Michael Blaustein, comedian

Heritage Bank Center | Downtown. heritagebankcenter.com

ƒ Oct. 10-13. Disney On Ice: “Frozen & Encanto”

Imperial Theatre | imperialmohawk.org

ƒ Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m. “Kat Reynolds’ AntiPestilence League” (Knox Joseph Distillery, OTR StillHouse)

Improv Cincinnati | Clifton Performance Theatre. improvcincinnati.com

ƒ Thursday-Saturday evenings. Comedy shows

Kincaid Regional Theatre | Falmouth, Ky. 859-654-2636. krtshows.com

ƒ Oct. 10-11. “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”

Mariemont Players | Mariemont. 513-684-1236. mariemontplayers.com

ƒ Oct. 31-Nov. 17. “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”

MegaCorp Pavilion at Ovation | Newport. promowestlive.com

ƒ Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m. “Witch Perfect”

ƒ Oct. 28, 7 p.m. Bob The Drag Queen

Northern Kentucky University | Fifth Third Bank Theater, Aronoff Center 859-572-5464. theatre.nku.edu

ƒ Thru Oct. 6. “When Pigs Fly”

ƒ Oct. 24-Nov. 3. “The Wolves”

Playhouse in the Park | Mt. Adams. 513-421-3888. cincyplay.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 6. “Mr. Parent” (Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre)

ƒ Oct. 13-Nov. 10. “Rutka: A New Musical” (Rouse Theatre)

ƒ Oct. 24-Dec. 22. “The Second City” (Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre)

Queen City Vaudevillians | Artsville, Madisonville. queencityvaudevillians.com

ƒ Oct. 19, 7 p.m.

ƒ Oct. 20, 2 p.m.

School for Creative & Performing Arts | Over-the-Rhine. 513-363-8100. scpa.cps-k12.org

ƒ Oct. 10-12. “Hammered & Mirror of Most Value”

ARTS & CULTURE | The List

Sharonville Cultural Arts Center | 513-554-1014. sharonvilleculturalarts.org

ƒ Oct. 4-5. “A Preview to Murder”

The Story Collective | Maineville. thestorycollective.org

ƒ Oct. 5, 7 p.m. “Plot Twist: At The Barn,” creative approach to networking

Sunset Players | Covedale. 513-588-4988. sunsetplayers.org

ƒ Oct. 18-26. “Ken Ludwig’s Gods of Comedy”

Taft Theatre | Downtown. tafttheatre.org

ƒ Oct. 4, 7 p.m. Brad Williams, comedian

ƒ Oct. 5, 8 p.m. Jo Koy, comedian

ƒ Oct. 29, 8 p.m. Eddie Izzard, comedian

Village Players | Fort Thomas. 859-392-0500. villageplayers.org

ƒ Thru Oct. 5. “Sally Cotter and the Censored Stone”

Woodward Theater | Over-the-Rhine. 513-345-7981. woodwardtheater.com

ƒ Oct. 5, 7 p.m. Streaming Things Live

Xavier University | Gallagher Theater. 513-745-3939. xavier.edu/theatre-program

ƒ Oct. 11-20. “Jesus Christ Superstar”

Visual Art

FF denotes FotoFocus exhibit.

21c Museum Hotel | Downtown. 513-578-6600. 21cmuseumhotels.com/ cincinnati

ƒ Thru Aug. 31 FF “Revival: Digging into Yesterday, Planting Tomorrow” • Spotlight: Felipe Rivas San Martín

Alternate Projects |

513-236-9189. alternateprojects.net

ƒ Thru Oct. 26. FF “Blank Generation: Downtown New York 1970s-80s” (905 Vine St., downtown)

ƒ See Summit Hotel

Annex Gallery |

The Pendleton. annexgallery.org

ƒ Thru Dec. 21 FF “Through A Stranger’s Eyes” • Willy Castellanos: “Exodus. Alternate Documents (1994-2024)”

Archive of Creative Culture | Camp Washington. 707-304-0155. archive-project.com

ƒ Oct. 11-13 FF Lacey Haslam: “The Sidney Project”

MUSIC AT CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL

Sunday, October 6 | 5:00 pm Choral Evensong

Friday, October 18 | 7:30 pm

Sunday, November 3 | 5:00 pm Duruflé’s Requiem

Art Academy of Cincinnati | Over-theRhine. 513-562-6262. artacademy.edu

ƒ Thru Oct. 25 FF “Student Reflections” • “Contested Ground” • “Deeply Rooted”

ƒ Thru Nov. 1 FF “Another First Impression” • “Digressions” • “Humphrey Gets His Flowers” (SITE1212)

ƒ Oct. 17-20. “ZoOTRopia,” light, music and curated oddities (Jackson St.)

Art Beyond Boundaries | Over-the-Rhine. 513-421-8726. artbeyondboundaries.com

ƒ Thru Nov. 8. FF “In Pursuit of Empathy”

Art Design Consultants | West End. adcfineart.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 15. Heidi Hines & Amy Keever: “Bejeweled”

Art on Vine | Fountain Square. artonvinecincy.com

ƒ Oct. 13, noon-6 p.m. Fall Market

ARTclectic Gallery | Silverton. 513-822-5200. artclecticgallery.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 31. “Orange”

Artist Run | Various. artistruncincy.com

ƒ Oct. 1-31. “The Continuing Legacy of Cincinnati’s Artist-Run Spaces.” Selfguided, as well as bus tours of artist-led art spaces

BLINK Cincinnati | Covington, Newport, downtown and Over-the-Rhine. blinkcincinnati.com

ƒ Oct. 17-20. Nation’s largest public light and art event

The Carnegie | Covington. 859-491-2030. thecarnegie.com

ƒ Thru Nov. 1 FF “Southern Democratic”

Caza Sikes | Oakley. 513-290-3127. cazasikes.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 24. “3 Women 3 Worlds”

Century Design Workshop | Walnut Hills. 513-376-6183. centurydesignworkshop.com

ƒ Thru Nov. 1. FF Amber N. Ford: “The Roads Most Traveled”

Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library | Downtown. 513-369-6900. chpl.org

ƒ Thru Nov. 1 FF “Depth of Field: The Universe of the Daguerreotype”

ƒ Oct. 12-Nov. 30 FF “More than Meets the Eye: Multimedia Narratives that Connect Generations and Cultures” (Walnut Hills Branch)

Cincinnati Art Galleries | Downtown. 513-381-2128. cincyart.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 18. Paintings by Cynthia Kelly Overall

ArtsWave | The Columns, Findlay Market |

Covington. 859-431-0020. bakerhunt.org thru Feb. 7. Community Art Show | Mariemont. 513-272-3700.

ƒ Thru Nov. 2. FF “Verso: Backmarks of 19th-Century Photographic Card Mounts”

Cincinnati Art Museum | Eden Park. 513-721-2787. cincinnatiartmuseum.org

ƒ Thru Jan. 19 FF “Discovering Ansel Adams”

ƒ Oct. 25-Feb. 9. George Bellows: “American Life in Print”

ƒ Oct. 25, 5-9 p.m. Art After Dark

Cincinnati Museum Center | Queensgate. 513-287-7000. cincymuseum.org

ƒ Thru Oct. 25. FF “Generations” Sublime music in worship and concert

Covington. 859-491-4003. bcmuseum.org

ƒ Thru Oct. 31 FF Mark Schlachter: “Familiar Faces”

ƒ Thru Oct. 14 FF “Lens Of History: Celebration Of People, Spaces, And Emotion”

Cincy Nice | Walnut Hills. 513-238-5679. cincynice.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 15. FF Prince Lang: “Person, Place, Thing”

Clifton Cultural Arts Center | 513-497-2860. cliftonculturalarts.org

Contemporary Arts Center | Downtown. 513-345-8400. contemporaryartscenter.org

ƒ Thru Jan 5. FF Chip Thomas: “The Painted Desert Project”

ƒ Thru Nov. 10. Illustrated Memoir Project: “Knowing Ourselves, Understanding Each Other”

ƒ Thru Feb. 9 FF Barbara Probst: “Subjective Evidence”

ƒ Oct. 1-Oct. 31, 2025. “SOFTlab”

ƒ Oct. 10-27. “Journeys to Healing”

DAAP Galleries | University of Cincinnati. 513-556-2839. daap.uc.edu

ƒ Thru Nov. 21 FF “Still Moving” • “Who is American Today?” (Reed Gallery)

Reception: Oct. 3, 5-7 p.m.

ƒ Thru Nov. 21 FF “What Remains: A Contemporary Interpretation of Native American Earthworks in The Ohio Valley” (Meyers Gallery) Reception: Oct. 3, 5-7 p.m.

ƒ Thru Nov. 2. FF “Posteriors: Sitters’ Backs in 19th-Century Photography”

Photography by Barbara Probst : “Subjective Evidence” runs through Feb. 9 at the Contemporary Arts Center

Delhi Event Center |

Delhi Towne Square. delhieventcenter.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 18. Michaelann Kelley: “Moments”

Eisele Gallery of Fine Art | Mariemont. 513-791-7717. eiselefineart.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 19. FF Tina Gutierrez: “Illumination” Reception: Oct. 3, 6-9 p.m.

Esquire Theatre Gallery | Clifton. 513-281-8750. esquiretheatre.com

ƒ Thru Nov. 24 FF Casey Leclair: “Nightlife in Renderville”

Essex Studios | Walnut Hills. 513-476-2170. essexstudioscincinnati.com

ƒ Oct. 4-5, 6 -10 p.m. Art Walk

Evendale Cultural Arts Center | Evendale. 513-563-1350. evendaleohio.org

ƒ Oct. 1-Nov. 30 FF “Behind The Lens: Unveiling The Unseen Narratives”

ƒ Oct. 1-Dec. 31. FF Eric Hatch: “Hard

Fitton Center | Hamilton. 513-863-8873. fittoncenter.org

ƒ Oct. 18-Jan. 3 FF “We > Me: 17 Artists Explore Hamilton Neighborhoods”

Flag Studio | Camp Washington. 310-801-5504. joegirandola.wixsite.com

ƒ Thru Nov. 1 FF “Got It on Tape”

Gallery 42 | Mason. 513-492-7474. artenclave.com

ƒ Oct. 24. Artist Uncorked: Nata Flanagan

Gallery 506 | Elsmere. 513-919-5415.

ƒ Thru Oct.19. David Michael Beck: “Culmination”

Gallery at 1435 Main | Over-the-Rhine. 513-861-0023. skatedowntowncincinnati.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 12 FF “Rollin’ in Rhythm”

Gallery Veronique | Montgomery. 513-530-5379. galleryveronique.com

ƒ Oct. 18-31. Maya Eventov: “Expression of Colors” Receptions: Oct. 18, 5-8:30 p.m. & Oct. 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Hyde Park Art Show | Hyde Park Square. hydeparksquare.org/events

ƒ Oct. 6, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Area’s largest one-day art exhibit and sale

i.imagine | Roebling Point Books and Coffee Newport. 859-801-1045. iimaginephotography.org

ƒ Thru Nov. 1 FF “Off Track”

Rhine. 513-260-8434. irisbookcafeotr.com

ƒ Thru Dec. 30 FF “Afterwords: 50 Years in Words and Images by Arno Rafael Minkkinen”

Kennedy Heights Arts Center | 513-631-4278. kennedyarts.org

ƒ Thru Oct. 17. “Empowering the Presence of Kuumba: Celebrating Ohio History Through African American Fiber Art” (Lindner Gallery)

ƒ Thru Nov. 2 FF Gee Horton: “Chapter 2, A Subtle Farewell to the Inner Child”

Lloyd Library and Museum | Downtown. 513-721-3707. lloydlibrary.org

ƒ Thru Nov. 22. FF Madeleine Hordinski: “The Lore of the Pawpaw”

Main Street Shop & Studio | Over-the-Rhine. mainstreetshopstudio.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 25 FF Elisa Fay: “I Hate You I Love You”

Manifest Drawing Center / Center for the Visual Arts | Clifton. manifestgallery.org

ƒ Oct. 5-Nov. 2 FF “Pick It Up, Turn It Over: Exploring the Power of the Physical Photograph” Reception: Oct. 5, 6-9 p.m.

“Corpus: Exploring the Power of the Physical Photograph” | Over-the-Rhine.

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Middletown Arts Center | 513-424-2417. middletownartscenter.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 23. Trish Weeks

ƒ Thru Oct. 17. “Watercolor Ohio 2024”

ƒ Oct. 29-Dec. 12. Phillip Erbaugh

Miller Gallery | Hyde Park. 513-871-4420. millergallery.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 19 FF “Kimball Derrick: My Book of Life - The Preface”

ƒ Thru Oct. 19. Mital Patel: “Interconnected Realms: Visions of Coexistence”

ƒ Opening Oct. 24. Hunt Slonem

Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights. 859-572-5148. nku.edu/gallery

ƒ Thru Oct. 31 FF Marissa Nicole Stewart: “Call Me When You Get Home” • Gregory Rust

Off Ludlow Gallery | Clifton. 513-201-7153. facebook.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 19 FF Tina Gutierrez: “Kindred Spirits”

Over-the-Rhine Museum | 513-813-7309. otrmuseum.org

ƒ Thru Dec. 31 FF “Snapshots of Over-the-Rhine”

PAR-Projects | Northside. parprojects.com

ƒ Thru Nov. 29. FF “Don’t Just Talk About It, Be About It”

Pendleton Art Center | 513-421-4339. pendletonartcenter.com

ƒ Oct. 25, 5-9 p.m., Open studios

Pendleton Art Center - Middletown | Middletown. 513-465-5038. pendletonartcenter.com

ƒ Oct. 4, 5-9 p.m. Open studios

Purple People Bridge | Newport. purplepeoplebridge.com

ƒ Thru Nov. 3 FF “More Than Meets The Eye: An Immersive Display of Narrative Power Through Photos”

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum | Hamilton. 513-868-1234. pyramidhill.org

ƒ Thru Nov. 22 FF Jo Whaley: “The Theater of Nature” • Meryl McMaster: “Stories of the Infinite Sky” • “Stories of the Land” Reception: Oct. 5, 3-5 p.m.

Queen City Clay | Norwood. queencityclay.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 25. April Felipe

Reading Community Arts Center | readingcommunityartscenter.org

ƒ Thru Oct. 13. “Abstract Perspectives: Colors in Harmony”

Ruth’s Parkside Café | Northside. 513-542-7884. ruthscafe.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 30 FF “Duality”

Sharonville Cultural Arts Center | 513-554-1014. sharonvilleculturalarts.org

ƒ Oct. 3-19. Princeton Young Artist Exhibition

Solway Gallery | West End. 513-621-0069. solwaygallery.com

ƒ Thru Dec. 13. FF John E. Dowell: “Pathways to Freedom”

Studio Kroner | Downtown. studiokroner.com

ƒ Oct. 12-Nov. 2 FF Casey LeClair: “Moving Parts” Reception: Oct. 12, 1-4 p.m.

Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery | Mount St. Joseph University, Delhi. msj.edu

ƒ Thru Oct. 20 FF “as it was meant to be told: AAPI Artists on Selfhood and Belonging”

Summit Hotel | Madidsonville. 513-527-9900. thesummithotel.com

ƒ Thru Nov. 2. Heather Jones: “A Sort of Homecoming”

Taft Museum of Art | Downtown. 513-241-0343. taftmuseum.org

ƒ Sundays thru Dec. 30, 1-3 p.m. Sensory Explorations

ƒ Oct. 5-Jan. 12 FF “Posing Beauty in African American Culture”

ƒ Oct. 12-Feb. 16. “Resilience: New Ceramic Works by Terri Kern”

University of Cincinnati Clermont College | Batavia. ucclermont.edu

ƒ Oct. 1-Dec. 13 FF Judi Bommarito: “Reclaiming Your Outside Voice”

Visionaries & Voices | Northside. 513-861-4333. visionariesandvoices.com

ƒ Thru Nov. 29. FF “Flowers in the Sidewalk”

Warren County Historical Museum | Lebanon. wchsmuseum.org

ƒ Thru Nov. 9. “The Glass of Daron Goodman”

“Tulip Dance” is a photographic print in Kimball Derrick ’s “My Book of Life – The Preface,” one of two shows running through Oct. 19 at Miller Gallery in Hyde Park Square.

Photographer Rachael Banks explores intergenerational trauma within her family. Her exhibit, “Trail of the Dead,” runs through Nov. 3 at the Weston Art Gallery

Wash Park Art | Over-the-Rhine. 513-291-3626. washparkart.com

ƒ Thru Oct. 26. FF Lydia Masset and Ron Hoffman: “Concept and Coda” • Ally Shown: “The Void”

Wave Pool Gallery | Camp Washington. wavepoolgallery.org

ƒ Thru Nov. 16 FF “A Thousand Words” ƒ Oct. 2-Nov. 9 FF “Defend the Sacred”

The Well | Camp Washington. thewell.world

ƒ Thru Oct. 27 FF “Sona and Soma”

Weston Art Gallery | Aronoff Center, downtown. 513-977-4165. cincinnatiarts.org/weston-art-gallery

ƒ Thru Nov. 3 FF Memory Fields • Rachael Banks: “The Trail of the Dead”

Xavier University Art Gallery | A.B. Cohen Center. xavier.edu/art-department

ƒ Thru Oct. 25. FF “Behind the Curtain” • “What Came Before” 

Ansel Adams

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024–JANUARY 19, 2025

Organized by the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona, with the support of The Museum Box.

Discovering Ansel Adams is a Featured Project in the 2024 FotoFocus Biennial:

Support for this 2024 FotoFocus Biennal Featured Project was provided in part by FotoFocus.

Ansel Adams (American, 1902–1984), Yosemite Valley from Tunnel Esplanade , circa 1930, gelatin silver print, image 5 9/16 x 7 3/16 in. (14.1 x 18.3 cm), Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona: Ansel Adams Archive, 80.90.714, © The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust

Presented by FEG

Additional Exhibition Support provided by

BLINK puts a spotlight on Music Hall

By David Lyman

BLINK

is back and Music Hall is once again a focal point.

This fourth iteration of what organizers say is the “Nation’s Largest Light, Art and Projection Mapping Experience,” scheduled for Oct. 1720, is larger (more than 80 installations), more sprawling (more than 30 city blocks) and more neatly organized than its three predecessors.

BLINK 2024 is conveniently broken up into six zones; Findlay Market, OTR, downtown Cincinnati, The Banks, downtown Covington and downtown Newport. Thanks to an abundance of shuttle buses and free streetcar service, navigating your way among them ought to be fairly painless.

With all this territory available this year, there is no shortage of plum locations for participating artists. Many of them will focus on the dozens of ArtWorks murals, with uber-high-wattage projection-mapping seemingly reshaping the murals and, in some cases, bringing them to life. There’s a riverfront drone show, too, a return of what was one of the universally acclaimed entries from the 2022 event.

But for particularly ambitious artists, veteran projection mappers in search of a more robust challenge, there is really just one location –Music Hall.

“With Music Hall, you’re not just dealing with a uniform surface with a mural painted on it,” said animator Chaske Haverkos, one of four artists creating five-minute installations for the 140-year-old building’s expansive façade. “You have to engage with it in a completely different way. It’s all about the architecture. The archways, the beveled elements – they offer such a rich canvas. There are just so many things you can do with it.”

We first saw an example of this back in 2013, when the first of four “LumenoCity” events introduced maestro Louis Langrée to Cincinnati. The incoming Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra music director became the centerpiece of an eyepopping light-and-sound show that saw Music

I was aware of projection mapping. But [LumenoCity] – mapping married to music –showed me a medium that I had never experienced before.

– Chaske Haverkos

Hall’s massive east façade turn every imaginable color of the rainbow. The building appeared to wiggle and wobble and, at times, seemed to glow with the intensity of 1,000 suns.

But ever since LumenoCity morphed into BLINK, Music Hall has curiously been absent from the lineup. Its neighbor Memorial Hall has been part of BLINK. And various installations have popped up in Washington Park. But Music Hall remained dark.

“I had just graduated from college when I was exposed to LumenoCity,” Haverkos said. “I was aware of projection mapping. But that experience – mapping married to music – showed me a medium that I had never experienced before.”

Where LumenoCity was created as a showcase for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and its new music director, Haverkos started from scratch. Right off the bat, he commissioned a score from composer Adam Pleiman, sonic strategist and creative director at the PLAY Audio Agency.

So which comes first? The animation or the music?

“We’ve worked together a lot,” Pleiman said, “so we’ve developed a way of talking in broad ideas and then starting to turn what Chaske says into music.”

Yes, it sounds like musical alchemy. Where do ideas and inspiration come from? From an outsider’s point of view, describing creative endeavors like this can sound like hocus pocus with a dose of sleight-of-hand.

“It really is impossible to fully explain,” said Pleiman, who recruited a pair of colleagues, Drew Markham and Ann Driscoll, to help shape the soundscape. “We’re kind of a threeheaded musical monster. When we started, we talked with Chaske about darkness and light and the general sort of tone he wanted. And as he has completed more of the work, we go back and forth, constantly refining the music.”

The final score?

“We wanted to include a nod to the building’s history, of course,” Pleiman said. “But we wanted to be a little dark and not just happy and gleeful all the time. We want it to be cool, too. And . . . well, you’ll just have to hear it.”

Haverkos isn’t alone in trying to capture the secrets of Music Hall’s eccentric and elaborate Victorian Gothic Revival architecture.

Composer Adam Pleiman

Artist Chaske Haverkos

Ryan McAllister, Lightborne executive creative director 

The other Music Hall collaborators are:

• AV Extended, a French firm best known for its projects involving monumental architecture; the Eiffel Tower, for instance, and the palace at Versailles, as well as a host of European cathedrals, palaces and chateaus. They have also created elaborate light shows in San Francisco, the UAE, Morocco, Jordan and other countries in the Middle East and Africa. You can see more of their work here (av-extended.com/en/work)

• Susan Kosti (susankosti.com), a Sydney-based artist whose work ranges from masses of intricately weaving color patterns to highly dramatic works that seem to follow fascinating narratives. Unlike most of her peers, her work often depicts stylized human characters.

The fourth group is very familiar to Cincinnati audiences.

Lightborne Communications was founded in 1985 as a film production house. In a sense, they are still that today. But their reach is global and their client list is filled with Fortune 500 corporations and pop music artists ranging from Missy Elliott and Katy Perry to Billy Joel. The company’s goal, according to its website, is “Creating Great Content, No Matter What Your Screen Size.”

Lightborne is an old hand at BLINK productions.

“For the past three BLINKs, we’ve worked on the Contemporary Arts Center,” said Ryan McAllister, Lightborne’s executive creative director. “So when we applied this time, we specifically said we wanted to hand that off. We’ve explored the CAC. It was time to let somebody else do it.”

When he heard they were going to tackle Music Hall, McAllister was delighted.

“BLINK is a home game for us,” he said. During the same time Lightborne has been developing its BLINK presentation, the company has been working on numerous other projects – in New York and Los Angeles, Las Vegas

and Indianapolis, the last where they’re putting together a gigantic “Harvest Nights” attraction on the grounds of Newfields, home of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

“We do a whole lot of stuff all over the world,” McAllister said. “But we don’t get to do a whole lot of things like this in Cincinnati. So we’re pouring everything we can into this. Everybody on our whole team wants to be involved, even if it has its challenges.”

The biggest challenge is that the building is constructed of red brick. It might as well be black. Think about it. Projecting onto a light-colored surface is relatively easy. But dealing with a dark surface calls for an immense amount of lightpower.

But Lightborne has the expertise to deal with almost any sort of technical difficulty. The creative side is where the greatest satisfaction lies. For music, for example, they decided that there should be some sort of reference to the symphonic performances that take place inside the building.

“So we asked the CSO for permission to use some of their recordings,” McAllister said. “They sent us a whole catalog of music they have licenses for. We took a couple of those and kind of remixed them to give them a more contemporary feel.”

He’s quick to point out they didn’t obliterate the classical works.

“We are sampling some of it,” he said. “We didn’t want to screw around with their recording too much. We just take it as a jumpingoff point and then move back and forth between the stuff we composed ourselves. Kind of like a handshake.”

It seems an enormous amount of work for a five-minute presentation. And McAllister agreed that it is.

“Our mindset is that this is a festival. A party. BLINK is not about us. We are a part of BLINK. So we don’t want to hold back. This is an honor for us to be part of BLINK. And to be part of Music Hall. This five minutes is our brief moment to shine. And to share with Cincinnati.” 

 blinkcincinnati.com

a curated selection of works by domestic and international artists. Come and explore our gallery today.

The Home of Fine Art, where you can find

Postmodern expressionism showcasing society, nature, and politics all with a hint of silliness. -Jim Wagner

An intriguing collection depicting the beauty of life, human bonds, and the journey of land and Sea. -Deepa Agarwal

A Fleeting Moment is something I try to capture in all of my paintings, the moments that don’t last long and sometimes go unnoticed.

-Nate Flanagan

The Datebook

OCT. 1, TUESDAY

Adventure Crew, Summits & Horizons | 5-8:30 p.m. Memorial Hall. Adventure Crew staff and students share experiences, drinks and light bites. Tickets: $50.

 adventurecrew.org/summits

OCT. 2, WEDNESDAY

Men Wear Pink, Paint the Grail Pink | 5-8 p.m. Holy Grail, The Banks. Acoustic performance from Bronson Arroyo, live auction hosted by local broadcaster Bob Herzog and silent auction. $10 minimum donation requested to attend.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati, Benefit Bash | 6:30 p.m. MegaCorp Pavilion, Newport. Performance by Tori Kelly. Tickets: $29.50.

 thebash.org

Boys Hope Girls Hope, Hearts For Hope Gala | 6 p.m. First Financial Club, TQL Stadium. Honoring Rep. Brad Wenstrup with Heart of Gold award. Cocktail hour, silent auction, raffles, plated dinner, live auction by Laura Mantle-Grunden and music by DJ NatJones. Tickets: $175.  bhghcincinnati.org

OCT. 3, THURSDAY

BBB Cincinnati, Torch and Spark Awards Gala | 5:30 p.m. The Summit Hotel, Madisonville. Honoring regional ethical business and nonprofit community. Networking cocktail hour, photo booth and live awards show. Tickets: $125.  bbb.org/local/0292/torch

Cincinnati ToolBank, Hammers & Ales | 5-9 p.m. Fowling Warehouse. Fowling tournament, silent auction, raffle and award ceremony. Tickets: $65.

 cincytoolbank.org

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Light the Night | 5:30 p.m. Yeatman’s Cove. 2024 Honored Hero: Maddie Havera, acute myeloid leukemia survivor. Featuring experiences and ceremonies.

 lightthenight.org/Ohio

With a Spotlight on the Movers and Makers behind Greater Cincinnati’s Fundraisers, Friend-Raisers and Community Events

Ignite Peace will honor Saad Ghosn, Sharon Harris and Student Alliance for Immigrants on Oct. 9 at the Woodward Theater.

Angela Rye is keynote speaker for the YWCA Greater Cincinnati Racial Justice Breakfast at Music Hall Ballroom on Oct. 8.

Santa Maria Community Services, Passport to Success | 6-9 p.m. Aston Oaks Golf Club, North Bend. Speaker: David Da Silva, FC Cincinnati’s mental performance coach. Emcee: Lauren Minor, Fox19. Food, drinks, auction and raffle. Tickets: $75.

 eventbrite.com,

OCT. 4, FRIDAY

Building Value, ReUse-apalooza

| 7-11 p.m. 4040 Spring Grove Ave., Northside. Entertainment, local bites, plus the Designer Challenge showcasing reuse and design skills.

 buildingvalue.org/reuse-apalooza

Cincinnati Parks Foundation, Hats Off Luncheon | 11 a.m. Smale Riverfront Park. Champagne reception and luncheon. Honorary co-chairs: Edna Keown, Cathy Crain and Carrie Hayden. Tickets start at $225.

 cincinnatiparksfoundation.org

CityLink Center, MashUp | 6-10 p.m. CityLink Center, Queensgate. Food, performances and interactive art. Tickets: $40.

 eventbrite.com,

Eagle Scout Association of Dan Beard Council | Gathering of Eagles and Alumni Luncheon, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Metropolitan Club, Covington. Keynote:

Roger Krone, president and chief executive officer, Scouting America. Tickets start at $40.

 danbeard.org/alumni-and-friends

WAVE Foundation, Nauti Nite | 7:30-11:30 p.m. Newport Aquarium. VIP reception: 6:30 p.m. Dinner by-the-bite from local restaurants, open bar, live entertainment, raffles, silent disco, animal encounters and silent auction. Tickets: $150.

 wavefoundation.org

Whole Again, Eat, Sip & Give | Postphoned. New date TBA.

 whole-again.org

OCT. 5, SATURDAY

Alzheimer’s Association, Walk to End Alzheimer’s (Cincinnati Tri-State) | 8:30 a.m.-noon. Sawyer Point Park. Walk to raise funds and awareness in the fight against Alzheimer’s and dementia.

 alz.org/cincinnati/events

Christ Hospital Health Network, 2024 Gala | Northern Kentucky Convention Center. Benefiting comprehensive oncology program. Tickets start at $300.

 thechristhospital.com

Patty Brisben Foundation, Annual Gala | 6 p.m. Cincinnati Ballet Center, Walnut Hills. Black-tie event with music by Naked Karate Girls, live and silent auctions, performers and aura photo booth. Tickets: $250.

 pattybrisbenfoundation.org

Rock Your Beauty, Paint, Sip, and Mingle | 2-4 p.m. Indian Mound Cafe, Norwood. Instructor guidance on how to paint a selected painting, drinks and snacks. Tickets: $35.

 eventbrite.com,

OCT. 8, TUESDAY

YWCA Greater Cincinnati, Racial Justice Breakfast | 8 a.m. Music Hall Ballroom. Theme for 24th annual event is “Power of the People’s Vote.” Keynote speaker: Angela Rye, award-winning host, social justice advocate, lawyer, commentator and self-described “empowermenteur.” Racial justice honorees to be recognized. Tickets: $85.  ywcacincinnati.org

OCT. 9, WEDNESDAY

AFP Cincinnati & Barnes Dennig, Annual Nonprofit Leadership Summit | 8 a.m.-noon. Cintas Center. Keynotes: Dana Snyder and Karen Harshaw Williams. Tickets: $75.  afpcincinnati.org

Ignite Peace, Annual Gathering | 7 p.m. Woodward Theater, Over-the-Rhine. Honorees: Saad Ghosn, Sharon Harris and Student Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees. Music, desserts, cash bar, split-the-pot and awards. Tickets: $50.  ignitepeace.org

OCT. 10, THURSDAY

Center for Great Neighborhoods, Heart of the Community Awards | Hellmann Creative Center, Covington. Awards, raffles and silent auction.  greatneighborhoods.org

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, She Leads: A Celebration of Changemakers | 8-9:30 a.m. Kenwood Country Club. Breakfast and awards ceremony. Tickets: $50; table: $500.  gswo.org

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Annual Celebration & Cocktail Reception | 5:30-8:30 p.m. TQL Stadium. Keynote: Germaine Hunter, VP & chief diversity officer, GE Aerospace. Appetizers and two drink tickets. Dress: business casual. Sponsorships available. Tickets: $125; Hispanic YP tickets: $100.

 hispanicchambercincinnati.com

Junior Achievement of OKI Partners, Greater Cincinnati Business Hall of Fame | 6-9 p.m. Music Hall Ballroom. Reception, dinner and program. Honorees: Phillip R. Cox, Bobby Fisher, Candace Kendle, Dudley Taft and William G. Verst. Tickets: $350.  okipartners.ja.org

Lord’s Gym Ministries, Community Awareness Breakfast | 7-8:30 a.m. Embassy Suites, Covington. Breakfast and speakers. Free.  lordsgymministries.org

TQL Stadium will host the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 10 for its annual celebration and cocktail reception.

Germaine Hunter, VP & chief diversity officer, GE Aerospace is keynote speaker.

NewPath, Heart & Hope Gala | 5:30-8 p.m. Hilton Netherland Plaza. Cocktail hour, dinner, program and awards ceremony. Tickets: $150.  newpath.org/events/gala

OCT. 11, FRIDAY

Building Blocks for Kids, Golf 4 the Kids Tournament | 9 a.m. Vineyard Golf Course. Teams of golfers paired with area professionals. Tickets: $150; threesome $450.  bb4k.org/get-involved/events

Great Parks Forever, Root Ball | 6-9:30 p.m. The Summit Hotel, Madisonville. Dinner, cocktails, music and silent auction. Connect with fellow nature lovers. Host or hostess: $250; guest: $150  forever.greatparks.org/root-ball

OCT. 12, SATURDAY

Autism Connections, Great Pumpkin Race/Fall Festival/ Resource Fair | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Linden Grove School, Rossmoyne. Food trucks, music, games, prizes and resources. Tickets: $40.  autismcincy.org

Legacy Residential Homes, Legacy Appreciation Gala & Awards Dinner | 6 p.m. Metropolitan Club, Covington. Celebrates dedication and achievements of those supporting challenged youth. Above and Beyond Award: Ron Sahsy. Tickets: $125.  legacyresidential.org/whats-new

Ohio Valley Voices, Rockin’ with the Rustys: A Night to Remember | 7-11 p.m. The Hangar 2 at Lunken Airport. Celebrating the power of music and dance with The Rusty Griswolds. Tickets: $100.  ohiovalleyvoices.org

OCT. 13, SUNDAY

Beech Acres, For the Love of Kids Festival | Noon-5 p.m. Washington Park, Over-the-Rhine. Food, music and activities. Free.  beechacres.org/fortheloveofkids

UC Brain Tumor Center, Walk Ahead for Brain Tumor Discoveries | 8 a.m. Yeatman’s Cove. Walk, run and after-party.  sunflower-revitup.org

OCT. 16, WEDNESDAY

CreativeOhio, Champion Advocacy Awards Luncheon | 11:30 a.m. Music Hall Ballroom. Plated lunch and awards. Tickets: $75 members; $100 non-members.  creativeoh.org

Queen City Clubhouse, Bowling for QCC | 5:30-8:30 p.m. Stones Lanes, Norwood. Glow bowling, silent auction, split-the-pot raffle, bake sale, prizes and food.  qcclubhouse.org

Women Helping Women, Stephanie Land Event | 7:30 p.m. Schiff Center, Xavier University. Keynote: Stephanie Land. VIP reception. Tickets: $75.  womenhelpingwomen.org

OCT. 17, THURSDAY

La Soupe, Chef Talks | 6:30-9 p.m. The Bacon Barn, 10890 Indeco Drive, Blue Ash. 5:30 p.m. VIP cocktail hour. Light bites and cocktails featuring James Beard Award nominees Jose Salazar of Mita’s, Elaine Uykimpang Bentz and Erik Bentz of Cafe Mochiko and Jeff Harris of Nolia. Tickets: $200.

 lasoupe.org/cheftalks

OCT. 18, FRIDAY

OneSource Center for Nonprofit Excellence, OneSource Illuminated | 5-7:30 p.m. Fifth Third Center, downtown. Food, drinks, auction and music. Prelude to BLINK. Complimentary parking for the evening. Tickets: $100-150.  onesourcecenter.org

Holocaust & Humanity Center will hold its annual meeting on Oct. 22 at Union Terminal. The guest speaker is Eric Ward, a nationally recognized expert on authoritarian movements.

Connect

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Help your loved one live safely and independently at home—on their terms. The Council on Aging has the answers and connections you need to access local resources, navigate your benefits, find in-home care, and more. Talk to a COA aging specialist today.

OCT. 19, SATURDAY

BLINK, ‘afterglow’ After-Party | 10 p.m. MegaCorp Pavilion, Newport. Food, dance and music by Austin Millz. Tickets: $30.  axs.com,

Dragonfly, Experience BLINK | Metropolitan Club, Covington. Light bites, drinks and free parking. c.eifert@dragonfly.org  dragonfly.org

A concert with David Foster and Katharine McPhee is the centerpiece of this year’s Pink Ribbon event to support breast cancer programs. At Brady Music Center, Oct. 23

The Point Arc, Annual Boots & Brews | 6 p.m. Newport Car Barn, Newport. Food and music by Derek Alan Band and Ben Maile. Tickets: $40 presale; $50 at door.  thepointarc.org

OCT. 22, TUESDAY

Hamilton County, Pitch & Empower 2024 | Memorial Hall. Pitch event for small for-profit businesses.  hamiltoncountyohio.gov

Holocaust & Humanity Center, annual meeting | 7-9 p.m. Union Terminal. Guest speaker: Eric Ward. Free.  holocaustandhumanity.org

OCT. 23, WEDNESDAY

Bethesda Foundation, Celebration of Angels | 5 p.m. Manor House, Mason. Benefits the Mary Jo Cropper Family Center for Breast Care. Ceremony to honor Mary Jo’s Angels. Tickets: $75.  bethesdafoundation.com

Clermont Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Day: SPARK! | 11 a.m.3:30 p.m. Little Miami Brewing Co. Event Center. Emcee: Michelle Hopkins, WCPO. Keynotes, panels, lunch and networking. Tickets: $75.

 clermontchamber.com

Cris Collinsworth Proscan Fund, Annual Pink Ribbon | 6:30 p.m. Brady Music Center. Concert featuring David Foster and Katharine McPhee, silent and live auction, cash bar and food. Tickets: $100.

 ccpf.org

OCT. 24, THURSDAY

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Rose Up | 8 p.m. Virtual. Participants choose activities at home, with family and friends or online.

 events.cff.org/roseup

OCT. 25, FRIDAY

Ion Center, Toast for Hope | 6:30-10:30 p.m. Drees Pavilion, Covington. Open bar, food stations, live music, auction, raffles and games. Honoree: Shannon Berry. Tickets: $125.  ioncenter.org/event/toast-for-hope-2

The Nuxhall Foundation, The Miracle Ball | 6 p.m. Oscar Event Center, Jungle Jim’s Fairfield. Gala fundraiser honoring 2024 winner of Joe Nuxhall Humanitarian Award. Dinner, silent auction, live auction and after party. Tickets: $150; $1,200/table of 8; $75/individual after-party ticket.  nuxhallmiracleleague.org/miracleball

OCT. 26, SATURDAY

Beechwood Home, Dinner

Detective Gala | 5:30-10 p.m. Kenwood Country Club. Cocktails and dinner while solving a mystery. Honoree: Patsy Grote.  beechwoodhome.com

Jackie Reau, CEO of Game Day Communications, is honory chair of the Dress for Success Cincinnati Fashion Show by Ohio-based designer Gerardo Encinas Nov. 1 at Cincinnati Museum Center.

Guiding Light, Igniting Future Leaders Gala | 6 p.m. Graduate Hotel, Corryville. Dinner, awards ceremony, scholarship ceremony, live auction, silent auction and keynote speaker. Tickets: $100.  guidinglightmentoring.org

Kindervelt – auxiliary for Cincinnati Children’s, Casino Royale | 6:30 p.m. Fueled Collective, Norwood. Casino games, gourmet cuisine, silent auction, bourbon pull and entertainment by Blue Water Kings Band. Benefits Cincinnati Children’s Leukemia Center. Tickets: $125.

 kindervelt.org/ kindervelt-fall-event

OCT. 26-27, SATURDAY-SUNDAY

Ohio River Foundation, Cincinnati Coffee Festival | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Music Hall Ballroom. Hundreds of free tastings of coffees, teas, pastries, chocolates and savory foods. People’s Choice Award for favorite brew. Proceeds benefit Ohio River Foundation.

 cincinnaticoffeefestival.com

NOV. 1, FRIDAY

Dress for Success Cincinnati, Fashion Show | 7 p.m. Cincinnati Museum Center. Dinner by-the-bite, drinks, raffle and fashion show by Ohio-based designer Gerardo Encinas. Honorary chair: Jackie Reau, CEO of Game Day Communications. Tickets: $250.  dfscincy.org

New Life Furniture Bank, Party In The House | 6-9 p.m. Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine. Auction, pop-up shops and music. Tickets: $150.  nlfurniture.org

The Grail, 80th Anniversary Event | The Grail, Loveland.  grail-us.org/eighty

NOV. 2, SATURDAY

APNET, Annual Symposium/Gala | 5-9 p.m. University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business. Dinner, silent auction, fashion show, speakers, award and scholarship presentations. Tickets: $50.  myapnet.org/apnet-symposium

Clark Montessori, Clark After Dark: 30th Anniversary | 7-10 p.m. Columbia Center. Appetizers, desserts, hosted bar, silent auction and mingling. Tickets: $30.  clarkmontessorifoundation.org

Cancer Family Care, 45th Annual Wine Tasting & Auction | 6-10 p.m. Manor House, Mason. Honorary chairs: Kathee Van Kirk, co-owner of

Connecting the World to the Region for 100 Years

The Wine Merchant, and Hugo Tostado, owner of Tostados Grill. Wine and bourbon tastings, three-course dinner, silent and live auctions. Tickets: $175.  cancerfamilycare.org

Dragonfly, Dinks & Drives | 8 a.m. Lifetime Fitness, Mason. Pickleball tournament and carnival activities.  dragonfly.org/event-directory

NOV. 3, SUNDAY

Incubator Kitchen Collective, Taste of Gratitude | 5-7 p.m. MegaCorp Pavilion, Newport. 4-5 p.m. VIP hour, dinner by-the-bite, cash bar, live music and silent auction. Tickets: $75.  incubatorkitchencollective.org/blog

NOV. 5-26, TUESDAY-TUESDAY

Lighthouse Youth & Family Services, Art Event | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Cincinnati Art Galleries, Downtown. Art sale at gallery and online to support shelter, food, clothing and services for youth experiencing homelessness.  lys.org/artevent

The World Affairs Council provides global education opportunities to students in need, and offers experiences to local educators. International exchange offers locals direct global connections.

Honoring 125 Years of History With an Investment in Your Future!

Twin Towers is a community of rich tradition with exciting renovations underway to make an impact on your future. New designs include renovated independent and assisted living apartments and a rejuvenation of our community areas.

“I’m thrilled with the advancements and evolution of senior living, especially with the multiple levels of living and care offered. We’ve positively increased residents’ quality of life in the three decades I’ve worked in senior living.”

-Scott McQuinn

, President and CEO of Life Enriching Communities

Brent Billingsley, artist and behavioral health specialist, Cincinnati Children’s, will speak at Companions on a Journey ’s breakfast fundraiser on Nov.7 at Center Park, West Chester.

NOV. 7, THURSDAY

Companions on a Journey, Morning of Hope: Breakfast Fundraiser | 8-9:30 a.m. Center Park, West Chester. Breakfast and keynote speaker: Brent Billingsley, artist and behavioral health specialist, Cincinnati Children’s. Tickets: $30.

 givebutter.com/ morningofhope24

NOV. 8, FRIDAY

Art Beyond Boundaries and CILO, Jazzed About Art | 6-10 p.m. Woodward Theater, Over-theRhine. Concert by Art Gore and the Jazz Knights. Cocktails, buffet dinner, cash bar, raffle, bourbon pull. Complimentary parking. Tickets: $75.

 artbeyondboundaries.com

Cincinnati Museum Center, Layers of Innovation | 7 p.m. Adults-only evening with light bites from local restaurants, cocktails, programming and exclusive access to exhibits. Early bird ticket: $195; host/hostess VIP couple: $600.  cincymuseum.org/layers

The Metropolitan Club Met Award Dinner will take place in the club overlooking the city on Nov. 14. The Metropolitan Award will be presented to Amy B. Spiller of Duke Energy.

NOV. 9, SATURDAY

4C for Children, Champions Gala | 6 p.m. Hilton Netherland Plaza. Cocktail reception, dinner and Champions presentation, live auction and after-party. Black-tie optional. Tickets: $150.  4cforchildren.org

Aubrey Rose Foundation, Let’s Dance For the Heart of It | 5:30 p.m.-midnight. Lawrenceburg Event Center. Naked Karate Girls band, silent auction with Under the Sea theme, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, beer, wine and soft drinks. Black tie optional. Tickets: $125; tables: $1,500.  aubreyrose.org

NOV. 14, THURSDAY

Cancer Support Community, Stronger than Cancer | 6-9 p.m. North by Hotel Covington. Emcee: Bob Herzog, Local12. Presented by St. Elizabeth Healthcare with strolling dinner and bar, raffles, silent and live auctions and more. Tickets: $150.  mycancerSupportcommunity.org

Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, Trivia Night | 5 p.m. Fowling Warehouse, Norwood. Fowling, dinner-by-the-bite and trivia. Tickets: $65.  cycyouth.org/cyc-trivia-night

NOV. 14, THURSDAY (CONT.)

March of Dimes, Signature Chefs Gala | 5:30 p.m. Music Hall Ballroom. Emcee: Ken Baker, Fox19. Event chair: John Thomas. Silent auction. Tickets: $300.  signaturechefs.marchofdimes.org

Metropolitan Club, Met Award Dinner | 6-9 p.m. Metropolitan Club. Honoring Amy B. Spiller of Duke Energy with Metropolitan Award. Tickets: $250.  metropolitanclub.net/award

NOV. 15, FRIDAY

Cincinnati Zoo, Hops & Holly | 7 p.m. 21+ tasting event with festive drinks, music and character appearances. Tickets: $55.  cincinnatizoo.org/events/hops-holly

NOV. 16, SATURDAY

Abercrumbie Group, Men of Honor | 6-10 p.m. Sharonville Convention Center. Black-tie event honoring Dr. Jonathan Brown, Darryl Haley, Robert Killins, Max Lagenkamp and Roddell McCullough. Tickets: $200.  theabercrumbiegroup.com

People Working Cooperatively, Prepare Affair | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Volunteers rake leaves and clean gutters for seniors and homeowners living with disabilities.  pwchomerepairs.org

NOV. 21, THURSDAY

AFP Cincinnati, National Philanthropy Day | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Music Hall Ballroom. Annual awards ceremony honoring Philanthropist of the Year and more.  afpcincinnati.org

European American Chamber of Commerce, Beaujolais 2024 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. Drees Pavilion. Tickets: EACC Member: $125; general: $150; at door: $175.  business.europe-cincinnati.com

NOV. 22, FRIDAY

Learning Grove, Gala in the Grove | 6-11 p.m. Hilton Netherland Plaza. Hors d’oeuvres,

dinner, drinks, after party, entertainment with Jayy The DJ, guest emcee Kelly Rippin, WLWT, live and silent auctions, raffle opportunities and storytelling. Event chair: Katriece Barrett. Tickets: $175.  learning-grove.org

NOV. 23, SATURDAY

Contemporary Arts Center, Cuisine Art Cocktails | 7-11 p.m. Collaboration among community, chefs and mixologists, creatives and business leaders. Honorary chair: Maria Kalomenidou, co-author of “Cuisine Art Cocktails,” CAC publication from 2016. Tickets: $175 for members; $200 for non-members (increases to $225 on Nov. 10)

 contemporaryartscenter.org

NOV. 28, THURSDAY

Western & Southern, Thanksgiving Day Race | 8:30 a.m. TQL Stadium. 5K, 10K and kids fun run. Proceeds benefit several charities.

 thanksgivingdayrace.com

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Metropolitan Award

Embracing AI: A guide for nonprofits (an AI demonstration)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers nonprofits a wealth of opportunities to enhance their operations, streamline processes, and deepen their effectiveness. As nonprofits explore AI integration, the following expert tips can guide them in leveraging AI tools effectively and ethically.

Personalize donor engagement

AI can transform donor management by analyzing donor data to identify patterns and preferences. This insight enables nonprofits to personalize communications, predict which donors are most likely to contribute, and automate follow-up actions. By tailoring engagement strategies and predicting donor behavior, AI can enhance campaign success, build stronger relationships, and potentially increase contributions.

Enhance productivity

AI serves as a productivity booster by automating routine tasks. Nonprofit staff can utilize AI to quickly generate draft documents, perform preliminary research, and streamline administrative duties. This not only reduces time spent on repetitive tasks but also allows staff to focus more on strategic activities, ultimately increasing operational efficiency.

AI as a transformational partner

Nonprofits should view AI not just as a tool, but as a partner that can significantly amplify their effectiveness. AI can help in personalizing engagement, predicting donor behavior, and automating various tasks. By harnessing AI’s capabilities, nonprofits can streamline their operations and focus more on their core mission, making their work more efficient and influential.

Amplify storytelling, engagement

AI can enhance storytelling and community engagement by crafting personalized narratives that resonate with donors and beneficiaries. Tools that analyze social media trends can identify the most engaging content, while AIgenerated email campaigns can target different supporter groups effectively. Additionally, AIpowered chatbots can provide instant information on websites, improving interaction with potential donors and volunteers.

Start with accessible AI tools

To integrate AI successfully, nonprofits should begin with accessible tools that align with their

interests and needs. Starting with user-friendly AI tools can build confidence and inspire innovation across various areas, from donor management to productivity enhancements. The key is to initiate the process and let innovation evolve as confidence in the technology grows.

Utilize AI for grant writing

Grant writing is a critical function for nonprofits, and AI can significantly enhance this process. AI tools can speed up research, generate proposal drafts, and apply best practices in grant writing. This allows nonprofits to apply for more grants efficiently without overburdening staff, enabling them to concentrate on advancing their mission.

Predict donor trends

Predictive AI can analyze donor trends to identify the types of donors most likely to give and contribute significantly. This information helps nonprofits target their fundraising efforts more effectively, improving the likelihood of securing donations and optimizing fundraising strategies.

Content creation and visuals

AI can assist nonprofits in creating engaging content and visuals. Tools such as Canva for images, Looka for logos, and various transcription services can simplify the creation of marketing materials and presentations. Additionally, AI can help with video editing and summarizing meetings, providing nonprofits with more efficient ways to produce and manage content.

Implement AI-driven chatbots

AI-driven chatbots can automate routine inquiries, allowing staff to focus on higher-value activities such as donor relations and expanding services. By running a pilot program with AI chatbots or knowledge retrieval systems, nonprofits can increase efficiency, enhance personalized outreach, and improve their capacity to serve the community without additional staffing costs.

Operations and decision-making

AI can streamline nonprofit operations by generating content drafts for various needs, from websites to grant applications. This enables staff to invest more time in strategic activities. Additionally, AI can assist in making data-driven decisions by analyzing organizational data and providing actionable insights, helping nonprofits address immediate and long-term goals effectively.

Ensure ethical AI use

Ethical considerations are paramount when using AI. Nonprofits should ensure that AI tools respect copyright information and privacy rights, and that they are used to avoid reinforcing biases. Monitoring AI systems and maintaining human oversight are essential to ensure that AI applications remain fair, transparent, and aligned with the organization’s values.

Explore diverse AI tools

Nonprofits have access to a variety of AI tools that offer free or low-cost options. Exploring different tools can provide support in areas such as content creation, visual design, and document management. By utilizing a range of AI tools, nonprofits can enhance their capabilities and find solutions tailored to their specific needs.

In conclusion, AI presents a transformative opportunity for nonprofits to optimize their operations, enhance donor engagement, and amplify their effectiveness. By starting with accessible tools, leveraging AI for key functions like grant writing and content creation, and ensuring ethical use, nonprofits can harness AI’s full potential while remaining focused on their mission. Embracing AI with confidence and a strategic approach can lead to more effective and efficient nonprofit operations, ultimately advancing their goals and expanding their positive influence on the community. 

M&M asked local AI experts for tips for how nonprofits could benefit by using AI. We opened a ChatGPT window, typed in the prompt “Summarize these tips for ways nonprofits can begin using AI in 900 words” and pasted in the compiled responses. In ten seconds, it generated the text above. The next prompt was, “Replace uses in this summary of ‘impact’ and ‘impactful’ with appropriate and varied synonyms” (prompter’s pet peeve). Subheads were lightly edited on the page to fit on one line. Voilà!

Our thanks to:

Nicole Armstrong, Ellequate

Pete Blackshaw, BrandRank.ai

Christopher Brock, Primary.hosting

Carl Fraik, Cincinnati AI Catalyst

Elisha Herrmann, Amazon Web Services

Kelly Cohen, AI Bio Lab, University of Cincinnati

Helen Todd, Creativity Squared, CincyAI

Matthew Sias, Innovation Acceleration, LLC

Sabrina Donley, Secure · AI, CybrCastle

Tracy Ruberg, The Circuit, T6 Group

Michael Beck, Code for Kids

– AI prompter: Elizabeth Mariner

StartupCincy Week to highlight region as hub of innovation, opportunity

Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood will once again transform into a hub for local tech and innovation this October with the return of StartupCincy Week.

This weeklong event celebrates innovative entrepreneurs and the strength of the support network unique to the Greater Cincinnati region.

StartupCincy Week 2024 runs from Oct. 7-10, with the majority of programming centered at Cintrifuse’s headquarters, Union Hall on Vine Street.

“StartupCincy Week will be a powerful convergence of the region’s founders, investors, corporate leaders and startup enthusiasts, all coming together to connect, collaborate and thrive,” said Abby Grimm, director of engagement and experience at Cintrifuse, Startup Cincy Week’s organizer.

Grimm described StartupCincy Week as more than just an event – it’s a movement.

Cintrifuse created the annual showcase as a way to bring together thought leaders, entrepreneurs and startups – both local and from across the country – to share insights about technical innovations and best practices. However, it’s also an opportunity to highlight what Greater Cincinnati can offer emerging businesses.

Each day will feature a thoughtfully curated theme to cater to distinct segments of our entrepreneurial community – tech founders, investors and venture capitalists and even innovative startups that don’t have a tech slant.

The closing day, Thursday, brings the focus back to the Cincinnati region as a whole. Highlights include the Chamber Expo and workshops focused on small businesses and consumer packaged goods, or CPG, businesses.

Sessions, which will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, will include an array of activities – from on-site demonstrations and activations to opportunities for product pitches (and reverse pitches from investors). There will also be Startup Showcases, which will provide a behindthe-scenes look at some of the best emerging companies being built and growing in Greater Cincinnati.

A key part of the event is introducing the thousands of attendees to major players in the startup space.

The featured speakers list includes: Brent Gravlee, entrepreneur-in-residence at Blue

North; Dhani Jones, strategic advisor and board member to venture investment firms; J.B. Kropp, CEO of Cintrifuse and managing director of Cintrifuse Capital; Sherry Sims, founder of Black Career Women’s Network; Kirsten Moorefield, co-founder of Cloverleaf; Jake Rouse, co-founder and CEO of Braxton Brewery; Jeanette Renshaw, partner and head of startup growth at GrowthX; Guy Persaud, president of new business at P&G; and many more.

Cincinnati Bengals QB Jake Browning, an offfield investor, will be in attendance as well.

 startupcincy.com/startupcincy-week-2024

The Notables

Movers & Makers asked Greater Cincinnati leaders working in artificial intelligence to introduce their notables to our readers, part of a regular feature highlighting individuals making a difference in our community. Given AI’s incursion into our daily lives, we believe the nonprofit sector should become familiar with this technology.

John

Cavanaugh,

executive director and privacy evangelist, Plunk Foundation

JohnCavanaugh

How are bad actors using AI and what can we do about it? Along with 31 professors from the University of Cincinnati, John Cavanaugh leads a Cincinnati-based nonprofit called the Plunk Foundation. Its mission is to empower vulnerable families from being exploited online by bad actors, fighting AI exploitation through awareness, education, research and open-source solutions. The Plunk Foundation, with Cavanaugh as executive director, is working to bring the nation’s first privacy economy to Cincinnati, uniting the city’s efforts on implementing responsible AI and strengthening Ohio’s nationally recognized approach to cybersecurity. Outside of community work, you can catch Cavanaugh at a local concert, a drum circle, or any of Cincinnati’s classical music performance venues. 

Helen Todd, founder and podcast host, Creativity Squared + CincyAI Co-Host

Helen Todd is the first resident of Cincinnati to digitally clone herself with a hyper-realistic AI avatar. She’s also part of the grassroots movement championing responsible AI as CincyAI co-host and Cincinnati AI Catalyst (CAIC) member. CincyAI, the largest AI meetup in Ohio, sees over 150 attendees monthly at UC Digital Futures to connect, learn and collaborate. CAIC is dedicated to leveraging AI to ensure the region’s 2.5 million residents all benefit. Todd’s podcast, Creativity Squared, explores the intersection of AI and creativity with guests from Google DeepMind, SXSW, Adobe, IBM and Groq. She even interviewed the AI-recreated Salvador Dalí. Ten percent of all revenue goes to ArtsWave’s Black and Brown Artist Program, elevating underrepresented voices and bridging cultural divides through art. She graduated from Xavier University and holds a master’s degree in integrated marketing communication from Emerson College. Todd loves trying new restaurants and walking her dog at Winton Woods. 

Michael Beck, president, Code for Kids

As a board member of the Cincinnati AI Catalyst, Michael Beck leads the AI Education team with a passion for embedding responsible usage principles in Greater Cincinnati’s schools. His mission is empowering students of all backgrounds to become AI innovators and leaders. Beck’s approach integrates AI into curicula and educational policy, aiming for an AI Club in every school across the region. Through his nonprofit, Code for Kids, Beck has made strides in narrowing the digital divide for underprivileged youth, reflecting his dedication to inclusivity in tech. When he’s helping to shape the future of AI, you’ll find him teaching or dancing salsa, traveling the globe (60 countries and counting), or practicing taekwondo – he’s a black belt and two-time U.S. champion. Beck also collaborates globally with developers on open-source projects. Fun fact: His code is stored in the GitHub Arctic Code Vault, preserved for the next 1,000 years. 

Carl Fraik, executive director Cincinnati AI Catalyst

Carl Fraik is a prominent leader in Cincinnati’s AI sector, serving as co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit Cincinnati AI Catalyst. He leads efforts to establish the region as a top AI hub, fostering inclusive, human-centered, responsible AI adoption. He is also founder and leader of the Cincinnati AI Builders Forum, a platform that brings together AI professionals and enthusiasts to drive innovation and collaboration. Fraik wrote the “AI Blueprint for the Cincinnati Region,” a strategic document outlining the path to making Cincinnati a global model of AI-driven prosperity. His work focuses on bridging the gap between public, private and academic sectors to harness AI’s potential, while prioritizing ethics, safety and societal benefits. Fraik enjoys hiking, running and international travel. He is also a board member and volunteer with Build Your Future Today, an NGO based in Cambodia. 

Kelly Cohen, chair and director, AI Bio Lab, University of Cincinnati

Kelly Cohen is an expert in aerospace engineering and artificial intelligence, specializing in fuzzy logic systems (Look it up!). He serves as the president of the North American Fuzzy Information Processing Society (NAFIPS) and holds an endowed chair at the University of Cincinnati. Cohen’s research focuses on applying fuzzy-logic-based AI to decision-making in aerospace systems, enhancing their efficiency and reliability. He is widely recognized for his contributions to advancing AI, particularly in integrating fuzzy logic with engineering applications, and his work bridges the gap between theory and real-world technological solutions. Cohen enjoys traveling with his family, in North America as well as in Europe, appreciating the culture and history of people. He has also toured extensively in the Far East and the Indian subcontinent where he was born. He is well-versed in English, Hebrew and Hindi. 

CarlFraik

HelenTodd

MichaelBeck

KellyCohen

Pete

Blackshaw,

founder and CEO, BrandRank.ai

Pete Blackshaw is a prominent AI leader working to elevate the region nationally through BrandRank.ai, a startup he founded to help brands measure, protect and grow trust via AI search and discovery. In under five months, he raised $1.2 million in seed and angel funding from John Pepper, Sheryl Sandberg, Ed Rigaud, Jack Wyant and Peg Wyant, as well as local investors. As former Cintrifuse CEO, he championed AI’s untapped role in startup growth, and in partnership with Yale Cosset, Kroger’s chief information officer, introduced the concept of Cincinnati being a national leader in “Responsible AI.” Blackshaw co-founded the Cincinnati AI Catalyst and has hosted dozens of AI training workshops for local nonprofits. He also has served as chairman of the national Better Business Bureau. 

PeteBlackshaw

Kendra Ramirez, CEO, KR Digital

Kendra Ramirez is dedicated to advancing AI implementation to empower businesses and nonprofits. As finding enough talent becomes increasingly challenging, AI emerges as a critical solution for driving innovation and efficiency. By educating leaders on AI, KR Digital helps them compete, streamline operations and spark progress. As a co-host of CincyAI and member of Cincinnati AI Catalyst, Ramirez believes her true reward comes when a leader says, “You just changed our whole organization,” as their teams experience a lighter mental load. Ramirez and KR are guided by the mantra, “Lift all ships.” Ramirez is determined to ensure no one is left behind in the AI revolution. When not working, she decompresses by spending time in nature, and with family, friends and her church group. 

KendraRamirez

Katie Trauth Taylor, CEO & co-founder, Narratize

Katie Trauth Taylor is CEO and co-founder of Narratize, a rapidly growing artificial intelligence startup in Cincinnati, empowering professionals at some of the world’s most innovative companies to write documentation 20 times faster. Narratize works with innovators, from startups and nonprofits to enterprises like Boeing and Comcast. Her team is building an AI platform that helps professionals get nine hours per week of their life back – time they reallocate to innovative and strategic work.

She’s proud to be a Cincinnati native, growing here in her hometown with incredibly talented team members, champions, advisers and customers. Putting responsible, applied AI to work is key to Narratize’s mission. 

Elisha Herrmann, worldwide solution leader, Amazon Web Services

Before her first day of school ever, Elisha Herrmann’s response to what she wanted to be when she grew up was “The smartest person in the world.” In the age of AI, she says, she can rely on technology and colleagues for intelligence, but she continues to be curious. A builder by nature, she is passionate about empowering customers and the community to use technology. She is now a worldwide solution leader at Amazon Web Services. Professionally, she has used AI to solve such problems as utilizing satellites for precision irrigation on row crops to reduce water usage. She is part of the Cincy AI Catalyst, WomenInIT Conference and volunteers to produce local AI conferences because she believes technology is a great equalizer. As a small business owner, she has created two AI products and recently filed for a patent. She is around town at concerts, soccer games, running or volunteering with JLCincy. 

Matthew Sias, founder, Innovation Acceleration, LLC

After a 20-year career in AI, technology and R&D at The Kroger Co., Matthew Sias launched Innovation Acceleration, an AI-driven startup to help corporate innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs develop better ideas and accelerate the path to market. Based out of UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub, Sias and his team combine scientifically proven methods of ideation with the latest generative AI models to help clients create better ideas faster. Sias is a thought leader in the Cincinnati AI community, fostering connections, sharing knowledge and training others on the fundamentals of generative AI and prompt engineering. A UC alum, Sias enjoys cooking for family and friends, honing his game on the golf course and college football. Sias is a lifelong learner, always looking to challenge his thinking – have a good book recommendation for him? Reach out on LinkedIn. 

Jon Salisbury,

founder, Nexigen

Jon Salisbury founded Nexigen, an information technology, cloud and cyber company in 2003. For years, Salisbury has worked with colleagues to develop several other companies including a payroll company, smart-city platform, software and now a data and events AI company. They also have an AI consulting practice, an AI security practice and an AI research division focusing on AI safety. Through the growth of these businesses, Salisbury has learned many lessons through success and failures. These lessons led to not only professional growth but personal as well. He finds value in challenging his mind and body through long-distance running, biking and swimming. These long workout sessions allow time to reflect and problem-solve the challenges he faces at work. Strong vision, curiosity, courage and drive keep Salisbury driving forward. 

MatthewSias

KatieTrauth

Taylor

ElishaHerrmann

JonSalisbury

Names in the News

Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society has elected longtime trustee Maggie Brennan as board chair. Current chair William Baumann was elected chair emeritus and will continue as chair of the Longworth-Anderson Series, the multigenre, contemporary music series presented at Memorial Hall.

Andy Swallow has been selected to serve as president and chief executive officer of the Good Samaritan Foundation in addition to continuing his responsibilities as president and CEO of the Bethesda Foundation.

Visit Cincy has expanded its team with four key positions: Patrick Polley, vice president of finance; Bianca DeStout , senior sales manager, based in Washington, D.C.; Max Long as group sales manager; and Krista Wiseman-Moore as executive assistant/special projects coordinator.

The Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center embarks on its second century by welcoming John Kennedy as its new executive director. Kennedy will follow Karen Etling , who retired. Kennedy comes to Baker Hunt from an extensive career in education, most recently as headmaster of Covington Latin School.

BE NKY Growth Partnership expanded its team to 15 members with the addition of Ashby Drummond as research analyst.

Drummond will be responsible for conducting industry and economic research, helping manage the Northern Kentucky Atlas and supporting the overall economic development operations.

Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub is operating under new leadership with the hiring of Stephanie Cornett as its executive director. Cornett comes to the Hub from her role as development director at Community Shares, where she supported social justice, environmental and animal welfare causes.

Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired named Brad Netherton as vice president, manufacturing. He brings over 15 years of experience with strong expertise in continuous improvement, quality, strategic planning and new product rollout.

Dress for Success Cincinnati added Alicia Lehnert as VP of development. Lehnert is responsible for the development and implementation of philanthropic strategies, aligned with DFSC’s strategic plan. The organization also added four board members: Travina Adams, 513Relief program manager at Hamilton County Department of Job & Family Services; Sowmya Aggarwal, VP of taxation at Cintas; Kathleen Armstrong , senior managing director of Aon Reinsurance Analytics; and Jessica Bacher, chief people officer at Prolink.

Ignite Peace welcomes new executive director, Shannon Hughes. A two-time graduate of Xavier University, with a BA in English and an MA in Urban Sustainability and Resilience, Hughes previously served as associate director in the Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice at XU.

Kwahyia Jones is the new director of community development for the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation. Jones will oversee funding strategies and ensure that projects meet regulatory standards, while also leading the nonprofit’s community engagement efforts. Prior to joining CHCURC, Jones served as director of constituent affairs for Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval.

Concertnova has handed over its leadership reins to local pianist and music educator Brianna Matzke ahead of its 18th season. Ixi Chen, CN’s longtime co-artistic director, described the organization’s new executive director as a “dynamic leader” and a “visionary” who shares “so much of concertnova’s artistic DNA.”

As a result of the move, Ted Nelson transitioned from a co-artistic director to a board member.

The rest of the creative team consists of lead artist director Joseph Bricker and co-artistic director Hiro Matsuo and Joseph Morris.

Ignite Philanthropy made a series of leadership changes as it continues to grow locally and expands operations in Charlotte.

The for-profit fundraising firm tapped Meggie Herrlinger to oversee the North Carolina market as vice president and promoted Will Lester to COO and Tara Noland to president. Noland also became a co-owner. 

Travina Adams Sowmya Aggarwal Kathleen Armstrong Jessica Bacher

Kwahyia Jones Meggie Herrlinger Brianna Matzke Will Lester Tara Noland

Alicia Lehnert

Maggie Brennan

Brad Netherton

Stephanie Cornett

Karen Etling

Ashby Drummond

Krista Wiseman-Moore

John Kennedy

Max Long Bianca DeStout

Patrick Polley

Andy Swallow

William Baumann

Shannon Hughes

Cincinnati Open, Fifth Third recognize nine 513 Serves honorees

Nine area residents were celebrated for their community service as the inaugural honorees of 513 Serves, an initiative from the Cincinnati Open and cornerstone partner Fifth Third.

The 513 Serves honorees have helped students, families, cancer patients, at-risk pregnancies and the area’s parks and neighborhoods. Each honoree will designate a charity of their choosing to receive a $5,300 donation.

The honorees:

• Jordan Bankston, Cheviot, is founder and CEO of Forever Kings Inc., which fosters a culture of brotherhood among boys and young men of color and provides resources to empower them.

• Marvin Butts, Pendleton, provides meals and special opportunities for underserved families during the holidays, hosting health fairs, mentoring at-risk youth, creating an anti-gun violence and anti-bullying program, and covering fees for hundreds of students to receive their diplomas and transcripts.

Emerging Leader Award salutes Candice Crear

Candice Crear, founder and CEO of From Fatherless to Fearless, has received the prestigious Emerging Leader Award from OneSource Center for Nonprofit Excellence. From Fatherless to Fearless is a Cincinnati nonprofit that supports teenage girls with strained or absent father figures.

The purpose of the Emerging Leader Award is to create, nurture and sustain an inclusive community of executive nonprofit leaders who demonstrate multicultural awareness and advocacy.

With the award, Crear will participate in the Nonprofit Leadership Institute’s 2024-25 EXCEL Executive Leadership Program, including personalized coaching, practical skill-building and opportunities for networking and collaboration. Crear’s innovative approach to leadership and her passion for driving change, make her a standout participant.

 onesourcecenter.org

• Laura Del Cid , Madeira, is board chair of COVERD Greater Cincinnati. Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, a flagship program of COVERD, has distributed over 1 million diapers to families in need.

• Allison Gordon, Blue Ash, is founder of Ride Cincinnati, which has raised over $8 million for local cancer research.

• Elizabeth Kelly, downtown, is founder and lead physician of Cradle Cincinnati. Her work has helped lead to a 20% decrease in the infant mortality rate in Hamilton County.

• Annie Ruth Napier, Roselawn, is founder of Eye of the Artists Foundation, promoting arts and education initiatives in Roselawn. As president of the Roselawn Community Council, she helped build playgrounds, organize community events and beautify the neighborhood with vibrant art and murals.

• Charvi Seeta , a student at Mason High School, raised money to create over 65 tool boxes filled with sensory items for each classroom and intervention specialist at Mason Elementary.

• Marcus Thompson, Anderson Township, serves on the boards of multiple charities, is a commissioner of the Great Parks of Hamilton County, and is a longtime youth mentor and board member of Saturday Hoops.

• Kenneth Webb, Mason, has led numerous nonprofits over the past 30 years. Hundreds of students at Holmes Middle School and Conner High School in Northern Kentucky have benefitted from Webb’s guidance on financial literacy and personal responsibility through his work with the Youth Services Advisory Board.

 cincinnatiopen.com

Founder of free car care clinic wins national Jefferson honor

Bruce Kintner, founder of Samaritan Car Care Clinic, has received a national honor dubbed the “Nobel Prize of Community Service” for his work providing free car maintenance to local people in need.

Kintner’s dedication to this mission earned him the 2024 Jefferson Award, a national recognition awarded by Multiplying Good. For 50 years, the Jefferson Awards have celebrated people who put others first through public service. Kintner received the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Service Benefiting Local Communities.

Kintner, of Cold Spring, founded the service in 2007 so low-income families could maintain their independence by keeping their vehicles on the road. Each year, the clinic provides free auto repairs to more than 300 families. Kintner is now the nonprofit’s executive director, dedicated to maintaining and growing the Samaritan Car Clinic’s funding sources.

The Rotary Club of Cincinnati presented Kintner with a local Jefferson Award in March 2023. He was one of 90 local Jefferson Award recipients from across the country, from which five were chosen for the national Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jefferson Award.

 cincinnatirotary.org

Marvin Butts

Marcus Thompson

Laura Del Cid

Kenneth Webb

Jordan Bankston

Elizabeth Kelly

Charvi Seeta

Annie Ruth Napier

Allison Gordon

Bruce Kintner

Candice Crear

Snapshots

Rockin’ at Riverfest gala raises funds for Best Point

Best Point Education & Behavioral Health hosted its 2024 Rockin’ at Riverfest fundraising gala at the Annie W. & Elizabeth Anderson Pavilion in Smale Park. The fundraiser, sponsored by the Unnewehr and Edelweiss foundations and presented by the Heidt Family Foundation, raised $670,000 to support Best Point’s mission.

The evening consisted of dinner, music, live and silent auctions, fireworks and an after-party. Jim Hobson was honored with this year’s Servant’s Heart Award for his dedication and countless hours of service to Best Point. Co-chairs for the gala were Jane Gerhardt and Chip Gerhardt, Christy Horan and Terry Horan, and Betty Tonne and Bill Tonne.

 bestpoint.org

Western & Southern WEBN Fireworks

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Xavier University men’s basketball coach Sean Miller addresses the audience.



Co-chairs Chip Gerhardt and Jane Gerhardt Co-chairs Terry Horan and Christy Horan

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Co-chairs Betty Tonne and Bill Tonne

Rob Sibcy, Anne Kereiakes, Pam Sibcy, Rhonda Sheakley, David Wellinghoff, Lori Wellinghoff, Larry Sheakley, Karen H’Doubler, Peter H’Doubler and Dr. Dean Kereiakes

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Pam Sibcy, Rob Sibcy, Julia Heidt and Dr. Robert Heidt

Mission Moment honoree and Best Point student Jayden Dunn

Anne Kereiakes, Dr. Dean Kereiakes, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Joe Deters and emcee Tanya O’Rourke

Rockin’ attendees shout “Best Point.”

Beth Troy, Miami University Farmer School of Business, award sponsor; Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Lisa Woodruff, owner of Organize 365; Jill Morenz, president and CEO of Aviatra Accelerators

Aviatra Accelerators promotes women business owners

Aviatra Accelerators, a Cincinnati nonprofit accelerator committed to empowering women entrepreneurs, held its annual Flight Night at the 20th Century Theater in Oakley. The event showcased early-stage female business owners – who recently completed Aviatra’s 10-week Momentum class – competing in a business pitch competition.

Libya Binford, owner of 10-D Outfitters, won a $1,000 prize for the best business pitch.

Kathleen Borne, owner of Mimi’s Macros, was the audience Fan Favorite.

Aviatra also announced its first Women Entrepreneur of the Year winners. The awards recognized

outstanding women business owners in five categories:

• Woman Entrepreneur of the Year: Lisa Woodruff, Organize 365.

• Woman Tech Entrepreneur of the Year: Helen Todd , Creativity Squared.

• Woman Health Entrepreneur of the Year: Alison Connor, Greenway Innovations.

• Young Woman Entrepreneur of the Year: VaLanDria Smith-Lash, Course Culture.

• Paying It Forward Woman Entrepreneur of the Year: Abbey Cummins, Everything Cincy.  aviatraaccelerators.org

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Pitch competition winner Libya Binford, owner of 10-D Outfitters; Jill Morenz, president and CEO of Aviatra Accelerators; Terrin Williams, Interlink Cloud Advisors, award sponsor

Catch Your Breath

Jasmine Hughes, Aviatra marketing strategist; Jill Morenz, Aviatra president and CEO; Kourtney Terry, Aviatra community manager

Honor Ride raises more than $215,000 to support local veterans

Easterseals Redwood hosted its fourth annual Honor Ride at Miami Whitewater Forest to support local veterans. More than 150 riders in 48 teams participated in the family-friendly, inclusive bike ride, raising more than $215,000 and paying tribute to nearly 500 veterans whose names were read aloud during a pre-ride ceremony.

The money raised helps to connect veterans with life-changing resources and employment each year through Easterseals Redwood’s Military & Veteran Services.

 eastersealsredwood.org

U.S.

Clifton golf event helps support Keep Cincinnati Beautiful

The Clifton Golf Outing raised over $150,000 for the parks, schools and other institutions serving the neighborhood of Clifton. This year’s beneficiary was Keep Cincinnati Beautiful.

The outing at Avon Fields Golf Course also supported Cincinnati Bengals player Ted Karras’ adults with disabilities charity by handing out green Cincy hats to all golfers

Clifton Golf Outing is a Clifton Town Meeting event.

 cliftoncommunity.org

Sean Rhorer, Military & Veteran Services job developer and U.S. Army veteran, and Kame Kameshiro, U.S. Army veteran and MVS advisory committee member, carry Honor Ribbons along the

Lillieanne SmithKnox, MVS team, works a booth.

bike trail.

Honor Ride 2024 Ceremony

Dorene Dillard of MVS Team, U.S. Air Force veteran, reads names of veterans during the Honor Ceremony before the bike ride.

Sean Rhorer, MVS job developer and

Army veteran

(Center photo) Color Guard from the Navy Reserve Center

Samantha Shattuck, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful development manager, explains KCB’s new program “Adopt-a-Spot.”

Beat the Lady Bearcat contest:

Lila Jane Whedon, Lady Bearcat Marianne Taylor, Paul Muething, Luke Muething, Brian Muething and Jack Muething

Leslie Mooney, director of the CCAC, received the 2024 Duke Energy Friend of Clifton Award, presented by Luke Blocher.

Adam Fosnaugh, Pat Woodside, Leslie Mooney, Chad Burke and Matt Bourgeois

CISE kicks off annual campaign at Hyde Park Country Club

Hyde Park Country Club hosted the kickoff party for the Catholic Inner-city Schools Education (CISE) 2024 annual campaign. The event gathered board members, staff, supporters, principals, advocates and Matthew Daniels, the new Archdiocese of Cincinnati superintendent of Catholic schools.

Phil McHugh, CISE president and executive director, led the event, emphasizing the importance of community collaboration and of reaching the campaign’s $4.4 million fundraising goal, which will enable nearly 3,000 inner-city children to receive a Catholic values-based education.

Campaign co-chair Nathaniel (Nate) Lampley Jr. discussed how touring a CISE-supported school reminded him of his childhood, noting that his sons benefited from a Catholic education at St. Xavier High School. Co-chair David J. Williams, CISE board chair, highlighted the impact the organization has had on the community.

Sister Janet Linz from Purcell Marian High School talked about supporting students and what CISE has meant to her and her students.

 cisekids.org

Joe Clements, Ann Schoen and Jerry Schoen

Deacon Royce Winters, Tim Reilly and Ardy Farfsing

Nate Lampley Jr., Paula Davis Lampley, Sara Williams and David J. Williams

Leon Hampton, Matt Jackson and Ryan Alleman

Sister Janet Linz

Phil McHugh and Susan Pichler

Nate Lampley Jr.

The gathering at Hyde Park Country Club

Pickleball ‘Summer Smash’ supports Talbert House

Summer Smash raised over $57,000 to support Talbert House programs and services that empower children, adults and families to live healthy, safe and productive lives. Nearly 200 guests gathered at Aces Pickleball Bar + Grill for an evening of pickleball, dinner, desserts from Molly’s Cupcakes, raffles and more.

This event was made possible thanks to Kitchen Sponsor Fifth Third Bank, Smash Sponsors Cincinnati Alarm Systems, Mercy Health and USI Insurance Services, and many other generous supporters.

Focused on addictions, community care, court and corrections, housing and mental health, Talbert House serves over 39,000 clients face to face and an additional 103,000 through prevention services throughout Southwest Ohio.

 talberthouse.org

NKY emergency shelter honors donors at building dedication

The Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky (ESNKY) hosted a building-dedication celebration to honor the generous contributions of its local donors.

ESNKY’s recent “Help Us Home” capital campaign raised over $4.2 million, enabling the organization to relocate its facility to West 13th Street in Covington, expand its capacity to 68 beds and operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Daytime Navigation & Engagement Center, the first of its kind in Northern Kentucky, opened with the new facility.

The celebration featured speeches from Kim M. Webb, ESNKY executive director; capital campaign chair David Drees, president and CEO of Drees Homes; Kris Knochelmann, Kenton County judge executive; Dr. Heidi Murley, president and CEO of St. Elizabeth Physicians; and ESNKY board Chair Tricia Watts.

The Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky provides lowbarrier shelter and services for adults in our community. In the past year, ESNKY served more than 1,400 adults and provided more than 24,000 nights of safe and secure shelter.

 emergencyshelternky.org

Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Brad Greenberg and Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Terry Nestor

Jack Hemenway and Gina Hemenway from event sponsor Mercy Health; Claire Hern and Robb Hern

Amanda Guinan from event sponsor Custom Design Benefits, Becky Scheeler and Beth Thress

Event sponsors Tom Bentley and Amy Bentley

Board members Lawrence Jones and Alan Piker

Talbert House President/CEO Josh Arnold and Julie Arnold; Jen Feldmeyer and Scot Feldmeyer from event sponsor USI Insurance Services

Chris Ramos, Anne Ramos, Betsy Florea and Christian Florea from event sponsor Fifth Third Bank

Chris Bochenek and Bernie McKay

Dr. Heidi Murley

Kim M. Webb, Bill Butler, Irma Drees, David Drees and Tony Zembrodt

Kim M. Webb and Rob Ziegler

Golf outing scores $150K for Wellington Foundation

The Karen Wellington Foundation’s ninth annual Birdies, Beer & a Band Golf Outing & After-Party raised $150,000 for the organization. More than 130 golfers enjoyed a day at the Maketewah Country Club, followed by a lively get-together after the on-course fun was over.

The funds raised will benefit the Kate Wordeman FUNd of KWF, which will help it to put fun on the calendars of 250 additional families living with cancer this year.

Hosts for the event were Sam Sambrookes and Elaine Sambrookes. Committee members were Dale Donovan, Steve Moser, Corey Wolfe and Simran Magowan. Presenting sponsors were The Harold C. Schott Foundation and Links Unlimited.

 karenwellingtonfoundation.org

The Ethan & Joey Band performed.

Bill McCloy

Susie Osha

Sam Sambrookes, Katie Elbisser, Simran Magowan, Sofia Magowan and Kent Wellington

Sambrookes

The KWF team and volunteers

Mix & Mingle with Movers & Makers

Mix & Mingle, the monthly happy hour hosted by Movers & Makers, took place on the patio at Somm Wine Bar & Kitchen in August. This was the event’s first visit to Price Hill, inspired by our first Mix & Mingle sponsorship, courtesy of Elder High School and Brian Hiles, director of admissions. Thanks to general manager Dan Altom and crew for the hospitality.

 To sponsor or host a future Mix & Mingle email: tmariner@moversmakers.org

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and

Maria Seda-Reeder, Britni Bicknaver and Olivia Nava, all from Wave Pool

Maria Dehne of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Brian Hiles of sponsor Elder High School

Daniel Pfahl and Joe Wessels

Casandra Patterson, DCCH Center; Christina Hartlieb, Harriet Beecher Stowe House; Denise Govan, DCCH Center

Tefra Fields of Built to Last Nonprofit Solutions and Shea Haney of Muse Choir

Amy Ashworth Lucas

Pat Bueker, Leann Kuchenbuch, Sharon Zamberlan and Janet Hartman, all with Assistance League

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Thom Mariner of Movers & Makers with Reina Dickey of Muse

Megan Marshall, Adopt a Class; Mary C. Miller, Norwood Together

Meaghan Pfetzer, New Perceptions, and Mark E. Scott

Lori Schweppe, Dan Schweppe, Margaret Plowdrey and John Plowdrey

Heather Kuhn and Natalie Moo Young, both of Santa Maria Community Services

Greg Newberry and Andrea Kay

Elizabeth Mariner of Movers & Makers and Bill Burwinkel of Adopt A Class

Preservation group celebrates 60th anniversary, name change

Cincinnati Preservation celebrated its 60th anniversary with a party at its home base, the John Hauck House (circa 1870) in the West End. Members enjoyed cake, a polka band and preservation-themed party games. Cincinnati City Council Member Mark Jeffreys proclaimed it Cincinnati Preservation Day.

The milestone also marked a new name, logo and brand refresh for the nonprofit focused on preservation advocacy, education and community building. By dropping “Association” from its name, Cincinnati Preservation seeks to better reflect the community of members who believe in preservation as a mindset and way of life.

 cincinnatipreservation.org

Terri Schnorr and Phillip Porter

Thea Tjepkema, Kathy Grote, Andrew Campbell, Michael Burson, Cincinnati City Council Member Mark Jeffreys, Melanie Powers (seated), Amy Hauck-Kalti and Beth Johnson

Steve Rosen, Terri Schnorr, Paul Muller, Maureen Gregory (foreground in blue), Heidi Jark, Rosie Polter, Steve Kenat and Lindsey Armor

John Hauck House (circa 1870) in the West End

Paddlefest weekend raises funds to connect teens with nature

This year’s Ohio River Paddlefest weekend raised $135,000 to support its programs. The weekend featured the Outdoors for All Expo, followed by the Ohio River Paddlefest the next day.

Funds raised support Adventure Crew’s mission of connecting city teens with nature and each other through outdoor adventures.

 adventurecrew.org

Golf outing supports programs to help those who grieve

Companions on a Journey Grief Support raised $96,341 at its 10th Vince Munafo Memorial Golf Outing at Glenview Golf Course. A record 148 golfers (36 teams) participated. The outing is in memory of the late husband of COJ founder Sheila Munafo-Kanoza. All funds raised go toward COJ's slate of grief support programs for adults, teens, children and families, including monthly in-school groups in more than 65 area schools. All of COJ's services are free to the bereaved.

 companionsonajourney.org

Local musician Maria Carrelli performs during the Outdoors for All Expo.

Evan Young participates in the Ohio River Paddlefest races.

Paddlers on the Ohio River

Ohio River Paddlefest founder Brewster Rhoads welcomes paddlers to the river at Schmidt Boat Ramp Launch.

Adventure Crew program manager Asia Bradford speaks from the stage with some Adventure Crew teens during the Outdoors for All Expo. Adventure Crew Executive Director Libby Hunter is at right.

Ohio River Paddlefest volunteers and Adventure Crew staff celebrate the event’s success in raising $135,000 for Adventure Crew.

Volunteers from New York Life ran the putting contest. Companions on a Journey founder Sheila Munafo-Kanoza is center left.

Best Point breaks ground for Childhood and Wellness Center

Best Point Education and Behavioral Health broke ground for the new Western & Southern Childhood and Wellness Center.

The two-story building will enhance therapeutic wellness services and will house early childhood education programs, expanding programs to serve more than 200 children and families.

It will offer a wide array of services including assessment and intake, therapy, collaborative care, infant and toddler care, after-school care, psychiatric and medical management services (including pharmacy), therapeutic child care, case management, psychoeducational testing, pre-school care and Camp-I-Can Summer Camp.

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 Groundbreaking ceremony with children from CoStars: Mary Rahe, Fort Washington Investment Advisors president and CEO; John Langenderfer of Huntington Bank, Best Point board member; Cheryl Sieve, Delhi Township trustee and Best Point volunteer; Green Township Trustee Dave Linnenberg; Ohio state Sen. Catherine Ingram; board members Rhonda Sheakley, Pam Sibcy and Karen Bankston, chair; John Bultema III, president & CEO of Columbus & Lafayette Life Insurance; board members Tom Boggs, Betty Tonne and Tommie Lewis Jr.; Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus; state Reps. Dani Isaacsohn and Jodi Whitted

The eight-acre site at 4008 Westwood Northern Blvd. is just blocks from Best Point’s current facility. The new facility will bridge the gap in services for children in need on Cincinnati’s West Side and can offer services to an additional 1,138 clients.

 bestpoint.org

Musicians for Health examines use of AI in medicine, art

Musicians for Health held a panel discussion on the use of artificial intelligence in medicine and art, titled “The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly,” at Kenwood Country Club.

Panelists included: Chicago attorney John Barker, who specializes in AI ethics; University of Cincinnati engineering professor Kelly Cohen; and St. Elizabeth Hospital oncologist Dr. Doug Flora. Honorary co-chairs for the event were Patti and Bootsy Collins.

Founded by Joyce Elkus and Zac Greenberg in 2012, Musicians for Health explores therapeutic music and helps cure disease through awareness, fundraising and sound.

 musiciansforhealth.org

Dr. Phil Leming and Teresa Leming

NewPath opens in Bond Hill

NewPath Child & Family Solutions opened a stateof-the-art facility to provide comprehensive support and services to children and families. The new centralized location, at 4721 Reading Road in Bond Hill, offers services including counseling, therapeutic education, foster care services and support for youths transitioning into adulthood.

The ribbon-cutting event for NewPath, formerly St. Joseph Orphanage, was attended by community leaders, supporters, and families who have benefited from its services. The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber partnered with NewPath for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

 newpath.org

Joe Rieman, NewPath chief medical officer; Tricia Mullins, chief impact officer; Diane King, VP of quality & strategy; Eric Cummins, CEO; Esther Urick, VP of services; John C olegrove, CFO; and Sarah Kaising, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

Panelists: John Barker, Chicago attorney; Dr. Kelly Cohen, University of Cincinnati professor; and Dr. Doug Flora, St Elizabeth Hospital oncologist

Dr. Doug Hawley

Mark Schlachter and Mu Sinclair

Kelli Jette and Zac Greenberg, co-founder of Musicians for Health

Kelly Cohen and Yona Cohen

Joyce Elkus, co-founder and president of Musicians for Health, and Patti Collins

Michael Tacy, pianist for Musicians for Health

Vita Greenberg, Marc Greenberg and Michael Beck

John Barker and Joyce Elkus

Louie the Lion centerpieces were available for adoption.

Festival of Faiths unites world religions in celebration of peace

More than 30 faith traditions representing 13 world religions participated in the seventh annual Cincinnati Festival of Faiths, which advanced the theme of Compassion Through Action: Engaging with a Spirit of Hope and Peace. The festival was organized by EquaSion, a nonpartisan civic organization founded upon interfaith dialogue.

The celebration began at Xavier University’s Cintas Center with an interfaith devotional ceremony and a proclamation from Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval.

The Sikh community provided delicious food at no cost. This year’s exhibition saw greater teen and youth participation, diverse entertainment from Native American flute playing to a Sikh drum session, and a meditative walking labyrinth. The festival continued with online programming and culminated in the Festival Peace Walk at Ault Park.

 equasion.org

EquaSion Executive Director Chip Harrod and Becca Desai

A woman meditatively walks the labyrinth.

Charanjit Singh Gumtala, Aasees Kaur and Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval

Aruni Marapane and Right Rev. Kristin Uffelman White

The Sikh Gurmat Sangeet performs.

Acharya Kailash Sharma, chief priest at the Hindu Temple of Greater Cincinnati, speaks during the opening interfaith devotional.

Bekky Baker and Rev. Melanie W.J. Slane at the Festival Peace Walk

The Peace Walk at Ault Park was the culminating event of the festival.

Sivanya Sivaruban and Riya Terala perform at the Cincinnati Festival of Faiths.

Teens Zoe, Blake, Jules, Roslyn, Tahirih, Asher and their director, Adam Hayden, represent the Interfaith Harmony Camp.

Building Value deconstructs 1795 cabin for Great Parks

Building Value, Great Parks of Hamilton County and the Archeological Research Institute are preserving history and helping economically disadvantaged individuals build a better future. When Great Parks decided to take down and move the historic Dunn cabin at Shawnee Lookout State Park in North Bend, they contacted Building Value. Building Value’s paid training crew deconstructs residential and commercial properties to salvage building materials and architectural features.

Micajah Dunn’s family were among the first nonnative settlers in the Whitewater Valley, and their cabin, built in 1795, is one of the oldest log structures in Ohio. The cabin’s new home will be in Indiana, less than a 10-minute drive from its original location.

 buildingvalue.org

Cincinnati ToolBank volunteers build for Tikkun Farm

The Cincinnati ToolBank, in partnership with Tikkun Farm, brought together more than 50 volunteers who built picnic tables, three chicken coops, a chicken run and an awning, and extended a boardwalk – critical improvements that will help the farm continue its work in the community. The volunteers’ hard work was celebrated afterward with lunch and a happy hour at Brink Brewing.

Tikkun Farm is a 3.5-acre nonprofit farm in Mount Healthy, dedicated to restoring people, community and creation.

 tikkunfarm.com, cincinnatitoolbank.org

Cyclists show benefits of connected trails

Nearly 600 cyclists took to the trail for the second annual Tour de CROWN and post-ride expo, raising nearly $41,000 to support Tri-State Trails. The event demonstrated the benefits of a connected and accessible pathway – enhancing recreation, transportation, quality of life, economic development and more.

Presenting sponsor Great Parks of Hamilton County organized a rest stop at the Beechmont Bridge and built trail connections along the Little Miami Scenic Trail. Fifty West Brewing Company was the host, Columbia Township sponsored breakfast and coordinated lane closure along Wooster Pike. Reser Bicycle Outfitters provided ride support. The event was helped by 74 volunteers.

Tri-State Trails is working to connect the entire Tour de CROWN route by a seamless trail netowrk.

 tristatetrails.org

Barry Thompson and Jason Valentine help extend a boardwalk.

Jake Martin helps build an awning at Tikkun Farm.

Jayln Stewart

Lisa Koressel and Chris Borman put up a chicken run.

At Yeatman’s Cove in the Cincinnati Riverfront

Passing Paycor Stadium, downtown

Crew supervisor Terrence Blevins (foreground), Mark Henderson (on roof), Deonta Hall (with hard hat)

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The Building Value crew deconstructed the 1795 log cabin in order to move it to a new location.

Cyclists pose in front of the Vontz Center at UC.

Best Point opens Klekamp Music Center

Best Point Education & Behavioral Health celebrated the opening of the Marianne Klekamp Music Center at the Heidt Center of Excellence. The center deepens the integration of music within Best Point’s educational landscape, enriching the lives of students. It is a legacy of Marianne Klekamp, inspiring and nurturing the artistic dreams of future generations.

 bestpoint.org

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Outside entrance to the center

Indoor entrance to the Marianne Klekamp Music Center

Stacey Hill-Simmons, Best Point superintendent; a Heidt Center of Excellence student; Kent Butts, King Records

John Banchy, Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus, Amy Geers, Donald Klekamp, Greg Tassone and Karen Bankston

CoStars children singing at the ribbon cutting

Donald Klekamp with plaque honoring Marianne Klekamp

ArtWorks events celebrate Walnut Hills, its future home

ArtWorks celebrated Walnut Hills culture and the power of public art with ArtAmplified: HOME. The series of events set the stage for ArtWorks’ permanent move to the neighborhood later this year.

The multipart event included a gourmet dinner at The Aperture. Chef Jordan Anthony-Brown provided a fourcourse, Mediterranean-inspired meal, accompanied by talks with Colleen Houston, ArtWorks CEO and artistic director, and with featured artists Charles Gaines and Kathryne Gardette.

The second event, held at Esoteric Brewing, was a free Community Day, which featured The Red Door Project art auction, mandala making with artist Radha Lakshmi, tours of ArtWorks’ new headquarters, and music by DJ Pillo and DJ Stoned Soul Picnic.

 www.artworkscincinnati.org

Colleen Houston and Charles Gaines spoke at the dinner.

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Chef Jordan Anthony-Brown

Brett Sutton, Dominique Khoury and Elizabeth Dunne at The Red Door auction

Radha Lakshmi and Ellie Glenn making mandalas

DJ Pillo

Kathryne Gardette and Colleen Houston at the Community Day

The gourmet dinner at The Aperture

ArtWorks’ new headquarters

Photos by c atie viox

Pro Seniors celebrates this year’s Seniors Who Rock honorees

Pro Seniors celebrated its 2024 Seniors Who Rock awards presentation, recognizing inspirational Ohio seniors who continue to have positive impacts on the community.

Following a light breakfast catered by The Summit Hotel in Madisonville, Cincinnati City Manager Sheryl Long shared her commitment to supporting equity for all ages. The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation presented the Denis J. Murphy Award to Pro Seniors’ Helpline managing attorney Mike Walters for his leadership and advocacy among legal aid professionals.

Pro Seniors honored this year’s Seniors Who Rock: Dot Christenson, retired Better Housing League executive director; Louise Roselle, volunteer helpline attorney for Pro Seniors since 2021; and retired teacher and community volunteer Linda Tache, who has over 40 years of service to CET and the Action Auction committee.

The Seniors Who Rock event also raised funds to advance the Pro Seniors mission.

 proseniors.org

Chip Gerhardt, president of Government Strategies Group, with Angie Lloyd, executive director of the Ohio

Mike Walters, Pro Seniors Helpline managing attorney and recipient of the Denis J. Murphy Award, with Seniors Who Rock 2024 recipients Louise

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SATURDAY 6:30PM CET SUNDAY 8:30PM CET ARTS

Join Barbara Kellar as she showcases artists and cultural leaders from the Greater Cincinnati community.

Ronnie Spears, CFO for Council on Aging, and Michael Kennedy, Pro Seniors board of trustees Paula Boggs-Muething

Roselle, Linda Tache and Dot Christenson

Esther Norton of law firm RKPT

Dimity V. Orlet, executive director of Pro Seniors, with Nick Zingarelli, director and chief attorney for the Hamilton County Help Center

Cincinnati City Manager Sheryl Long

Access to Justice Foundation

Christine Buttress, partner at Bricker Graydon, with Orlando Sonza, executive director of Hamilton County Veterans Service Commission

Equipping people to break the barriers of poverty

Two years ago, I wrote a column about a new direction taking shape at United Way of Greater Cincinnati that seemed like quite a departure. The agency’s original model, of collecting charitable funds in workplace drives and redistributing it to certain community groups, was out of date. Moira Weir, who had recently become the president and CEO, wanted to focus the agency fiercely on one thing: fighting poverty.

And, in line with what many philanthropic organizations have realized, she saw they needed to think in a new way. Rather than decide from the top what people affected by poverty needed, more effective solutions would come from the ground up. And one thing Weir thought they needed to do was ask the very people who weren’t often asked. They needed to ask the Black community. The result was the Black-Led Social Change project.

In 2019, a team of 15 community

leaders called the Black Agents of Change was assembled. They were tasked with creating a grant program and defining its guidelines, which is called United Way’s Black Empowerment Works.

The team looked for grantee organizations that were Black-led, though able to benefit a wider community. They could be brand-new or already established. They wanted to support people already doing the work, said Jeremiah Pennebaker, senior associate for Black-Led Social Change, such as a lady who’d been running a dance school in her neighborhood for 30 years, funding it from her own pocket.

“They wanted to fund work that had potential to add a positive, uplifting view of the Black community,” said Pennebaker.

The first grants were around $25,000. Over the last three years, they have supported 130 organizations, granting $5 million. Many of the programs are aimed at children

NEW!

and youth. Popular areas of focus are food parity, enrichment and education.

But there’s no limit on what kinds of activities they fund. “Poverty is a giant issue, you can’t fight it one way,” said Pennebaker. “We give people space to get creative with their ideas.”

They found plenty of creativity. I called three men whose ideas were funded. They talked about other new ideas in philanthropy at work. They are “trauma-informed” – acknowledging past trauma and emphasizing trust and safety – and “strength-based” – building on existing skills. Each founder talked about the importance of Black kids having Black adults as teachers and role models, someone who looks like them, who came from similar circumstances and found a way upward.

Sprouting Minds is a nonprofit particularly focused on finding ways to help youngsters with trauma. The organization helps children who’ve experienced adversity to cope and find resilience. “Let’s address what happened to a person, not what’s wrong with them,” said founder and social worker Jordan Payne. He goes to schools and agencies and helps kids create gardens. Kids build raised beds, including using power tools, then pick out and plant vegetables and flowers. Having a relationship with a trusted adult over the course of a garden year is an important part. So is the self-esteem from seeing the tangible result, like a huge pumpkin or food to take home.

Polly Campbell

earn, budget, save and invest. They meet Black men with jobs in areas such as medicine or banking.

The Dream Project, from Revolution Dance Theater, finds kids who have strengths related to ballet in some way and then builds on them. “We inspire young people to imagine themselves as stars, set seemingly impossible goals, and give them a chance to attain them through hard work,” said founder David Choate. He’s involved 300 kids at schools, some who come into a dance studio and learn from teachers who look like them and understand their lives. They end up on billboards, on stage in all-Black productions of ballet, in marketing videos. “Core beliefs about your place in the world will define your success,” said Choate, who aims to make those beliefs positive.

Wealth Builders gives Black young men a chance to earn $500 by participating in their program, created and run by the local affiliate of My Brother’s Keeper. It makes sense, because the program, offered currently at Aiken High School, teaches financial literacy. “We encourage young Black men to envision their best life, to think big, and to hold themselves accountable for doing what they need to do to get there,” said founder Terrance Bacchus. They are shown how to

As Pennebaker said, there’s not one way to fix poverty. There is a need for work at a wider level, of course: fixing, say, inequitable school funding, or challenging racism in the justice system. But these locally focused organizations were started by people who see the effects of poverty and racism around them, and equip as many people as they can with tools to break the barriers.

I think about the network of support around me as I grew up: decent, safe schools, access to enrichment, a good view of the wide world and my pathways into it. In a poor community hollowed out by racist structures, that network has to be built by hand. It’s important that there are at least 130 organizations in Greater Cincinnati who have some money to help them build, whether it’s with grand jetés or zucchini seeds or opening a savings account. 

Polly Campbell writes monthly on a variety of topics, and she welcomes your feedback and column suggestions at editor@moversmakers.org.

86 PARTICIPATING VENUES. 107 PROJECTS.

The FotoFocus Biennial is a month-long celebration of photography and lens-based art held in October every two years—the largest of its kind in America. The Biennial encompasses 107 projects and more than 200 programs at Participating Venues across Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Northern Kentucky.

The FREE FotoFocus Biennial Passport provides access to 100+ FotoFocus Biennial projects ($118 value), Passport-exclusive invitations, and entry to the Biennial Opening Weekend Program. For the full schedule of events and list of benefits, visit:

Barbara Probst, Exposure #120: Brooklyn, 1177 Flushing Avenue, 11.15.16, 5:06 p.m., 2016. Courtesy of the artist