A Q&A with BLINK Executive Director Leslie Mooney

A Q&A with BLINK Executive Director Leslie Mooney
Recently we sat down with Leslie Mooney, BLINK’s new executive director and got her take on what she’s looking forward to, what she loves about the event and how she sees a growing community of artists coming out of BLINKs past that will take it forward far into the future. Here’s what she had to say.

What’s your favorite BLINK memory?
I remember coming to that very first BLINK in 2017 with my family. I had a tiny little newborn baby and three toddlers, and we really didn’t know what to expect. We came downtown, and just the sheer number of people out gathered together, looking up in awe and wonder was something none of us had ever seen before. It’s something I think, collectively, the vast majority of us had never witnessed or experienced. And so it was thrilling on several levels – to see such large-scale artworks, to be around so many other people experiencing it for the first time and to be a part of something that was so much of part and a reflection of our our neighborhoods and our community. That was so amazing and so special to be a part of.

What makes BLINK unique?
BLINK being in Cincinnati is so unique because we highlight some of our city’s greatest physical assets, like the Italianate architecture throughout Over-the-Rhine, the Findlay market area, the river and downtown and we also highlight our people assets: the artists we have here locally and the connections we have made to attract world class artists from all over the globe. Just seeing all the creativity and the way that  comes together and the fact that it is such a large festival, but also feels very walkable and very ingrained in our neighborhoods is something you can’t really find anywhere else. 

What can we look forward to for BLINK 2026?
I am so excited about BLINK 2026. The caliber, level and artistic quality of the submissions just gets better and better every year. Artists are so aware of it and really feel a point of pride at being accepted into BLINK. So then the creativity is sparked and just keeps building to a higher level. Interactive, light-based installations and projection mapping are also such evolving art forms. The use cases for AI and other technologies are out there and very accessible now, and so I’m excited to see how the artists integrate that and do something we’ve really never seen before. 

What excites you about BLINK’s future? 
I think what will become even more exciting for future BLINKs, even beyond 2026, is to see the blossoming of our local artistic community among those who “grew up” with BLINK. Since BLINK’s start, we’ve really put a lot of effort and a lot of resources behind growing the next generation of artists right here in Cincinnati. Those include investments into students at UC and Art Academy and NKU and Miami University as well as up and coming artists already in our community, and in the next few years we’ll get to see those kids become full fledged adult artists, and being able to participate in Blink and get paid to do their art form is something that’s really exciting for me, personally, for the future of Blink. 

Why should artists apply to be part of BLINK?
Not only is it amazing to be able to have a giant showcase for your artwork, BLINK creates a truly electrifying atmosphere in this city over the course of 4 days. It’s hard to capture the feeling or to even explain it to someone who hasn’t taken part in one way or another, but I think artists who have participated before would say that it is invigorating, magical and so unique. Also, you just don’t get the opportunity, maybe ever, to have an audience of 2 million plus people with eyeballs on your work. You also get the support from the entire BLINK team and the community. You get to feel part of the community. In that way, it’s really unparalleled. There’s nothing like it out there.

Any last words?
Artists – it’s time to get on it! We can’t wait to see your submissions. We can’t wait to see your artwork. We can’t wait to see you here in Cincinnati in 2026.