CINCINNATI – July 8, 2025 –
The leadership team behind BLINK®, the internationally celebrated immersive light and art event, today announced that BLINK will return to Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky from October 8-11, 2026. The announcement also marks the official opening of the Call to Artists, inviting creators locally and from around the world to submit their ideas to become part of the next chapter of one of the nation’s most spectacular public art experiences.
Spanning more than 30 city blocks across Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, BLINK, illuminated by ArtsWave, transforms the region with large-scale projection mapping, light based art installation, and murals that attract more than a million people to the Queen City .
“BLINK has always been about pushing creative boundaries and bringing people together through awe and wonder,” said Leslie Mooney, Executive Director of BLINK. “As we open the Call to Artists for 2026, we’re looking to collaborate with visionaries locally and globally who want to help us tell bold, unexpected, and meaningful stories through light, art, and immersive experiences. Our goal is to continue building something that reflects the heart of our region and resonates on a global scale.”
BLINK 2024 attracted extraordinary interest from artists in the Cincinnati region and around the world, with 944 total submissions from artists in 65 countries. That year’s festival featured 37 projection mapping projects, 31 light-based installations, and 19 permanent murals—making it one of the most ambitious and inclusive creative showcases to date.
Andrew Salzbrun, co-founder of experiential agency AGAR and one of the original creators of BLINK, added: “BLINK is not just an event—it’s a platform where artists, communities, and the public come together to ignite imagination and transform our city. We’re excited to see where the creative community will take us in 2026.”
The Call to Artists is open to local, national, and international artists across mediums including projection mapping, light-based sculpture, interactive installations, and mural work. It is free to apply.
“What makes BLINK so special is the artists who bring it to life each year. We welcome artists from all walks of life – with a variety of ideas and creative visions – to embark with us on a life-changing journey. We are committed to showcasing works from emerging artists who are on the rise in their careers as well as to those who are well established,” said Leslie Mooney, Executive Director of BLINK.
Eighty-four percent of artists who applied for BLINK in 2024 had never applied before, and 88% of the artists whose work was featured had not shown their work at previous BLINK festivals. BLINK supports artists with financial resources, consultative services, project feedback, and production support from idea to finished concept.
Interested artists can find submission guidelines and application details at blinkcincinnati.com. The deadline to apply is October 8, 2025.
About BLINK®:
Started in 2017, BLINK is a biennial celebration of public art and light that spans the urban core of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The massive four-day event features 80+ large-scale projection mappings against some of the city’s most iconic architecture, interactive light-based installations in its public spaces and expansive murals across its buildings, all by renowned local, national and international artists. The largest of its kind in the country, the festival’s mission is to nurture a sense of community, connection and inspiration through the medium of public art. In 2024, BLINK spanned 30+ city blocks, crossing the Ohio River into Covington and Newport, Kentucky and was experienced by over 2 million people. BLINK is by the artists, for the people. Executive producing partners are the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, AGAR and the Haile Foundation. We welcome all to Cincinnati, Ohio to experience the magic and wonder of BLINK once again October 8-11, 2026. For more information, visit www.blinkcincinnati.com/get-involved.
For media inquiries, contact:
Amy Fitzgibbons, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Cincinnati Regional Chamber; afitzgibbons@cincinnatichamber.com; 646.369.5406
