At the Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s May Monthly Member Briefing, one message stood out above all others: the arts are not separate from economic development — they are essential to it.
From attracting talent and energizing neighborhoods to supporting tourism, education, and workforce development, the conversation with Alecia Kintner, President & CEO of ArtsWave, showcased how deeply arts and culture are woven into the future of the Cincinnati region.
As Chamber President & CEO Brendan Call noted during the discussion, Cincinnati’s arts ecosystem is part of the region’s identity.
“This is as much a part of our DNA as is the water in the Ohio River.”
For nearly a century, ArtsWave has helped shape that identity — and today, its impact extends far beyond galleries and performance halls.
A Community-Powered Legacy
ArtsWave’s roots date back to 1927, when civic leaders Anna Sinton Taft and Charles Phelps Taft challenged Cincinnatians to invest in the arts alongside them. Their campaign sparked a community-wide movement that became the foundation of ArtsWave’s unique funding model.
Unlike many cities that rely heavily on public arts funding, Cincinnati’s arts ecosystem has been built through support from businesses, employees, foundations, and individual donors.
Nearly 100 years later, that collaborative approach continues to fuel the region’s creative economy.
The Arts as Economic Infrastructure
When people think about infrastructure investments, they often think of highways, bridges, and construction projects. But during the briefing, ArtsWave made a compelling case that arts and culture are economic infrastructure too.
Recent studies conducted in partnership with the Chamber show that since 2015, nonprofit arts and culture organizations have driven hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment across the region. Projects like the renovations at Music Hall, the new Cincinnati Shakespeare Company theater, updates to Playhouse in the Park, and restoration efforts at the Emery Theater are reshaping the region physically and economically.
Across four years spanning the pandemic, nonprofit arts and culture still contributed approximately $1.6 billion to the regional economy.
The return on investment is substantial.
“For every $1 contributed to ArtsWave, $43 in economic value is delivered by our partners,” Kintner shared during the briefing.
Looking ahead to ArtsWave’s centennial in 2027, projections estimate that arts-related economic impact could grow to nearly $2.8 billion if investment and momentum continue.
Why Arts Matter in Talent Attraction
In today’s competitive landscape, quality of life plays a major role in where people choose to live and work. Cincinnati’s arts scene has become one of the region’s greatest competitive advantages.
According to the national Arts Vibrancy Index from SMU DataArts, Cincinnati ranks among the top arts-vibrant communities in the country. The region is also home to BLINK, the nation’s largest light and art festival, and has earned recognition as one of the country’s leading destinations for street art.
These experiences are not just cultural amenities — they are economic assets that help companies recruit talent and help young professionals build roots in the region.
For this year’s BLINK festival alone, organizers received hundreds of artist submissions representing countries across the globe, further elevating Cincinnati’s international visibility.
Investing in the Next Generation
One of the most impactful initiatives discussed during the briefing was ArtsWave’s “More Arts, More Kids” program.
The initiative was created to address declining access to arts education and field trips across the country. Through partnerships with local school districts and arts organizations, the program helps ensure students across the region have opportunities to experience live performances, museums, and cultural institutions regardless of their school’s resources or ZIP code.
This year alone, the initiative is expected to reach approximately 20,000 students through partnerships with districts including Cincinnati Public Schools, schools in Northern Kentucky, and the City of Hamilton.
Students gain exposure to world-class institutions like the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Art Museum, and more.
But the program is about more than exposure to the arts.
It’s about creativity, confidence, collaboration, and helping young people feel connected to their community — qualities that directly contribute to the future workforce and long-term regional growth.
Creating a More Connected Region
The conversation also highlighted how ArtsWave intentionally aligns its investments with broader regional priorities.
Each year, support from thousands of donors and hundreds of workplace campaigns is reinvested into organizations and projects designed to:
Put Cincinnati on the map
Enliven neighborhoods
Bridge divides across communities
Help residents deepen roots in the region
Expand creativity and learning opportunities for children
This alignment between business, arts, tourism, and civic leadership has become a defining strength for Cincinnati.
Organizations like ArtsWave, the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, Visit Cincy, Meet NKY, and community partners are working together to create not only a stronger arts scene, but a stronger region overall.
Looking Ahead to ArtsWave 100
As ArtsWave approaches its 100th anniversary in 2027, the organization is preparing for a centennial campaign designed to celebrate Cincinnati’s creative legacy while investing in its future.
The milestone campaign will launch alongside the next edition of BLINK and will focus on ensuring the arts continue to serve as a driver of economic growth, talent attraction, neighborhood vibrancy, and community connection for generations to come.
For Cincinnati’s business community, the takeaway from the May Monthly Member Briefing was clear: investing in the arts is investing in the future of the region.
The arts shape how people experience Cincinnati. They influence whether people choose to move here, stay here, build businesses here, and raise families here.
And in an increasingly competitive economy, that matters more than ever.
What’s Next?
Join us on June 11, 2026 at 8:00 AM for our next Monthly Member Briefing, featuring our keynote speaker, Julie Kirkpatrick, CDME, is the President & CEO of meetNKY and interim President & CEO of Visit Cincy. Register Here.