CINCINNATI -- ArtsWave Community Campaign Chairs Jill P. Meyer and Awadagin Pratt announced a goal to raise $12.45 million by April to support arts in Greater Cincinnati at a special concert Monday night at the College-Conservatory of Music.
In 2015, ArtsWave broke its own fundraising record to remain the nation’s oldest and largest public arts fund. The organization raised $12.25 million that supported the work of more than 100 Cincinnati-area arts organizations and programs through impact-based grants and services.
“Arts are an absolute necessity,” said Meyer, president & CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. “Cincinnati’s vibrant arts define our region in a unique way and will continue to help us build Cincinnati’s presence as an amazing place to live and work.”
Pratt and Meyer made the announcement at a kick-off concert for the 2016 Community Campaign. The evening of music featured Pratt, who is a world-renowned concert pianist, along with University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono, a talented cellist, and the MYCincinnati Youth Orchestra.
“For a city of this size, we have a remarkable number of first-rate arts organizations,” said Pratt, artist-in-residence at the College-Conservatory of Music. “The arts inspire, they connect, they teach our children skills like self-discipline and collaboration. There can never be a place of enough arts.”
Last year, ArtsWave announced a 10-year strategic plan with five goals for the arts sector: to raise Cincinnati’s national reputation; to deepen roots in the region; to bridge cultural divides; to enliven neighborhoods; and to fuel creativity and learning.
The 2016 Community Campaign will end April 28. For more information or to support the 2016 ArtsWave Community Campaign, visit www.theartswave.org. Follow the campaign on social media @ArtsWave and #Give2ArtsWave.
Click here to read ArtsWave Blueprint for Collective Action.
