Greater Cincinnati Foundation Illuminates Music Hall during BLINK
Every other year, city blocks in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky transform into a magical display of light, color, community and art. BLINK, the nation’s largest immersive arts and light festival in its 4th installment, is poised to put on its best show yet, with over 2 million people in attendance.
GCF has been a longtime supporter of BLINK since the very beginning of the event in 2017. We sponsored the illuminations of iconic landmarks such as the Roebling Bridge and brought the largest mural in the Midwest to Cincinnati.
In 2024, GCF is sponsoring The Music Hall Experience, a 30-minute light projection displaying works by four different artists: Chaske Haverkos (Cincinnati, OH), Lightborne (Cincinnati, OH), Susan Kosti (Syndey, Australia) and AVextended (Beaugency, France).
The awe-inspiring energy of BLINK showcases the incredible talent in our region and our ability to bring international artists and patrons to our city. Over 900 artists responded to BLINK’s open call in 2024 and 60% of works, including part of the Music Hall illumination, are created by national and international artists.
For GCF, Chief Philanthropy Officer Sarah Weiss shares why we have continued our participation in BLINK by sponsoring the Music Hall illumination:
“Equity is a lens applied to everything we do. It makes perfect sense for us to support a free event that creates accessibility to the arts and draws in viewers from different walks of life. Our donors are deeply committed to supporting the arts, having contributed over $12 million in gifts in 2023 alone.”
Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are in a unique position to bring BLINK to life, the nation’s largest immersive art event. This is due to our region’s strong history of charitable support for creating a top-notch arts and culture scene; close relationships across the philanthropic, government, nonprofit, and private sectors; and exceptional creative talent from institutions such as the University of Cincinnati, Art Academy of Cincinnati, and more.
GCF continues to be inspired by the people who call this region home and appreciates the opportunity to embrace this year’s theme of “Make Room for Wonder.”
