October 10-13 art, light and culture event was an enormous success

Between 1.25 and 1.5 million people experienced BLINK in 2019, making the event the largest event in the region’s history.

Those figures, estimated by public safety and event consultants, are an increase over the attendance estimates of 2017, and mark the largest crowds ever in Downtown Cincinnati, Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood and Covington, Kentucky.

“BLINK was designed to bring communities together. This year we literally bridged our differences in a bigger, better, and brighter way. Thank you to everyone who has embraced BLINK in such an extraordinary way” said Tim Maloney, president and CEO of the The Carol Ann and Ralph V Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, founding partner of BLINK. “Our city is united in culture and arts and inclusion, and on behalf of the BLINK team, we say thank you.”

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This year’s event was again free and open to the public. It spanned 30-city blocks from Northern Kentucky’s Covington neighborhood, across the river, through Downtown Cincinnati and into Over-the-Rhine and the Findlay Market neighborhood.

“ArtsWave is pleased to have been BLINK’s illuminating sponsor. Arts put Cincinnati on the map, and BLINK did just that. An event of global scale happened here this weekend, and we are proud to have helped bring our community together through the arts in this way,” said Alecia Kintner, President & CEO of ArtsWave,” said Alecia Kintner, president and CEO of ArtsWave.

BLINK was a major tourism win for the Cincinnati region.  On Saturday night, the room occupancy rates in downtown Cincinnati was nearly 99 percent.

On Friday night, the occupancy rate was higher than 95 percent.

“Our community proved this weekend that Cincinnati is the future city. The entire BLINK team would like to thank its many partners, investors, sponsors, and volunteers. BLINK showed the world that the Cincinnati Region is home to a diverse and expanding community of creators and innovators,” said Jill Meyer, president and CEO of the Cincinnati Chamber. “In the coming months, we’ll report back to the community with data that highlights the total economic impact of BLINK.”

BLINK is the largest light, art and culture event of its kind in the nation. The event transforms the Cincinnati Region into an outdoor art phenomenon with large-scale projection mappings, murals and interactive light sculptures and art.

“In 2019, BLINK established itself as a major driver of tourism, said Julie Calvert, President and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. “BLINK’s visitors came from near and far and it was a spectacular way to introduce visitors to all that our community has to offer.”

BLINK 2019 by the numbers

• • Oct. 10-13, 2019
  • 1.25 – 1.5 million visitors over four days
  • 4 nights
  • 5 zones
  • 30 city blocks, 2 states, 1 river
  • 150,000 witnessed the Oct. 10 BLINK Future City Spectacular Parade, presented by Skyline Chili
  • 3,400 individuals participated in the BLINK Future City Spectacular Parade curated by ArtWorks
  • 93 groups participated in the Parade
  • 55 groups were brand-new to the Parade
  • 7 marching bands from around the region participated in the Parade
  • 100 installations were featured at BLINK
  • The BLINK installations were created by 90 artists or artist groups
  • Artists represented 12 nations and 15 U.S. states
  • 50 artists/artist groups are from the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region
  • 39 projection mappings were created (nearly double the amount of 2017), curated by Brave Berlin
  • 45 interactive installation locations were curated by ArtWorks
  • 16 new murals were created, curated by The AGAR
  • More than 80 live performances
  • More than 75,000 people rode Park and Rides, the Cincinnati Bell Connector, and the Southbank Shuttle during BLINK.

 

BLINK FUTURE CITY MANIFESTO
The people of the future city are united and enlightened. In the BLINK of an eye their hearts and minds glow with the radiance of transcendent knowing. Knowing the light of a thousand tomorrows of opportunity and hope. Knowing the light that shines from their hearts is all that was ever needed to stay the darkness of ignorance and poverty. Not here they said. Not in our shining future city. They work and play and draw the light from one another until it outshines the sun. The light inside revealed in all. The only light that matters. Together they shine with celebration, laughter and labor shared for all the world to see and in the blink of an eye their radiance is undeniable. www.blinkcincinnati.com