ArtWorks’ 2024 milestones are a testament to the creativity, dedication, and hard work of our incredible staff. From groundbreaking murals and innovative initiatives to national recognition, these achievements reflect the passion and talent of the employees who bring our mission to life every day. Here’s a look at what we’ve accomplished together this year:

Cincinnati Ranked #1 for Street Art

• Cincinnati earned the top spot in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards for street art (March), marking the fourth consecutive year in the top 10 and the first year at #1

Gold-Level Workplace Equity Certification

• ArtWorks achieved Gold-level status as a Leader in Workplace Equity from Ellequate, the nation’s premier certification platform for workplace equity (November).

Launch of Year-Round Photo/Video Studio

• Introduced a dedicated, year-round Photo/Video Studio, led by a Photo/Video Studio Manager and with five Studio artists ages 18–24 to expand creative services (May).

Creative Campus in Walnut Hills

• Completed construction and moved into the new ArtWorks building (October).
• Advanced construction on the Hannan ArtPark, collaborating with renowned artists Charles Gaines and Roberto Lugo to add world-class public art to the space as a crucial step toward creating the Walnut Hills art corridor.

Expanded Partnerships 

• Broadened partnership with Hamilton County Youth Employment to provide financial and hiring support, as well as additional professional development opportunities (March).
• Selected as facilitator and consultant by 3CDC to oversee art for the new convention center (November).

First-Ever Rooftop Mural

• ArtWorks’ mural studio completed a groundbreaking rooftop mural for the Freestore Foodbank, visible to airplanes flying to or from CVG (August).

Celebrating Cultural Diversity Through Murals

• Completed and dedicated the “Let There Be Light” mural celebrating Jewish culture (October) and dedicated the “Azucar!” Cuban cultural mural (June) as well as the “Lotus Mandala” mural honoring Indian heritage (June).

Statewide Get Out the Vote Initiative

• Worked with community partners to share Ohio’s first statewide Get Out the Vote campaign, featuring wheatpaste art in several Ohio cities and Shepard Fairey’s inaugural large-scale permanent mural in Ohio, located in Over-the-Rhine (September).

Taking on the Red Door Project

• Presented the work of 100 community artists in ArtWorks’ first year managing the Red Door Project art auction. Hosted events across three venues:
  • Over-the-Rhine in partnership with Art Academy of Cincinnati (April).
  • Esoteric in Walnut Hills (August).
  • Hotel Covington in Northern Kentucky (October).

First Black Art Walk

• Collaborated with the City of Cincinnati and community partners to launch the inaugural Black Art Walk in honor of Black History Month (February). The tour highlighted Black artists and figures depicted in ArtWorks murals. Partnered with the Voice of Black Cincinnati for a second Black Art Walk mural tour (July).

Social Media Achievement

• Reached 30,000 followers on Instagram (September). This year, we gained nearly 3,000 followers on this social platform alone.

National Media Recognition

• Featured in the Saturday Evening Post (July). One of the oldest magazines in the United States, they estimate almost three million readers see each issue of the Post.

ArtWorks Murals in BLINK

• Five ArtWorks’ murals were brought to life in the BLINK light celebration (October).

And so many more!

Together, we’re continuing to enrich our surroundings through art, enhance our quality of life, and elevate our global reputation as an arts destination. Help us continue our mission – donate today.