September 2020
Features
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Local Arts Leaders Connect With Audiences During COVID-19
Local arts leaders balance finances, safety protocols, and the public’s trust in order to find ways to reconnect with live audiences.
When Will Our Choral Groups Sing Again?
No one knows. In a city that sings, and the home of the May Festival, that’s a big deal. Here’s how our local vocal artists are hanging in there.
Playwright Torie Wiggins on Finding Hope Within
Her new piece, “Hope Deconstructed,” was featured in Playhouse in the Park’s digital Monologues of Hope series.
Five Arts Events Worth Looking Forward To in 2021
Let’s hope that these five arts events are far enough in the future that COVID-19 can’t cancel them.
Local Artist Alice Pixley Young Named One of Five Women Artists to Watch in Ohio
The multimedia artist will be featured in Columbus’s Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery exhibition, Paper Routes—Women to Watch 2020, July 30–October 17.
Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac On the Right Mix of ‘Serving’ and ‘Protecting’
In a wide-ranging conversation, Chief Eliot Isaac discusses Black Lives Matter, defunding the police, his opposition to a militarized force, and how CPD has improved since 2001.
Six Smaller Arts Organizations Worth Watching
The arts community in Greater Cincinnati is rich and varied. Here, we introduce you to six smaller groups doing big things.
Wave Pool Uses Art to Connect a Community
Even in a time of social distancing and isolation, Wave Pool finds a way to tap the power of creativity to bring people together.
Composer Michael Abels and the Cincinnati Symphony’s Fanfare Project
Known for his scores for the films Get Out and Us, composer Michael Abels answered the CSO’s call with an original work for viola.
Artist Anissa Lewis on Community, Creativity, and ‘Camp Delivery’
Anissa Lewis’s scripture-inspired prints were featured in Wave Pool’s food delivery boxes, distributed to Camp Washington residents and local artists.
Meet One of the Artists Behind the Powerful GOODS Storefront Mural
Ezra Kalmus and Stacey “Sun” Smith painted the mural on the wooden boards that covered GOODS on Main Street during the Black Lives Matter protests.
African American Genealogy in the Time of Black Lives Matter
As we look hard at our culture and ourselves, a new generation of Black genealogists weighs in on how Black lives—past, present, future, and forever—matter.
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Frontlines
Did Cincinnati Invent Statue Cancel Culture in 1872?
Did Cincinnati invent statue cancel culture when a marble bust of Abraham Lincoln got removed from a West End park in 1872?
These Local Museums Want to Hear Your Pandemic Experience
Local museums that record our community history are working to make sense of this global pandemic by collecting personal stories.
‘Dead to Me’ Star Diana-Maria Riva Supports the Next Generation of Actors
You may know Diana-Maria Riva from Netflix’s “Dead to Me,” but she’s also a UC-CCM grad who’s dedicated to mentoring today’s students.
Radar
Designer Joe Henline Talks About Styling Himself for Reality TV
Designer Joe Henline talks about styling himself for reality TV, a minimalist aesthetic, and bold hairstyles.
Artists of All Abilities Can Learn—and Earn—at InsideOut Studio
InsideOut provides employment opportunities for adult artists with disabilities by marketing, representing, and selling their work.
A Rambling Queen Anne Reigns in Wyoming
Historic details and thoughtful updates make this regal Victorian Queen Anne a house made for any era.
Columns
Editor’s Letter, September 2020: An Arts Recalibration
At a time when we look to the arts for insight into understanding each other and our struggles, these institutions had to shut their doors, cut staff, and postpone new work.
What Menopause Taught Me About Recognizing Racism
Hot flashes remind me that I am neither too young to experience menopause nor too liberal to examine my complicity in racism. I’m exactly on time.
Dr. Know: The Human Fly, Leaf Laws, and Another Local Answer Guy
Dr. Know explores troubling issues, including the “human fly” on Fountain Square, when and how to dispose of leaves, and WVXU-FM’s “OKI Wanna Know.”
The Art Is Outdoors at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park in Hamilton is a museum turned inside-out, and it’s all thanks to Harry T. Wilks and his big dreams.
Dine
To The Aperture’s Jordan Anthony-Brown, Creating a Great Menu Is Like Taking a Photo
Cincinnati native and chef for The Aperture Jordan Anthony-Brown talks about food, photography, and cooking during the pandemic.
Expand Your Chili Parlor Horizons at OTR Chili
OTR Chili sets up shop next to Rhinegeist and gives you a good reason to order a burger at a chili parlor.
Fifty West Burger Bar Serves Classic Comfort Food and Craft Brews
Fifty West Burger Bar delivers your burgers and brew fix—with a side of tasty crinkle-cut fries and a crowler of frosty craft beer.
Mesa Loca Delivers on the Promise of Its Prime Location
At the corner of Erie and Edwards in Hyde Park, Mesa Loca’s elevated cocktails and Mexican dishes offer an escape from the everyday.
Blue Oven Bakery Gets in the Doughnut Business
Blue Oven Bakery’s breads, English muffins, and pastries set the standard for baked goods. Now, they’re taking on doughnuts. Shut up and take our money.