ArtsWave raises goal by $200K

The 2023 ArtsWave campaign — the largest community campaign in the nation and primary way Cincinnati funds its arts — kicked off its 74th annual campaign Feb. 10, raising its goal by $200,000 over last year’s total fundraising.

ArtsWave campaign co-chairs Carl Satterwhite, president/owner of RCF Group, and Scott Robertson, chairman of RCF Group, announced a community-wide campaign goal of $11.7 million to fund 150-plus organizations and projects that will create thousands of cultural performances and exhibits.

The campaign goal is set based on early commitments from supporters, including some 300 regional businesses that make corporate contributions and run employee campaigns.

The 2023 goal is up $200,000 over last year when $11.5 million was raised. The 2022 total was a $500,000 increase over 2021. All of the recent campaigns have been trying to get back to the pre-pandemic high water mark of $12.5 million.

The campaign theme, “Created to Grow: Stronger Arts for a Strong Region,” comes as Cincinnati celebrates its recent news of making the top 20 most arts-vibrant large metros (out of more than 900 MSAs) nationally.

The campaign also comes after a banner year of more than 775 million impressions in national media for the arts and Cincinnati’s largest event in its history – the projection-mapping, mural and lighting event BLINK.

BLINK attracted attendees from 29 states, the event directly created or supported 1,638 jobs and had a direct economic impact of $126 million.

Satterwhite and Robertson have assembled a cabinet of 36 volunteer leaders from an array of business sectors to help secure support over the next three months.

Robertson announced a “More Arts, More Kids Arts” $1 million chairmen’s challenge for arts education, sharing the news that $427,500 has been raised to date.

Beginning this fall, ArtsWave will launch a pilot program to enable 50,000 arts field trips for kids over the next five years, so that all elementary children within Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) can experience the arts.

“Arts in schools and field trips to arts venues were among the first things to be cut during the worst of the pandemic,” said Robertson.

The campaign kick-off included announcements of various campaign initiatives.

A new partnership has been created with Boone County Distillery’s Canvus Cocktails, the official canned cocktail of the Cincinnati Bengals. A portion of the proceeds of the game-day illustrations poster sales will go to fund the arts through ArtsWave.

Also, ArtsWave is partnering with the Cincinnati Reds and FC Cincinnati with tickets and special experiences that will be provided as thank-you gifts to ArtsWave donors.

CincyJams, presented by Accenture, the workplace battle of the bands and key fundraiser for the campaign, will return to Hard Rock Café on May 18.