Cincinnati CityBeat

article local schedule May 29, 2026

Inside the new gallery of photography nonprofit FotoFocus, open today in OTR

The FotoFocus Center, a new 14,700 square-foot gallery and arts center in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, opens today after more than five years of planning. Designed by local architect Jose Garcia, the building features a grayscale exterior that shifts from black to white, referencing photography, and a stairwell modeled after a camera's viewfinder. The inaugural exhibition, "Big Tent," showcases 55 artists from Cincinnati, the U.S., and abroad, inspired by Amanda Gorman's poem "In This Place (An American Lyric)." Artistic director Kevin Moore says the space allows year-round programming beyond the organization's existing biennial festival.

article local schedule May 28, 2026

Meals on Wheels partners with CAM for one-day-only senior art exhibition

The Cincinnati Art Museum will host a one-day exhibition on May 29 featuring artworks created by 14 seniors from the Meals on Wheels Senior Art Cohort program. The program, a collaboration between Meals on Wheels, ArtWorks, and the museum, provided free transportation and materials for seniors to explore themes of aging, time, and identity through various media including watercolor, collage, and acrylics, guided by teaching artist Annie Ruth.

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 23, 2026

Cincinnati Art Museum opens new ‘radical fashion’-focused exhibit

The Cincinnati Art Museum is opening a new exhibition titled "Elizabeth Hawes: Radical American Fashion," the first-ever showcase dedicated to the groundbreaking American designer Elizabeth Hawes. The exhibit features over 50 garments from the 1920s to the 1960s, along with sketches, illustrations, and the first publication focused on her career. Hawes, who designed for icons like Lauren Bacall, championed gender-neutral clothing and quality mass manufacturing, ideas ahead of her time. The collection was largely donated by Dorette Kruse Fleischmann, a frequent client, and was curated by Megan Nauer, the museum's acting curator of fashion arts and textiles.

article local schedule Apr 14, 2026

Paul Kroner celebrates five years of his community art hub with solo exhibition

Cincinnati-based artist and activist Paul Kroner is celebrating the fifth anniversary of his space, Studio Kroner, with his first solo exhibition titled "What Have I Done?" opening April 17. Since its founding, the 1,200-square-foot venue has evolved from a private studio into a vibrant community hub, hosting national artists, theatrical performances, and social justice-oriented exhibitions. The upcoming show will feature a diverse range of Kroner’s own work, including paintings, illustrations, and a new series of bronze sculptures called "Liminals" created through a hybrid process of wax casting and digital scanning.

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 3, 2026

New exhibition honoring iconic Cincinnati artist to open next month

A new exhibition dedicated to the work of an iconic Cincinnati artist is scheduled to open next month. The show will feature a significant collection of the artist's work, celebrating their legacy and contribution to the local and broader art scene.

museum exhibitions schedule Mar 10, 2026

Cincinnati Art Museum spotlights ‘radical American fashion’ in new exhibit

The Cincinnati Art Museum has announced a major retrospective titled “Elizabeth Hawes: Radical American Fashion,” running from April 24 to August 2, 2026. This exhibition marks the first comprehensive museum presentation of Hawes’s career, featuring over 50 garments spanning the 1920s through the 1960s, alongside original sketches and the first-ever publication dedicated to her work. Curated by Cynthia Amnéus, the show traces Hawes’s journey from a Paris-based designer to a pioneer of independent American couture and a vocal critic of the fashion industry.

museum exhibitions schedule Jan 7, 2026

Cincinnati Art Museum Exhibit Explores the Artistry of Iconic Satire Publication MAD Magazine

The Cincinnati Art Museum (CAM) has opened "What, Me Worry? The Art and Humor of MAD Magazine," an exhibition exploring the seven-decade history and artistic impact of the iconic satirical publication. Originating from the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, the show features over 150 pieces, including original artwork from MAD artists, process drawings, and a spoof of Norman Rockwell's "Triple Self-Portrait" by Richard Williams placed alongside the original. The exhibition, curated by Stephanie Haboush Plunkett and Steve Brodner, runs through March 1 and was brought to CAM after director Cameron Kitchin visited the Rockwell Museum. Emily Agricola Holtrop, CAM's director of learning & interpretation, served as onsite curator.

article local schedule Aug 6, 2025

Local Stand-Up Comedian to Open Artist Studio, Gallery in Over-the-Rhine

Local stand-up comedian and portrait photographer Kevin James Thornton is opening a new creative studio and gallery called Shamala Hamala at 1306 Main Street in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood this Friday. The space includes a private artist workspace with a photographic darkroom, curated exhibitions, and a gallery selling art and creative goods. An opening night celebration on Friday features a harpist, live crocheting, and work from local artists, with free walk-in access after 8 p.m., followed by open hours Saturday and Sunday.

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