March 2026

March 2026

Future Thinking

Cal Cullen, J.B. Kropp, Ryan Hays, Kirsten Moorefield & Ryan Rybolt +

Ollie Kroner • Polly Campbell

The creative minds behind a King Records documentary

Informed. Inspired. Involved.

Movers &Makers

March 2026

Publisher’s Letter 4

Arts & Culture 5

MoversMakers.org

Telling the King Records story | By David Lyman 5

Summermusik festival spotlights African roots 6

Opera’s Underscore series goes beyond the music 6

Art groups merge to expand youth photography 6

Cindependent takes charge of Mariemont Theatre 6

The A&C List 7

FOCUS ON the

FUTURE 14

Panel explores future of Cincinnati | By John O. Faherty 14

Kroner leads city’s push for climate readiness | By Shauna Steigerwald 17

The Datebook 19

Social calendar shines a spotlight on the movers and makers behind Greater Cincinnati’s fundraisers, friend-raisers and community events.

Nonprofit News 21

Cincinnati Chamber buys ColdIron to expand services 21

Ronald McDonald Houses in Cincinnati, Dayton merge 21

Two Asian groups combine to expand programming 21

Names in the News 22

Gifts & Grants 24

Snapshots

25

SCPA showcases ‘Future of the Arts’ 25

Visit Cincy event opens new-look convention center 26

Moveable Feast illuminates CCM 27

Flywheel marks 10 years, new leadership 28

Freedom Center honors MLK Day with festivities 29

M&M readers Mix & Mingle in OTR 30

Stepping Stones opens hearts and tops record 31

Lindner Center scores ‘Touchdown’ for new institute 32

Caledonian Society hosts 198th ball 32

ArtsWave kicks off 2026 campaign 33

Outdoor fashions raise funds for Adventure Crew 33

The Last Word 34

Polly Campbell: A great city takes dreamers – and doers

Reflecting on the turbulence of our lives these days, and knowing from decades of lived experience that things always ebb and flow, we thought it might be productive to take a longer view of things for a change. What might things look like 50 years from now, and are we in Cincinnati prepared to make sure we thrive in 2075?

With this in mind, we reached out to the future-centric folks at Cintrifuse to collaborate on a live event where we delved into what makes Cincinnati uniquely situated for future success and what we need to improve. The result was a panel discussion at Cintrifuse in Over-the-Rhine, moderated by John Faherty and composed of hand-picked futurists. See John’s analysis on Page 14.

The elephant in the room that day was climate change, but we purposely did not make that issue central to the panel as we had an ace in our pocket in the City of Cincinnati’s Oliver Kroner. Shauna Steigerwald interviewed

Kroner, director of the Office of Environment & Sustainability, about his background and rise to leadership over regional climate initiatives. See Page 17.

One consistent theme from the panel is that fresh perspectives from people new to our area have helped reshape our appreciation for the strengths we possess locally. For example, it took two transplants to capture and frame our own story about King Records in a recent documentary, and to project that story out into the world, something we don’t do often enough. David Lyman interviewed filmmakers Yemi Oyediran and JP Leong about their friendship and their PBS-aired documentary, “King of Them All.” See Page 5.

And Polly Campbell weighs in by appreciating what the accumulation of individual efforts does to build our community – the combination of creativity and initiative. See Page 34.

Our overall conclusion from these conversations is that

Elizabeth & Thom Mariner, co-publishers

Digital edition & daily posts MoversMakers.org

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Thom Mariner, 513-543-0890 or tmariner@moversmakers.org

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Elizabeth Mariner, emariner@moversmakers.org

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Publishing schedule

Deadline Available APRIL FEB 27 MARCH 25 MAY MARCH 27 APRIL 22

JUNE APRIL 24 MAY 20

JULY MAY 29 JUNE 24

AUGUST JUNE 26 JULY 22

SEPTEMBER JULY 31 AUG 26

OCTOBER AUG. 28 SEPT 23

NOVEMBER OCT 2 OCT 28

DEC ’26 / JAN ’27 OCT 30 NOV 25  moversmakers.org/publishing-schedule

© Copyright 2026 Movers & Makers Publishing

We make every effort to verify information submitted for publication (print and online), but are not responsible for incorrect information or misidentified photos provided to us.

Readers are advised to confirm event dates and other important details and check for last-minute changes with the organizations or advertisers involved.

Publication of this magazine and its website (MoversMakers.org) does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of any information contained within, including advertisements and links.

Movers & Makers Publishing is an Ohio nonprofit operating under 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsorship.

Cincinnati has the tools and resources to thrive and lead, yet systems and attitudes can hold us back. We need to harness creativity through collaboration, embrace our strengths and remain willing to challenge norms to carve a better path forward, for us and future generations.

Please do your part in lifting Cincinnati up as one of the country’s shining lights.

Thom & Elizabeth Mariner, co-publishers

The publishers at Cintrifuse for the panel discussion on Cincinnati’s future Mix &

For their work on this issue, our gratitude to:

• Casey Weldon, digital editor

• Phil Fisher and Ray Cooklis, copy editors

• Melanie Picazo, intern

• All the nonprofits that contributed news and photos.

Support comes from:

Newport Car Barn 1102 Brighton Street, Newport Wednesday, March 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Join us for light bites & 2 free drinks. RSVP required by March 6.

Arts & Culture

Remembering a King

It took a pair of outsiders to document

Cincinnati’s legendary King Records

“Everything starts and ends in Cincinnati,” said Yemi Oyediran. “But most people haven’t figured that out.” At the moment, he’s talking about “King of Them All: The Story of King Records,” the much-lauded film he co-produced with business partner and kindred spirit JP Leong. But his enthusiasm – and skepticism – for Cincinnati runs much deeper than that single project.

“Modern policing? Born in Cincinnati,” he said. “Medical innovations? Cincinnati has always been at the forefront. But as a community, we do a really poor job of not only telling our stories, but of even sharing them.”

This is classic Oyediran. Mention a subject that intrigues him – there are an abundance of them – and he’s almost certain to launch into a lengthy, impassioned riff. That’s not a negative thing. He’s as interesting as he is interested, as outgoing as he is outspoken.

Perhaps it’s that eagerness to champion Cincinnati that drew him to the story of King Records and its founder Syd Nathan, who launched the eclectic label in Cincinnati in 1943.

Long before “diversity” became a societal buzz word (and then a divisive one), King Records was known for the extraordinary breadth of its artist roster. “Hillbilly” music, R&B, doo-wop, bluegrass, funk and some of the earliest examples of rock ’n’ roll – they all found a home in the Evanston studios of King Records.

By David Lyman

money to be made with hillbilly music, he wanted to be the guy who made that money. The same with “race” music and the Black musicians who created it. Never mind that race-mixing in recording studios was unthinkable to most record labels. Nathan’s eyes, framed in his chunky, ultra-thick glasses, rarely strayed beyond the bottom line.

That bottom line enriched America’s musical landscape, as Nathan recorded music by a pantheon of game-changing artists, including James Brown, Hank Ballard, Joe Tex, Grandpa Jones, the Stanley Brothers, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Little Willie John, The Platters, Ferlin Husky, Wynonie Harris and many others. He even released a record of music by the

University of Cincinnati Bearcat Band.

recognize the significance of the beloved label. Over the past 25 years, there have been numerous efforts to boost the legacy of King Records. There are a handful of small foundations devoted to it. There has been city money aimed at preserving the company’s Evanston headquarters. The Playhouse in the Park even commissioned a musical called “Cincinnati King.”

But why did it take a pair of outsiders, children of immigrants, guys not raised in Cincinnati, to put the history of King Records on a national stage?

They spent years wading through mammoth amounts of previously collected research and film footage. They scavenged material from every conceivable source, from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Dick Clark Productions to the Library of Congress and the National Archives. WCET and a number of King aficionados pitched in, as well.

Finally, in what some might find a controversial move, the pair developed software to digitally restore and add color to the footage they had collected, “so that viewers today could experience King Records as vividly as possible,” explained Oyediran.

They were determined that “King of Them All” would be as entertaining as it was informative. They wanted this to be a documentary that would take the King Records story – and their reputations – far beyond local audiences.

The hour-long film was broadcast nationally on PBS last October, earning a generous handful of positive reviews and an NAACP Image Award nomination for Oyediran for Outstanding Directing in a Documentary. (The winners were to be announced Feb. 28, after this issue went to print.)

It wasn’t so much that Nathan was a dogooder, setting out to save the world one record at a time. He was a pragmatist. If there was

“He took a chance on artists no one else would, and it paid off in a major way,” reads the plaque honoring him at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Leong and Oyediran are not the first to

“King of Them All” has not yet been picked up by a major streaming service, but that may happen. In the meantime, if you become a PBS supporter, you can watch on the network’s website. Or you can wait for it to pop up in a film festival lineup, where the filmmakers screen their 70-minute director’s cut.

None of this was on their minds when

they first crossed paths more than 25 years ago.

“We met during our freshman year in college,” Oyediran said. “It was Sept. 22, 1999.” And then, in a rare moment of self-questioning, he said, “Maybe it was the 23rd. It was the first day of classes at UC.” (He was right the first time, UC archives say.)

The one thing the two men agree on is that they were both entering the College of Engineering and that the class was Calculus 101.

“Yemi was good at math,” Leong recalled. “I basically bombed out of engineering. But we were weirdly drawn to each other. We instantly bonded. Maybe it’s that we were the two darkest people in the room.”

They were used to being regarded as outsiders. Though they were both born in the United States, they are the children of immigrants. Leong’s parents came from Malaysia, while Oyediran’s parents emigrated from Nigeria.

“Back in Toledo, I was one of two Asian students in my high school,” Leong said. “The other one was my brother.”

But their connection had broader roots. They were interested in the same kinds of music. They had similar senses of humor. And they both had lifelong involvements in the Assemblies of God church.

“I was the only one in class with a coat and tie,” Oyediran said, a holdover from his high school days at Western Reserve Academy, an exclusive boarding school 25 miles south of his home in Beachwood, Ohio. “I decided to start messing around, pretending I was the professor.”

Most of the other students didn’t know what to make of him.

“But JP, who is usually the quietest, biggest introvert you’ll ever meet in your life, starts talking s**t to me,” Oyediran said, laughing. “And for the rest of the day – the rest of the semester, really – we walked around slack-jawing each other.”

In time, they would form a small production company called Afrochine, paying homage to their ethnic backgrounds. (And yes, they are aware of the play on words, as the name is pronounced the same as the noted African American hair product, Afro Sheen.)

Fifteen years would pass before they began what would become their most widely seen work. And thanks to seed money from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation and its People’s Liberty project, there was funding to move ahead.

“We worked on that film for nine years,” Oyediran said. “It should have been a lot less,” he added, launching into a long and disheartening tale of the hesitance of many local funders to get involved.

But the friends were committed to telling this King story. And, perhaps, a bit stubborn in their determination.

“It’s a yin-yang, push-pull kind of thing,” Leong said. “Yemi is more driven. He’s the visionary. I’m more comfortable making sense of the terabytes of film footage and interviews. I don’t want the attention.”

But in King Records, they saw a story begging to be told.

“Yemi and I both like telling the stories of people who are working to create something that can benefit humanity,” Leong said. “Not just famous and powerful people – people who have something to say. And with Syd Nathan and King Records, we found that story.” 

Summermusik festival spotlights African roots

West African rhythms and African American musical traditions take center stage March 12-16 with Summermusik’s We Are One: Roots festival. Headlining the five-day series is Nigerian-American baritone Babatunde Akinboboye, known for his blending of opera with hip-hop.

The festival explores the musical connection between West African and African American traditions, with three public concerts as well as in-school workshops and community programs.

Akinboboye's work has helped popularize the "hip hopera" movement. MTV’s “Carmen: A Hip Hopera” and the Fugees’ “HipHopera” are among the best-known examples of the genre’s modern take on operatic style.

Summermusik launched its We Are One series in 2022.

 summermusik.org

New series explores unexpected side of opera

Cincinnati Opera has launched a new event series, Underscore, that aims to approach opera from unexpected angles.

Underscore will present experiences inspired by the performances in Cincinnati Opera’s 2026 Summer Festival, with theatrical investigations, topical discussions and character explorations.

The series opens March 3 in Music Hall’s Wilks Studio with “The Importance of Being Oscar,” billed as “a nearly-true story of Oscar Wilde’s first visit to Cincinnati.”

“Carmen’s Revenge – An Operatic Murder Mystery” takes place April 21 at Second Sight Spirits in Ludlow, Kentucky, exploring what might take place after the ending of Georges Bizet’s “Carmen.”

“The Afrofuturist Salon,” May 7 at Artsville in Madisonville, brings together collaborators on Cincinnati Opera’s new opera “Lalovavi” for a discussion on Black futurism, beauty and self-expression.

 cincinnatiopera.org

Cindependent takes charge of Mariemont Theatre

Cindependent, the Cincinnatibased nonprofit best known for the Cindependent Film Festival, has taken over stewardship of the historic Mariemont Theatre. The move expands the organization’s mission to support independent storytelling while protecting an important neighborhood institution.

Since its founding nearly a decade ago, Cindependent has grown from an annual festival into a year-round nonprofit offering film screenings, education initiatives and community-centered programs.

Located at 6906 Wooster Pike in the Village of Mariemont, the six-screen cinema will continue as a neighborhood theater, showing a mix of new releases, independent films, classics and family programming when Cindependent begins operating it this winter.

 cindependentfilmfest.org

Art groups merge to expand youth photography offerings

Two regional visual-arts nonprofits are merging, bringing a youth photography program into one of Cincinnati’s most established art institutions. Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center will absorb I.imagine’s programs, assets and teaching materials.

I.imagine, based in Union, Kentucky, has focused on photography education for teens for more than a decade. It has served more than 1,500 young people across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

Manifest, known for its gallery exhibitions and studio-intensive instruction, plans to incorporate I.imagine’s work into the Manifest Center for the Visual Arts on Central Parkway, currently under development.

Manifest has operated for more than 20 years. Its future campus will consolidate gallery, education and residency programs into a single site.

 manifestgallery.org

The A/C List

Cultural Exhibits/Events/Tours

American Construction Toy Museum | Norwood. actmuseum.org

ƒ Preservation and history of three-dimensional building toys in America

American Legacy Tours | Over-the-Rhine. 859-951-8560. americanlegacytours.com

ƒ Historic tours in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky

American Sign Museum | Camp Washington. 513-541-6366. americansignmuseum.org

ƒ Saturdays, noon & 2 p.m. Guided museum tours

Archaeological Research Institute | Lawrenceburg. 812-290-2966. exploreari.org

ƒ Hands-on educational experiences

Behringer-Crawford Museum | Devou Park, Covington. 859-491-4003. bcmuseum.org

ƒ Thru Aug. 9. “Treasures From the Attic: 250 Years of Fashion & Furniture”

Betts House | West End. 513-651-0734. facebook.com/thebettshouse

ƒ By appointment only. Oldest home in Cincinnati

Brewing Heritage Trail Tour Center | Over-the-Rhine. 513-604-9812. brewingheritagetrail.org

ƒ Exploring Queen City brewing history

Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame | The Banks. cincyblackmusicwalkoffame.org

ƒ Daily, 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Queen City contributions to Black music

Cincinnati Fire Museum | Downtown. 513-621-5553. cincyfiremuseum.com

ƒ Permanent collection: Historic artifacts and equipment

Cincinnati Food Tours | Over-the-Rhine. 513-602-5602. cincinnatifoodtours.com

ƒ Exploring Queen City culinary culture

Cincinnati Museum Center | West End. 513-287-7000. cincymuseum.org

ƒ Thru April 12. “Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away”

Cincinnati Nature Center | Milford. cincynature.org

ƒ Nature trails and ponds amidst oldgrowth forest

Cincinnati Observatory | Hyde Park. cincinnatiobservatory.org

ƒ Oldest professional observatory in the United States

Cincinnati Type & Print Museum | Lower Price Hill. cincinnatitypeprintmuseum.org

ƒ Permanent collection: equipment, tools and artifacts

Cincinnati Zoo | Avondale. 513-281-4700. cincinnatizoo.org

ƒ World-class fauna and flora

Civic Garden Center | Avondale. 513-221-0981. civicgardencenter.org

ƒ 1st Thursday, 11 a.m. Compost Tour

ƒ 3rd Thursday, 10 a.m. Green Learning Station Tour

ƒ 3rd Thurs day, 11 a.m. Hauck Arboretum Tour

Friends of Music Hall | Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine. 513-621-2787. friendsofmusichall.org

ƒ Indoor and outdoor tours of Queen City landmark

Glendale Heritage Preservation | Glendale Square. 513-771-8722. glendaleheritage.org

ƒ Permanent exhibit: Displays of Glendale’s history

Greater Cincinnati Police Museum | Pendleton. 513-300-3664. police-museum.org

ƒ Permanent collection: Historic artifacts and equipment

Harriet Beecher Stowe House | Walnut Hills. 513-751-0651. stowehousecincy.org

ƒ Historic home of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” author and later a Green Book location

Heritage Village Museum | Sharonville. 513-563-9484. heritagevillagecincinnati.org

ƒ Illustrates life in 19th-century Southwest Ohio

Holocaust & Humanity Center | Cincinnati Museum Center, Queensgate. 513-487-3055. holocaustandhumanity.org

ƒ Media, artifacts, art and interactive exhibitions commemorating the Holocaust

Imperial Theatre | Mohawk, Over-theRhine. imperialmohawk.org

ƒ 2nd Saturday, 10 a.m. Tour of the Imperial Theatre

Krohn Conservatory | Eden Park. 513421-4086. cincinnati-oh.gov/cincyparks

ƒ Thru April 19. “Moonlight Menagerie”

Lebanon Mason & Monroe Railroad | Downtown Lebanon. lebanonrr.com

ƒ March 28-April 4. Easter Bunny Express

Lloyd Library and Museum | Downtown. 513-721-3707. lloydlibrary.org

ƒ Permanent exhibit: George Rieveschl Jr.: History of Pharmaceutical Chemistry

ƒ Thru April 24. “The Botany of Beverages”

Milford Historical Society | Promont, Milford. 513-248-0324. milfordhistory.net

ƒ Permanent exhibit: Historical displays of art, artifacts and more

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center | The Banks. 513-333-7500 freedomcenter.org

ƒ Permanent collection: Exploring themes of individual freedom

ƒ Thru June 21. “Jubilation! Ambassadors on a Sacred Journey”

National VOA Museum of Broadcasting | West Chester. 513-777-0027. voamuseum.org

ƒ Radio’s golden age and Cincinnati’s role in America’s global voice

Newport Aquarium | Newport on the Levee, Newport. newportaquarium.com

ƒ Showcase of the world’s most exotic aquatic creatures

Pyramid Hill | Hamilton. 513-868-1234.pyramidhill.org

ƒ Sculpture park amid nature preserve

Skirball Museum | Hebrew Union College, Clifton. csm.huc.edu

ƒ Permanent exhibit: “An Eternal People: The Jewish Experience”

Taft Museum of Art | Lytle Park, downtown. 513-241-0343. taftmuseum.org

ƒ Historic home, art collection and exhibits

Tri-State Warbird Museum | Batavia. tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org

ƒ Permanent exhibition: military and historic aviation

Valley View Nature Preserve | Milford. valleyviewpreserve.org

ƒ Preserved 190-acre farm and open land

Vent Haven Museum | Fort Mitchell. 859-341-0461. venthaven.org

ƒ By appointment only. World’s only museum dedicated to ventriloquism

White Water Shaker Village | Harrison. whitewatervillage.org

ƒ Preserved historic village

William Howard Taft National Historic Site | Mt. Auburn. nps.gov/wiho

ƒ Historic home of U.S. president and Supreme Court justice

Dance

Cincinnati Arts Association | Procter & Gamble Hall, Aronoff Center, downtown. 513-621-2787. cincinnatiarts.org

ƒ March 19, 7:30 p.m. Complexions Contemporary Ballet: “Star Dust”

College-Conservatory of Music | Corbett Theater, University of Cincinnati. 513-556-4183. ccm.uc.edu

ƒ March 5-7. “Dance Works”

Pones Inc. | Contemporary Arts Center, downtown. pones.org

ƒ March 7-8. “Eunoia”

Fairs/Festivals/Markets

Bockfest | Over-the-Rhine. bockfest.com

ƒ March 5-7. Parade, 5K, tours and historical programming

Bonded Spirit Bluegrass Festival | Covington. bondedspirit.com

ƒ March 3-7. Pub crawl and concerts

Cincinnati International Wine Festival | First Financial Center, downtown. winefestival.com

ƒ March 5-7. Wine dinners, grand tastings, auction and more

Civic Garden Center, GrowFest 2026

| Avondale. 513-221-0981. civicgardencenter.org

ƒ March 14-31. Gardening workshops

Covington Farmers Market | Braxton Brewing Company, Covington. greatneighborhoods.org

ƒ Saturdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Regional market

Northside Farmers Market | Heart of Northside, Northside. northsidefm.org

ƒ Wednesdays, 4-6 p.m. Regional food and beverage winter market

Pyramid Hill | Hamilton. pyramidhill.org

ƒ March 7-8. Founder’s Weekend

Film

Adventure Crew | Esquire Theatre, Clifton. adventurecrew.org

ƒ March 16, 6-9 p.m. No Man’s Land Film Festival

Cincinnati Museum Center | Queensgate. 513-287-7000. cincymuseum.org/omnimax

ƒ Now playing/OMNIMAX: “D-Day: Normandy 1944” • “Ohio: Wild at Heart” • “Wild Rescue”

ƒ March 27, 6:30 p.m. OMNIMAX Dinner Dates: “Hubble”

Cincinnati World Cinema | Garfield Theatre, downtown. 859-957-3456. cincyworldcinema.org

ƒ Thru March 14. Oscar Shorts

HorrorHound Weekend | Sharonville Convention Center. horrorhoundweekend.com

ƒ March 20-22. Horror film convention

Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights. nku.edu

◆ Albertine Cinémathèque Festival of French Films: (Otto M. Budig Theater, University Center)

‚ March 19, 6 p.m. “Holy Cow/Vingt Dieux”

‚ March 26, 6 p.m. “Dahomey”

Woodward Theater | Over-the-Rhine. 513-345-7981. woodwardtheater.com

ƒ March 16, 7:30 p.m. “That’s The Way God Planned It”

Literary/Lectures

Barnes & Noble | 513-972-5146. barnesandnoble.com

ƒ March 14, 6-8 p.m. Cincinnati author Mark E. Scott signs “King of Peru” (Kenwood Collection)

ƒ March 31, 3 p.m. Author discussions (virtual): Tana French “The Keeper”

Behringer-Crawford Museum | Virtual. 859-491-4003. bcmuseum.org

ƒ Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. NKY History Hour

Cincinnati Art Museum | Eden Park. 513-721-2787. cincinnatiartmuseum.org

ƒ March 21-22. See the Story: Kiran Desai “The Inheritance of Loss”

Cincinnati Zoo | Avondale. 513-281-4700. cincinnatizoo.org

ƒ March 18, 7 p.m. Barrows Conservation Lecture: Julie Hanta Razafimanahaka

Fitton Center | Hamilton. 513-863-8873. fittoncenter.org

ƒ March 4, noon. Celebrating Self Speaker Series: MUSES: The Women of Music Hall

Holocaust & Humanity Center | Cincinnati Museum Center, Union Terminal. 513-487-3055. holocaustandhumanity.org

ƒ March 15, 2 p.m. “Saboteur, Survivor: Anna Heilman”

Joseph-Beth Booksellers | Rookwood Commons. 513-396-8960. josephbeth.com

ƒ March 7, 5 p.m. Discussion: Keith O’Brien “Heartland”

ƒ March 9, 7 p.m. Discussion: Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney “Lake Effect”

ƒ March 11, 7 p.m. Discussion: Jasmine Warga “The Unlikely Tale of Chase & Finnegan”

Mercantile Library | Downtown. 513-621-0717. mercantilelibrary.com

ƒ March 4, 6 p.m. Discussion: Will Hillenbrand “Light As A Feather”

Cincinnati illustrator and author Will Hillenbrand discusses “Light As A Feather” at the Mercantile Library, March 4

Miami University Regionals | miamioh.edu/regionals

ƒ March 2, noon. Conservatory Conversations: “Bringing People to Art in Nature: Exploring Pyramid Hill” (Hamilton Conservatory)

ƒ March 6, noon. “A Sand County Almanac” book discussion

Northern Kentucky University | inside.nku.edu/civicengagement.html

ƒ March 4, 6 p.m. Six@Six Lecture Series: Valerie Hardcastle “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once: Health Care in Kentucky” (OneNKY Center, Covington)

Poetry at Artifact | Urban Artifact, Northside. facebook.com/poetryatartifact

ƒ 1st Tuesday, 7-8:30 p.m. Poetry Night

Women Writing for (a) Change | Silverton. 513-272-1171. womenwriting.org

ƒ 2nd Tuesday, 6 p.m. Open mic night

ƒ March 13, 7 p.m. Reading and Q&A: Don Martin

Word of Mouth Cincinnati | MOTR Pub, Over-the-Rhine. motrpub.com

ƒ Final Sunday, 6 p.m. Open poetry mic

Music

Bach Ensemble at St. Thomas | St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Terrace Park. 513-831-2052. bachensemble.org

ƒ March 20, 7:30 p.m. “Glories of the Baroque: Music for Soprano and Harpsichord”

ƒ March 22, 5 p.m. Bach Vespers

Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony Orchestra | St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Montgomery. 513-549-2197. bamso.org

ƒ March 1, 7 p.m. Young Artists Concerto Soloists

Bogart’s | Short Vine, Corryville. bogarts.com

ƒ March 3, 6:30 p.m. The Record Company

ƒ March 12, 7 p.m. Avery Anna

ƒ March 13, 7 p.m. Pecos & The Rooftops

ƒ March 17, 7 p.m. The Happy Fits

ƒ March 21, 7 p.m. Our Lady Peace

ƒ March 23, 6:30 p.m. Filter

ƒ March 24, 5:30 p.m. Erra

ƒ March 27, 7 p.m. Two Feet

ƒ March 28, 7 p.m. Circle Jerks

Brady Music Center | The Banks, downtown. bradymusiccenter.com

ƒ March 7, 7 p.m. Sabaton

ƒ March 8, 8 p.m. Mariah the Scientist

ƒ March 30, 7 p.m. Boys Like Girls

Butler Philharmonic | First Baptist Church, Hamilton. 513-844-5151. butlerphil.org

ƒ March 7, 7:30 p.m. “Classical Heroes”

Caffè Vivace | Walnut Hills. 513-601-9897. jazzvivace.org

ƒ March 6, 7 & 9 p.m. Joel Ross

ƒ March 12, 7 & 9 p.m. Seamus Blake Quartet

ƒ March 13, 7 & 9 p.m. Immanuel Wilkins Quartet

ƒ March 14, 7 & 9 p.m. Liz Callaway

ƒ March 20-21, 7 & 9 p.m. Fred Hersch

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption | Covington. 859-431-2060. cathedralconcertseries.org

ƒ March 15, 3 p.m. “A Musical Celebration of Johann Sebastian Bach’s 341st Birthday”

Chamber Music Cincinnati | Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine. 513-342-6870. cincychamber.org

ƒ March 24, 7:30 p.m. Israeli Chamber Project

Christ Church Cathedral | Downtown. 513-621-1817. cincinnaticathedral.com

ƒ March 7, 4 p.m. Concordia Choir

ƒ March 29, 3 p.m. Pergolesi: “Stabat Mater”

◆ Music Live with Lunch:

‚ March 3, 12:10 p.m. James Loughery, jazz piano

‚ March 10, 12:10 p.m. Laney and the Tramps

‚ March 17, 12:10 p.m. Boutique

‚ March 24, 12:10 p.m. Heri et Hodie

‚ March 31, 12:10 p.m. Jimmy Leach Trio

Christ Church Glendale | Glendale. 513-771-1544. christchurchglendale.org

ƒ March 5, 12:05 p.m. Jason Gunnell, organ

Cincinnati Arts Association | 513-621-2787. cincinnatiarts.org

ƒ March 7, 3 & 7:30 p.m. Motown Mania (Aronoff Center, Downtown)

ƒ March 22, 3 p.m. WindFest 2026 (Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine)

Cincinnati Community Orchestra | Church of the Savior United Methodist, Montgomery. 513-317-0300. cincinnaticommunityorchestra.org

ƒ March 7, 7:30 p.m. Brahms: “German Requiem” with Young Professionals Choral Collective

Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra | 513-280-8181. cincinnatijazz.org

ƒ March 8, 2 p.m. Jazz@First: “Timeless Voices: Then and Now” (First Unitarian Church, Avondale)

ƒ March 26, 7 p.m. Big Band Series: “Pulse and Power” (The Redmoor, Mt. Lookout Square)

Cincinnati Guitar Festival | Sharonville Convention Center. cincyguitarshow.com

ƒ March 15, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Cincinnati’s only guitar show

Cincinnati Song Initiative | All Saints Episcopal Church, Pleasant Ridge. cincinnatisonginitiative.org

ƒ March 17, 7 p.m. CSI Mobile: “Where We Abide”

Cincinnati Sound Chorus | Valley Temple | Wyoming. 513-554-2648. cincinnatisound.org

ƒ March 9, 7:45 p.m. Friends & Family Concert

Cincinnati String Project | cincinnatistringproject.org

ƒ March 21, 5 p.m. “Breaking New Ground” (All Saints Episcopal Church, Pleasant Ridge)

ƒ March 22, 5 p.m. “Breaking New Ground” (Temple Sholom, Blue Ash)

Cincinnati Symphony & Pops | Music Hall, Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-3300. cincinnatisymphony.org

ƒ Feb. 28-March 1. (CSO) “Beethoven & Ravel” Samuel Lee, conductor; JeanEfflam Bavouzet, piano

ƒ March 3, 7:30 p.m. (Winstead Chamber)

“Quartets Through Time”

ƒ March 6-7. (CSO) “Brahms & Schumann” Louis Langrée, conductor; Clayton Stephenson, piano

ƒ March 13-15. (Pops) “American Mosaic” Martin Sheen, narrator

ƒ March 20-21, 7:30 p.m. (CSO)

“Beethoven, Mozart & Haydn” James Conlon, conductor; Renaud Capuçon, violin

ƒ March 26, 8 p.m. (CSO) Proof Concert #2

Cincinnati Youth Choir | Corbett Auditorium, University of Cincinnati. 513-556-4183. cincinnatichoir.org

ƒ March 15, 5 p.m. “Common Threads”

Classical Revolution | The Loon, Northside. classicalrevolutioncincinnati.com

ƒ March 8, 7:30 p.m. Chamber music in casual bar setting

Clifton Cultural Arts Center | Clifton. 513-497-2860. cliftonculturalarts.org

ƒ March 1, 4 p.m. OLEA Ensemble: “Sounds from Nature”

College-Conservatory of Music | University of Cincinnati, Clifton. 513-556-4183. ccm.uc.edu

ƒ March 1, 2 p.m. Christina Tan, piano (Werner Recital Hall)

ƒ March 3, 7:30 p.m. Margaret Tung, horn (Werner Recital Hall)

ƒ March 4, 7:30 p.m. Musica Nova: “Natural Chaos” (Cohen Studio Theater)

ƒ March 5, 7:30 p.m. Wind Ensemble: “Double Play” (Corbett Auditorium)

ƒ March 7, 7 p.m. Jazz Orchestra: “Essentially Ellington Festival” Gala Concert (Corbett Auditorium)

ƒ March 8, 3 p.m. Chorale: “Transmutation” (Cincinnati Public Radio, Evanston)

ƒ March 8, 3 p.m. Trombone Choir (Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church)

ƒ March 8, 4 p.m. Philharmonia: “Conducting Master Class” (Corbett Auditorium)

ƒ March 10, 7:30 p.m. Composition: “Sonic Explorations” (Cohen Studio Theater)

ƒ March 10, 7:30 p.m. UC Choruses: Tour Sneak Preview (Corbett Auditorium)

ƒ March 11, 7:30 p.m. Concert Orchestra: “London in Light and Laughter” (Corbett Auditorium)

ƒ March 13, 7:30 p.m. Wind Symphony: “Transformations” (Corbett Auditorium)

ƒ March 30, 7:30 p.m. Musica Nova: “Supernova: View From The Edge” (Cohen Studio Theater)

Ensemble Con Fuoco | ensembleconfuoco.com

ƒ Feb. 28, 7 p.m. “Buxtehude & Shaw” (St. Mary Church, Hyde Park)

ƒ March 1, 3 p.m. Encore (St. Catharine of Siena, Westwood)

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL

Sunday, March 1 | 5:00 pm Choral Evensong (Pre-Service Organ Recital 4:30 pm)

Wednesday, March 4 | 7:00 pm The Concordia Choir

Sunday, March 29 | 3:00 pm Stabat Mater (Pergolesi & Mealor)

Fitton Center | Hamilton. 513-863-8873. fittoncenter.org

ƒ March 28, 7:30 p.m. CCJO Organ Ensemble

Fluidity | Friendship UMC, Wyoming. fluiditycccc.org

ƒ March 8, 3 p.m. “Bloom: Songs of Renewal and Belonging”

Greater Cincinnati Guitar Society | Wyoming Fine Arts Center, Wyoming. cincinnatiguitarsociety.org

ƒ March 29, 4 p.m. Nicholas Goluses celebrates Bach

The Härth Room | Downtown. theharthroom.com/music

ƒ Wednesday-Saturday evening. Live jazz

Heritage Bank Center | Downtown. heritagebankcenter.com

ƒ March 5, 7 p.m. Barry Manilow

ƒ March 10, 7 p.m. Three Days Grace

ƒ March 19, 7:30 p.m. Cardi B

ƒ March 26, 8 p.m. New Edition, Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton

Irish Heritage Center | Columbia Tusculum. 513-533-0100. cincyirish.org

ƒ March 7, 7 p.m. Dervish

Kentucky Symphony Orchestra | Greaves Concert Hall, Highland Heights. 859-431-6216. kyso.org

ƒ March 21, 7:30 p.m. “Arts and Anxiety”

Knox Church | Hyde Park. 513-321-2573. knox.org/music

ƒ March 8, 3 p.m. Songs of Praise: The Te Deum

Linton Chamber Music | 513-381-6868. lintonmusic.org

ƒ March 15, 4 p.m. “Mendelssohn’s Elegy” (First Unitarian Church, Avondale)

ƒ March 16, 7:30 p.m. Encore (Congregation Beth Adam, Loveland)

Ludlow Garage | Clifton. ludlowgaragecincinnati.com

ƒ March 4, 7:30 p.m. Screaming Orphans

ƒ March 6, 7:30 p.m. Sons of Cream

ƒ March 7, 8 p.m. The Ark Band Tribute to Bob Marley

ƒ March 12, 7:30 p.m. Dar Williams

ƒ March 13, 7:30 p.m. Pink Talking Fish

ƒ March 14, 7:30 p.m. Adam Hawley & Julian Vaughn

ƒ March 15, 7:30 p.m. The Phil Collins Experience

ƒ March 20, 7:30 p.m. Jim Messina

ƒ March 21, 7:30 p.m. Moonchild

ƒ March 22, 7:30 p.m. Rick Wakeman and Son

ƒ March 25, 7:30 p.m. Albert Lee and His Electric Band

ƒ March 26, 7:30 p.m. Morgan James

ƒ March 27, 7:30 p.m. Summer Set

ƒ March 28, 7:30 p.m. Sabbath Long Live Ozzy

ƒ March 29, 7:30 p.m. Patterson Hood & John Moreland

Madison Theater | Covington. 859-491-2444. madisontheater.com

ƒ March 7, 7:30 p.m. Needle//Fear

ƒ March 19, 8 p.m. Lucero • Burning Witches

ƒ March 28, 7 p.m. Merkules

Matinée Musicale |

Memorial Hall | Over-the-Rhine. matineemusicalecincinnati.org

ƒ March 8, 3 p.m. Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, piano

ƒ March 29, 3 p.m. guitar duo Ziggy and Miles

MegaCorp Pavilion at Ovation | Newport. promowestlive.com

ƒ March 15, 6:30 p.m. Dark Star Orchestra

ƒ March 20, 7 p.m. San Holo

Memorial Hall | Over-the-Rhine. 513-977-8838. memorialhallotr.com

ƒ March 1, 7 p.m. The Music of George Harrison

ƒ March 2, 7 p.m. Batucada

ƒ March 5, 7:30 p.m. Dancing with the Celts

ƒ March 9, 7 p.m. Limehouse Ramblers “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans”

ƒ March 13, 8 p.m. The Drowsy Lads

ƒ March 15, 7 p.m. BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet

ƒ March 16, 7 p.m. Phil DeGreg Trio “Bill Evans”

ƒ March 22, 7 p.m. Ladysmith Black Mambazo

ƒ March 23, 7 p.m. Ricky Nye

ƒ March 30, 7 p.m. Carmon DeLeone “The Music of Leslie Bricusse”

Miami University Regionals | miamioh.edu/regionals

ƒ March 3, 7 p.m. Sassafras Grass (Downtown Hamilton)

ƒ March 11, 7 p.m. SongFarmers (Downtown Hamilton)

ƒ March 31, 7 p.m. The Appalachian Grass (Wilks Conference Center, Hamilton)

Matinée Musicale presents guitar duo Ziggy and Miles on March 29 at Memorial Hall in Over-the-Rhine.

New Downbeat | The Well, Walnut Hills. newdownbeat.com

ƒ March 8, 3 p.m. International Women’s Day Concert

Northern Kentucky University | Greaves Concert Hall, Highland Heights. 859-572-5464. music.nku.edu

ƒ March 1, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Trombone Day feat. Chris van Hof and Austin Pancner

ƒ March 2, 7 p.m. Spring Choral Concert

ƒ March 3, 7 p.m. Jazz Combo (Southgate House Revival)

ƒ March 5, 7 p.m. Wind Symphony

ƒ March 30, 7 p.m. String Area Recital

ƒ March 31, 7 p.m. Commercial Music Ensemble (Southgate House Revival)

Queen City Balladeers | Leo Coffeehouse, Norwood. queencityballadeers.org

ƒ March 1, 3 p.m. 1st Sunday Rise Up Singing

ƒ March 1, 6:40 p.m. Jake Speed’s Woodyfest with Mike Oberst and Ed Cunningham

ƒ March 8, 6:40 p.m. Buskin Blue, Chuck Keller, New Fogies

ƒ March 15, 6 p.m. Open mic

ƒ March 22, 6:40 p.m. Ma Crow, Back Porch Hounds, Tangled Roots

Queen City Freedom Band | Music Hall Ballroom, Over-the-Rhine. qcfb.org

ƒ March 29, 5 p.m. Artist’s Rendering

Radio Artifact | Urban Artifact, Northside. radioartifact.com

ƒ Sundays, 5 p.m. Open jam

ƒ Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Flight 88 Classical Music Series

ƒ Thursdays, 7 p.m. Open jazz

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church | Montgomery. st-barnabas.org

ƒ March 8, 3 p.m. Jimmy Leach Jazztet

Schwartz’s Point | Five Points, Overthe-Rhine. thepointclub.weebly.com

ƒ Thursday-Sunday. Live jazz

Seven Hills Symphony | Walnut Hills High School Auditorium, Evanston. 7hillssymphony.org

ƒ March 15, 3 p.m. “Through Wandering Landscapes”

Sorg Opera House | Middletown. sorgoperahouse.org

ƒ March 13, 8 p.m. Nights Moves

ƒ March 14, 8 p.m. Kashmir

ƒ March 20, 8 p.m. Thunderbeard

Southgate House Revival | Newport. 859-431-2201. southgatehouse.com

ƒ Nightly live music

Summermusik, “We Are One: Roots” | 513-723-1182. summermusik.org

ƒ March 12, 7:30 p.m. “Owanbe” (Artsville, Madisonville)

ƒ March 13, 7:30 p.m. An Evening with Tunde (House of Joy Christian, Clifton)

ƒ March 15, 7 p.m. Roots with Babatunde Akinboboye (Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church, Lincoln Heights)

Swell | Camp Washington. swellartcafe.com

ƒ March 5, 8 p.m. Maria Chavez

Symphony Hotel | Over-the-Rhine. symphonyhotel.com

ƒ Thursday-Saturday evening. Live jazz

Taft Theatre | Downtown. tafttheatre.org

ƒ March 1, 7:30 p.m. The Wood Brothers

TempleLive at Riverfront Live | East End. riverfrontlivecincy.com

ƒ March 7, 8 p.m. Crush: The Bon Jovi Experience

ƒ March 13, 8 p.m. Keller Williams’s Grateful Grass

Trinity Episcopal Church | Covington. 859-431-1786. trinitycovington.org

ƒ March 1, 5 p.m. Evensong Series: Choir of Trinity Church

ƒ March 18, 12:15 p.m. Midday Musical Menu: Mattilda Middleton, organ

Vocal Arts Ensemble | Music Hall

Ballroom, Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-3300. vaecinci.com

ƒ March 20, 8 p.m. “To the Hands: Cutting Edge Art”

Warren County Historical Museum | Lebanon. wchsmuseum.org

ƒ March 15, 4 p.m. Springboro Wind Symphony & Mason Symphony Orchestra

Woodward Theater | Over-the-Rhine. 513-345-7981. woodwardtheater.com

ƒ March 1, 7:30 p.m. Snooper

ƒ March 6, 8 p.m. The Stolen Faces

ƒ March 7, 8 p.m. Los Straitjackets

ƒ March 11, 7:30 p.m. Mary Lattimore

ƒ March 13, 8 p.m. The Small Things (Blink-182 Tribute)

ƒ March 19, 7:30 p.m. Nashville Emerging Artist Night

ƒ March 20, 8 p.m. Flicker//Fade

ƒ March 21, 7 p.m. The Montvales

ƒ March 31, 7 p.m. Mirah

Xavier Music Series | 513-745-3161. xavier.edu/musicseries

ƒ March 6, 8 p.m. Reed Tetzloff, piano (Gallagher Center Theater)

ƒ March 14, 2 p.m. Bokyung Byun, guitar (Bellarmine Chapel)

ƒ March 25, 8 p.m. Cécile McLorin Salvant with Sullivan Fortner (Gallagher Center Theater)

Young Professionals Choral Collective | 513-601-8699. ypccsing.org

ƒ March 7, 7:30 p.m. Brahms: “Ein Deutsches Requiem,” with Cincinnati Community Orchestra (Church of the Saviour United Methodist, Montgomery)

ƒ March 8, 3 p.m. Brahms: “Ein Deutsches Requiem,” two-piano version (First Lutheran Church, Over-the-Rhine)

ƒ March 23, 7:30 p.m. Mozart: Requiem, with Xavier University Choirs and Seven Hills Symphony (Christ Church Cathedral, downtown)

Theater/Comedy

Bogart’s | Short Vine, Corryville. bogarts.com

ƒ March 14, 7 p.m. Jordan Jensen, comedian

Brady Music Center | The Banks, downtown. bradymusiccenter.com

ƒ March 27, 7 & 9:30 p.m. Matt Mathews, comedian

ƒ March 28, 7 p.m. Hannah Berner, comedian

Broadway Across America | Aronoff Center, downtown. cincinnati.broadway.com

ƒ March 3-15. “The Wiz”

ƒ March 24-29. “Chicago”

The Carnegie | Covington. thecarnegie.com

ƒ Thru March 8. “Anything Goes,” co-production with CCM Musical Theatre

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati | thechildrenstheatre.com

ƒ Thru March 8. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical” (Emery Theatre | Over-the-Rhine)

Cincinnati Arts Association | Aronoff Center, downtown. cincinnatiarts.org

ƒ March 6, 7:30 p.m. Salzburg Marionette Theatre: “The Sound of Music” (JarsonKaplan Theater)

ƒ March 22, 7 p.m. Lucy Darling: “Simply Darling” (Procter & Gamble Hall)

Cincinnati Landmark Productions | Covedale Center, West Price Hill. cincinnatilandmarkproductions.com

ƒ March 12-April 5. “Legally Blonde, The Musical”

Cincinnati Music Theatre |Fifth Third Bank Theater, Aronoff Center, downtown. cincinnatimusictheatre.org

ƒ March 20-28. “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”

Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative | Fifth Third Bank Theater, Aronoff Center, downtown. cincyplaywrights.org

ƒ March 10, 7:30 p.m. “The Angels of Mercy” • “What Are The Odds”

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company | Over-the-Rhine. cincyshakes.com

ƒ March 6-29. “Othello”

Clifton Cultural Arts Center | Clifton. cliftonculturalarts.org

ƒ March 8, 2 p.m. Zak Moran

ƒ March 14, 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. Madcap Puppets: “Fantastic Fairy Tales: Red, Green, and Gold!”

College-Conservatory of Music | University of Cincinnati. ccm.uc.edu

ƒ March 9, 7 p.m. Acting Senior Showcase (Cohen Studio Theater)

ƒ March 12, 6:30 p.m. “In The Spotlight” Theatre Showcase (CCM Village)

ƒ March 13-14, 7 p.m. Musical Theatre

Senior Showcase (Corbett Theater)

ƒ March 28, 2 & 7 p.m. Musical Theatre Freshman Showcase (Corbett Theater)

Commonwealth Sanctuary | Dayton, Ky. commonwealthcomedyclub.com

ƒ Weekly comedy shows

Drama Workshop | Cheviot. thedramaworkshop.org

ƒ Thru March 15. “Silent Sky”

Ensemble Theatre | Over-the-Rhine. ensemblecincinnati.org

ƒ March 21-April 12. “Fourteen Funerals”

Falcon Theatre | Newport. falcontheater.net

ƒ March 13-28. “Crocodile Fever”

Fitton Center | Hamilton. fittoncenter.org

ƒ March 20, 7:30 p.m. “The Wonders of Wiggly River”

Funny Bone | Liberty Township. liberty. funnybone.com

ƒ Weekly comedy shows

LECTURE AND VISITING ARTIST SERIES

Matt Black

Thursday, March 26, 2026, 6:30pm

Cincinnati Art Museum, Fath Auditorium

Lecture Is Free and Open to the Public Register at FotoFocus org

The Ghostlight Stage Company |

Carnegie Center at Columbia Tusculum. theghostlightstageco.com

ƒ March 1. 72 Hour Arts Festival

Go Bananas Comedy Club | Montgomery. gobananascomedy.com/main

ƒ Weekly comedy shows

Hard Rock Casino | Downtown. casino. hardrock.com/cincinnati

ƒ March 6, 8 p.m. Chris Tucker, comedian

Improv Cincinnati | Clifton Performance Theatre, Clifton. improvcincinnati.com

ƒ Thursday-Saturday evening. Comedy shows

Inspiring Arts | Parrish Auditorium, Miami University, Hamilton. inspiringartsproductions.com

ƒ March 26-29. “Seussical the Musical”

Kincaid Regional Theatre | Falmouth. krtshows.com

ƒ March 5-15. “Singin’ In The Rain Jr.”

Know Theatre | Over-the-Rhine. knowtheatre.com

ƒ March 9 & 23. “Serials!” Season 16

ƒ March 27-April 18. “The Ravenside Occurrence”

Lebanon Theatre Company | Lebanon. ltcplays.com

ƒ Thru March 8. “Love/Sick”

Loveland Stage Company | Loveland. lovelandstagecompany.org

ƒ March 13-29. “The Wizard of Oz”

Lumos Players | Maineville. lumosplayers.com

ƒ March 11, 7:30 p.m. Playwrights Script Reading Series: Two One-Act Plays: “The Pine Cone’s Chance” by Cam Eickmeyer • “So Help Me God” by Ron Rosenfeld

ƒ March 13-21, 7:30 p.m. “Little Shop of Horrors”

Madison Theater | Covington. madisontheater.com

ƒ March 27, 8 p.m. James Murray, comedian

Mariemont Players | Mariemont. mariemontplayers.com

ƒ March 5-22. “Rabbit Hole”

MegaCorp Pavilion at Ovation | Newport. promowestlive.com

ƒ March 28, 7 p.m. “UpDating” comedy show

Miami University | Center for Performing Arts, Oxford. miamioh.edu/theatre

ƒ March 11-15. “By the Way, Meet Vera Stark”

Miami University Regionals | Middletown. miamioh.edu/regionals

ƒ March 20, 10 a.m. River City Puppets: “The Wonders of Wiggly River” (Finkelman Auditorium, Middletown)

Mount St. Joseph University | Delhi. msj.edu

ƒ March 19-28. “Little Women”

Nrityarpana School of Performing Arts | Anderson Center Theater, Anderson Twp. nspacincy.org

ƒ March 6-7. “Dance Like A Man”

OTRImprov | Know Theatre, Over-the-Rhine. otrimprov.com

ƒ Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Improv jams

Playhouse in the Park | Mount Adams. cincyplay.com

ƒ Thru March 8. “Mary’s Wedding” (Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre)

ƒ Thru March 29. “Mrs. Christie” (Rouse Theatre)

ƒ March 21-May 17. “Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical” (Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre)

Get listed Arts/Culture listings are free. Send event details and photos to: editor@moversmakers.org See Page 4 for print deadlines. Visit moversmakers.org for more listings.

School for Creative & Performing Arts | Over-the-Rhine. scpa.cps-k12.org

ƒ March 6-7. “Hamlet”

Sunset Players | Arts Center at Dunham, Price Hill. sunsetplayers.org

ƒ Thru March 7. “The Wild Women of Winedale”

Taft Theatre | Downtown. tafttheatre.org

ƒ March 7, 7 p.m. Sal Vulcano, comedian

ƒ March 13, 7 p.m. Tig Notaro, comedian

ƒ March 15, 7:30 p.m. Chelsea Handler, comedian

ƒ March 21, 8 p.m. Gary Owen, comedian

ƒ March 28, 7:30 p.m. Michelle Buteau, comedian

Tri-County Players | Bell Tower Arts Pavilion, Evendale. tricountyplayers.org

ƒ March 6-14. “Leading Ladies”

Visual Art

21c Museum Hotel | Downtown. 513-578-6600. 21cmuseumhotels.com/cincinnati

ƒ Thru August . “Fragile Figures: Beings and Time”

Angelico Project | St. Francis Xavier, downtown. angelicoproject.org

ƒ Thru April 9. Annual Juried Art Exhibition

The Annex Gallery | Pendleton. annexgallery.org

ƒ Thru March 27. Ciro Quintana exhibition

Art Academy of Cincinnati | Over-theRhine. 513-562-6262. artacademy.edu

ƒ Thru March 6. AAC Faculty Exhibition 2026

ƒ March 23-May 1. Student Thesis Exhibitions

Art on Vine | Rhinegeist Brewery, Over-the-Rhine. artonvinecincy.com

ƒ March 15, noon-6 p.m. Local Madness

ArtWorks | Walnut Hills. 513-333-0388. artworkscincinnati.org

ƒ Thru March 11. Kenton Brett: “Cerebral Vortex”

ƒ March 27-May 6. James Marshall aka Dalek: “Back to Basics” Reception: March 27, 5-7 p.m.

Avant-Garde Art & Craft Shows | RSVP Event Center, Loveland. 440-2278794. avantgardeshows.com

ƒ March 15, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Spring Show

Baker Hunt Art & Cultural Center | Covington. 859-431-0020. bakerhunt.org

ƒ March 9-April 3. Ryan Kerr: “Here and There”

ƒ March 25-Sept. 4. DBL Law Regional Art Show. Reception: March 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

The Barn | Mariemont. 513-272-3700. thebarninmariemont.org

ƒ Thru March 3. Pollinators Project: Bee Creative Exhibit

ƒ March 6-31. Cincinnati Brush & Palette Painters: Fresh Paint 2026. Reception: March 8, noon-3 p.m.

ƒ March 21-22. Mariemont & Terrace Park Garden Clubs: Art in Bloom

BasketShop Gallery | Westwood. basketshopgallery.com

ƒ March 7-April 4. Linling Liu. Reception: March 7, 6-9 p.m.

The Carnegie | Covington. 859-491-2030. thecarnegie.com

ƒ Thru March 7. “All Four Seasons in Equal Measure”

Cincinnati Art Club | Mount Adams. 513-241-4591. cincinnatiartclub.org

ƒ March 13-15. Photo Exhibition. Reception: March 13, 6-8:30 p.m.

Cincinnati Art Galleries | Downtown. 513-381-2128. cincyart.com

ƒ Thru April 3. “Fall in Love With Our Recent Acquisitions”

Cincinnati Art Museum | Eden Park. 513-721-2787. cincinnatiartmuseum.org

ƒ Thru April 5. Tamary Kudita: “African Victorian and Birds of Paradise”

ƒ Thru June 7. “Longing: Painting from the Pahari Kingdoms of the Northwest Himalayas”

ƒ March 27, 5-9 p.m. Art After Dark

Clifton Cultural Arts Center | Clifton. 513-497-2860. cliftonculturalarts.org

ƒ March 6-April 3. “New Woman” juried exhibition

Contemporary Arts Center | Downtown. 513-345-8400. contemporaryartscenter.org

ƒ Thru April 5. UC Art Collection

ƒ Thru March 22. “FACES: Don’t Get It Twisted - Untangling a Textured Legacy”

DAAP Galleries | University of Cincinnati. 513-556-2839. daap.uc.edu

ƒ Thru March 29. “Nam June Paik in Cincinnati: A History” Reception: March 12, 5-7 p.m. (Reed Gallery)

ƒ Thru April 5. “Domesticus Nature Morte” Reception: April 2, 5-7 p.m. (Meyers Gallery)

Ethos Art Collective | Mt. Healthy. ethos-art.org

ƒ Thru March 27. “Life in Black & White” community art show

Fitton Center | Hamilton. 513-863-8873. fittoncenter.org

ƒ Thru March 27. “Push & Pull”

FotoFocus | Cincinnati Art Museum. fotofocus.org

ƒ March 26, 6:30 p.m. Matt Black, lecture

Glendale Heritage Preservation | Glendale. 513-771-8722. glendaleheritage.org

ƒ Permanent exhibition: “Women of Glendale”

Iris BookCafe and Gallery | Over-theRhine. 513-260-8434. irisbookcafeotr.com

ƒ Thru March 16. “Nowhere But Here,” photos by Tim Stegmaier

Kennedy Heights Arts Center | Kennedy Heights. 513-631-4278. kennedyarts.org

ƒ Thru March 14. “Rooms of Grief,” co-curated by Ena Nearon and Mallory Feltz (Kennedy Gallery)

ƒ Thru April 11. “We’re All Healing: Tending to the Wounds We Were Taught to Hide” (Lindner Gallery)

Manifest Gallery | East Walnut Hills. 513-861-3638. manifestgallery.org

ƒ March 6-April 3. “Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana” • “Totally Open” • Sean Caulfield • Anita Cooke. Reception: March 6, 6-9 p.m.

Miami University/Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum | Oxford. 513-5292232. miamioh.edu/cca/art-museum

ƒ Thru June 13. From the Collections (Douglass Gallery) • “Culture Crops,” photos by Tina Gutierrez (Farmer Gallery) • Art & Architecture History Senior Capstone (McKie Gallery)

Middletown Arts Center | Middletown. 513-424-2417. middletownartscenter.com

ƒ March 9-April 23. Artwork by John Sousa. Reception: March 9, 6-8 p.m.

ƒ March 13-April 24. “Textiles to Art: Contemporary Quilt and Fiber Artists” Reception: March 13, 6-8 p.m.

Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights. 859-572-5148. nku.edu/gallery

ƒ March 5-26. Juried Student Exhibition

• Stitched Topography. Reception: March 5, 5-7 p.m.

Pendleton Art Center | Pendleton. 513-421-4339. pendletonartcenter.com

ƒ March 27, 5-9 p.m. Open studios

Pendleton Art Center - Middletown | Middletown. 513-465-5038. pendletonartcenter.com

ƒ March 6, 5-9 p.m. Open studios

Pique | Covington.859-322-9553. piquewebsite.com

ƒ Thru March 26. Jacob Grant: “25 Faces of Fairness”

Queen City Clay | Norwood. queencityclay.com

ƒ March 6-April 24. Lalana Fedorschak

Solway Gallery | West End. 513-621-0069. solwaygallery.com

ƒ Thru March 31. “I-75 Corridor”

Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery | Mount. St. Joseph University, Delhi. msj.edu

ƒ Thru March 18. “Cultural Tradition & Artistic Voices”

ƒ March 23-31. Art Guild Egg Auction Show

Taft Museum of Art | Lytle Park, downtown. 513-241-0343. taftmuseum.org

ƒ Thru March 22. “Teatime: Chinese Enamels from the Taft Collection”

ƒ Thru May 17. “Rembrandt: Masterpieces in Black and White”

University of Cincinnati Clermont College | Batavia. 513-558-2787. ucclermont.edu

ƒ Thru March 5. “Coming of Age: Hairitage”

Visionaries & Voices | Northside. 513-861-4333. visionariesandvoices.com

ƒ Thru March 20. Don & Maggie Kelley: “A Legacy of Love”

Warren County Historical Museum | Lebanon. wchsmuseum.org

ƒ Thru March 7. “Early Artists of the Northwest Territories”

ƒ March 27-May 16. Marcus Mote: “Quaker painter and 19th Century Folk Artist”

Weston Art Gallery | Downtown. 513-977-4165. cincinnatiarts.org/weston-art-gallery

ƒ Thru March 15. Beverly Fishman • John Brooks • Terence Hammonds

ƒ March 28-April 12. Weston Works Art Challenge

Xavier University Art Gallery | A. B. Cohen Center, Evanston. xavier.edu/art-department

ƒ Thru March 13. Graphic design exhibitions

ƒ March 20-April 3. Senior exhibitions 

The PANEL

John O. Faherty – moderator

J.B. Kropp – CEO of Cintrifuse

Cal Cullen – co-founder of Wave Pool and program manager for The Haile Foundation

Ryan Hays – executive vice president and chief innovation and strategy officer, University of Cincinnati

Kirsten Moorefield – co-founder and chief strategy officer, Cloverleaf

Ryan Rybolt – CEO of Payload

Hosted by Cintrifuse and Movers & Makers

The Queen City of 2075

Cincinnati has ingredients for a bright future: population, culture, durability – and courage

By John O. Faherty

Aventurecapitalist, two entrepreneurs, an arts collaborator and an academic walked into a bar to talk about what Cincinnati is going to look like in 50 years. This isn’t a joke, and it wasn’t a bar, but the rest of the story is true.

In partnership with Cintrifuse, the nonprofit that supports the startup community in Cincinnati, Movers & Makers took an idea from late 2025 and gathered a group of thinkers and futurists to talk about what Cincinnati might look like in the year 2075.

The panel discussion took place in front of an audience at the Cintrifuse headquarters in Over-the-Rhine. It consisted of J.B. Kropp, CEO of Cintrifuse; Kirsten Moorefield, chief strategy officer at Cloverleaf; Ryan Rybolt, CEO of Payload, Ryan Hays, executive VP and chief innovation and strategy officer, University of Cincinnati; and Cal Cullen, the co-founder of Wave Pool and Swell Cafe, and program manager for Haile Foundation.

The discussion started with a metaphor about making dinner, and how well-positioned the Cincinnati region is for growth and development in the future.

“I think we are right in the middle. I think we are on a good trajectory,” said Moorefield, who co-founded Cloverleaf, a company that uses artificial intelligence to help businesses work smarter, more efficiently and more profitably. “We have so many good ingredients in Cincinnati, they are just not all mixed together yet. This is going to be a multi-course meal. We just need the

right ingredients to connect to each other.”

All five of the panelists believed strongly that this region is a good place to start a business. Rybolt started thinking about how the region is going to look in 50 years, by looking back 50 years. He found consistencies from 1975 to 2025 that he suspects will stay with us until 2075. Plus, he generously stayed with the cooking-dinner theme.

“So we have all the great ingredients. You know, we have that Midwest culture, we have great, durable jobs, durable communities,” Rybolt said. His company, Payload, automates inbound and outbound payments for companies using a sophisticated platform. A native of the area, Rybolt believes Cincinnati is affordable enough to make it work, and that there is enough support for companies to make sure it does.

right? I think there’s a history of making, that’s the Midwest, but also Cincinnati,” Hays said. “The real opportunity I see is sort of physical, right? Taking artificial intelligence systems and putting them into machines, right? People think about AI a lot. Imagining more as a brain as opposed to a body because we typically interact with it via a text box.

“But the real technological breakthrough I think is coming is physical assets. The Midwest is especially well-suited to really grab that moment because for 200 years, we’ve been making the things that matter to the rest of the nation, right? It’s been powering up and propelling the nation.”

“I don’t think there’s a better community to start a business, especially if you’re willing to bootstrap it, right? It’s affordable. It’s a great place to raise a family.”

The character of the people of the region is what will help sustain success, according to the panel’s representative from academia, Ryan Hays. Thinking of the future is kind of what he does at UC. He wanted to make sure we appreciated the fact that people in Cincinnati would be talking about making a dinner. That, he said, is the Cincinnati way.

“So I think the thing that would matter to me is that we’re making a dinner and not buying it,

The panelists agreed that population growth will be particularly important in the next half-century. This is no longer a choice of either working on attracting new people to move here or making sure we retain the people we have. It has to be both.

We are trending in the right direction. The Cincinnati Regional Chamber keeps very good data. The population of the Cincinnati region is 2.3 million people. This represents a growth of 172,664 people from 2010 to 2024. Growth accelerated in the more recent years.

Growth is good in obvious ways. More workers paying more taxes is always a good thing. More people buying more groceries, eating at more restaurants, and building bigger houses is good for the economy. But the growth helps in more subtle ways as well. A good, simple indicator of how well a city is going is to count the cranes above the skyline. For the last decade, for example, Nashville’s skyline has been peppered with them.

UC’s Hays is always looking up. “I lived in Atlanta for a decade, and my family lives in Charleston, South Carolina. In both of those locations, they benefit from a steady flow of people moving to those cities. And what does that mean? It makes capital more fluid,” he said. “Folks in those cities are more likely just to write a check based on the speculation that it is going to continue to move and flow.

“So, you know, it was actually hard to drive around Atlanta and not see cranes in the air. Charleston’s a little bit less, but in terms of just the restaurant scene there, and again, other types of amenities, there are people investing in ways that we don’t see in cities that don’t have that sort of population growth. So, I actually think it’s a structural challenge for us. Kudos to the Chamber. Brendon Cull (President & CEO) really, really understands this on a deep level, and it has created a strategic plan for the chamber around growth.”

all other local universities, don’t leave our region, but they understand they can build here. I say, a lot, that we want to give all these students a … bear hug, make sure they don’t leave.”

Kropp wants to keep them for today, of course, but he also has his eye much further down the line. He knows the region needs to start creating new wealth now, so the men and women who are this generation’s entrepreneurs can become the next generation’s philanthropists.

“We think about the next generation of the Farmer family, the Lindner family. You know, UDF and Graeter’s and so forth. That’s what gets us excited and thinking about the future. We think a lot about talent and how to keep talent here.”

Cullen was on the panel, at least in part, to remind us that growth is not all about jobs and taxes and cranes and growth. She joined the Haile Foundation after nearly two decades in nonprofit work.

This growth is important, but the type of growth is also important. To continue to grow, Cincinnati will need to grow and retain highly skilled workers.

Nobody thinks this is more important than Kropp. He’s also managing director of Cintrifuse Capital, leading the strategy and deployment of Fund III. He thinks 2025 is the perfect time to think about 2075.

“From my perspective, we’re in the start of an ecosystem,” Kropp said. He said that when Cintrifuse supports a company, all the founders want to do the same thing. “Companies get a check, they want to hire people. So we spend a lot of time thinking about talent development. We spent a lot of time making sure that all these brilliant people from UC,

She knows that art matters, of course, but so does compassion. It makes sense for growth, and for our souls. She probably likes Kropp’s idea of a bear hug. She was asked what issues we had failed to talk about much.

“I would say one of the big issues that has been left off is isolation and lack of connection, lack of empathy. And I think a lot of those issues, like housing, food access, job training, they can be solved, if we’re empathetic to each other and we give each other a leg up and we’re able to connect to each other,” Cullen said. “But isolation and lack of connection are plaguing all of the United States. It’s an epidemic right now. So we need to solve that before we can have the future that we want to have. Artists can do that.”

Others in the room, including people in the audience, echoed those concerns.

YMCA of Greater Cincinnati President and CEO Jorge Perez, who was in the crowd, said Cincinnati’s future is promising – but uneven. The region remains “a city of the haves and the have nots.” Bringing all children and families into that vision will take collective effort. Otherwise, like so many cities, “a huge hole will be in the middle” of our future.

Cullen said that’s where nonprofits step in, creating pathways to entrepreneurship, jobs and education. But opportunity alone isn’t enough. The community, she said, must also desegregate itself and “build our collective empathy for one another” to better connect people to resources.

you can point to things you could not point to 25 years ago.

The remarkable success of FC Cincinnati, with its new stadium packed to the gills, is one example of risk-taking and success. It is also important to note that 25 years ago, OTR was literally smoldering. Then the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. was formed.

Rybolt thinks Cincinnati is certain to succeed because of the city’s hustle and heart. He believes there is opportunity here if you are willing to work hard. And no other cities have access like Cincinnati does.

“You’re certainly not going to be able to be two or three degrees separated from the leaders and the decision makers within our community. Here you truly are. It’s a very welcoming and very supportive environment for startups.”

You can get, Rybolt said, “a face-to-face meeting with decision makers, who will be buyers of your product. And that’s really, as I talk to other colleagues and entrepreneurs across the United States, that is very unique for our community.”

Kropp said Cincinnati is going to thrive because it is willing to take big swings. This is particularly interesting because the city has a reputation for shying away from risk. In 2026,

“What 3CDC has done for the region, right? I would say that’s a big swing,” Kropp said. “They took this whole area, turned it into something. You know, when we started the Brandery a while ago, we were in Longworth Hall for the first year. Then we were up on 14th and Vine and there was nothing down there. I mean, Senate was there, maybe another restaurant. But over, I think, the last 10 years, what was done is amazing. I think that’s a big swing for the city. And so, I mean, what we’re seeing on UC’s campus, and (Cincinnati Children’s) is incredible, the growth that’s happening. And the innovation that’s happening. It’s just, you know, it’s sometimes hard for people to see, if you’re not in it every day, it’s just hard to see it sometimes.”

This resonates with Cloverleaf’s Moorefield. A lifelong resident, she knows that sometimes people in the region can hang on to the past a little too long. She thinks the city is in a terrific position for the future, but that it won’t just happen.

individuals make that choice,” Moorefield said, adding that people may need to push past their comfort zones. “I think one of our downfalls that we should just be sober about is that Cincinnati can be a place that is a little conservative, right? Where we want to keep what we have, we want to protect it. And, you know, there’s a place to be conservative, and then there’s also a place to be generative, right? We want to protect what we have, and instead we should ask ourselves what are the ways we can be generative and generous?”

There may need to be another shift as well. People who live here may need to start recognizing what a terrific place this is to live and do business.

Our humility, Cullen said, can hold us back.

“We’re always searching for, like, what’s the big thing that we can bring here, that’s gonna make us a superstar city,” she said. “And it’s like, no, we have it, we can build our own thing. Like, we are good enough, you know, and I don’t know why we have this chip on our shoulders. We are like a powerhouse city in all the ways.”

“I think we make that choice. I think

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

Thanks to J.B Kropp, Kate Hursh-Wogenstahl and the folks at Cintrifuse for their significant role in bringing about this event, a first for M&M. Thank you as well to all those who attended. We’ve been encouraged to hold more conversations and include broader segments of the community surrounding this topic. If you have ideas to share, please reach out to Thom Mariner, tmariner@moversmakers.org.

Ollie Kroner is preparing Cincinnati for climate’s uncertain future

By Shauna Steigerwald

Atage 18, Oliver (“Ollie”) Kroner wanted an adventure. Following the example of his Peace Corps parents, the newly minted Walnut Hills High School graduate joined Americorps and headed to New Mexico.

Unable to find an apartment he could afford, he invested his $3,000 life savings in a 1970s single-wide trailer and spent a year working on trails and fire management in a national forest.

He didn’t know he was also blazing a career path that would lead him right back to Cincinnati – and to his dream job as director of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment & Sustainability.

“It really reshaped me,” Kroner said of his time out west, when he spent much of his free time reading. Climate was a frequent topic of choice.

complex tangle of technology, policy and behavior change,” he said.

A sense of community

Kroner didn’t expect to return to Cincinnati. But he found Boston’s high student population gave it a transient feel, and he missed the sense of community back home.

“When I graduated college, Cincinnati was hitting its stride,” he said. “It had a real momentum and a sense that you were invited to help shape it.”

So he moved back in 2006 and worked for a non-governmental organization focused on the science behind public health policy while earning his master’s in environmental sciences from Miami University. Meanwhile, he joined the Northside Community Council, became its president and, with some neighbors, founded a biodiesel co-op. The startup did well – “until it sort of became apparent that electric vehicles were the future,” he said.

“I came to realize that climate would be the biggest challenge of our lifetime, and it looked like a space in need of innovation,” he said. “I was drawn to that.”

Before his year of public service, Kroner had found himself drawn to Boston, where he’d visited his uncle. “It really felt like the intellectual center of the universe,” he said.

Although he followed through with his plans to attend Northeastern University (where he played NCAA table tennis), he switched his major from psychology to environmental studies.

“I always liked problems and problem-solving and puzzles. The climate crisis was sort of this

When the job of sustainability coordinator in Cincinnati’s Office of Environment & Sustainability opened up in 2016, it felt like a perfect fit: It combined the analytical policy work of the NGO, the coalition work of the community council and the entrepreneurial aspects of the startup.

Since then, the office has grown from seven to 20 employees, with Kroner rising to director, and it has increased the breadth and depth of its work.

His work focuses on implementing the Green Cincinnati Plan. His team studies how climate will impact the city’s operations, the economy and residents’ quality of life – and what they’re going to do about it. That vision is bigger than his office, so the work involves partnering with NGOs, businesses and other branches of

government.

“In all honesty, I have my dream job; this is exactly what I wanted to do,” he said. “I have nightmares that I somehow change jobs and I don’t get to do this anymore.”

Kroner sees cities as “the center of the equation” of the climate crisis: Their residents are experiencing climate impacts, they’re responsible for the majority of climate emissions, and they have an agility that states and countries lack,” he said.

“I think Cincinnati is respected and admired by other cities around the country for the climate work we’re doing here,” he said. “I think we have a lot of progress to show for a city of our size.”

Van Sullivan, interim executive director of Green Umbrella, agrees.

“We’re often talked about in the same breath as the Bostons, the Chicagos, the New Yorks, because of the creativity and the ability to swing big,” Sullivan said, adding that Kroner has been a big part of that. “His leadership, his big ideas, his ability to make connections both locally and nationally have really helped put Cincinnati on the map.”

Creating a lasting legacy

“Ollie’s the kind of leader who elevates work simply by being in the room,” added Kylie Johnson, managing director of field advocacy at Ohio Environmental Council and OEC Action Fund. “His presence and depth of knowledge has created a lasting legacy for climate resilience and equitability in our city that can be directly attributed to his leadership.”

Among the city’s successes: It has reduced the city’s carbon emissions nearly 40% since 2006, and is making progress on issues such as green infrastructure, clean energy, public transportation, tree canopy and energy poverty, Kroner said.

One of the projects Kroner’s most excited about is the conversion of a dormant landfill in

FOCUS ON: Shaping the FUTURE

Winton Hills into a 10-megawatt solar farm.

Construction on the $24 million, 64-acre project will begin this spring and should be completed in 2027. According to the city, the project will produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of approximately 1,200 homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 16,000 metric tons per year. That energy will power city facilities and save the city money, Kroner said.

Kroner and his team are also working to position Cincinnati for population growth from climate migration, which he believes is in the city’s future. Away from the sea level rise and hurricanes of the coasts, Cincinnati isn’t experiencing forest fires; the Ohio River provides plenty of fresh water with “world class water utilities;” and the tree canopy will help the city adapt to rising temperatures.

“We have a lot of really important ingredients in what makes an attractive city of the future,” he said.

For Cincinnati’s climate progress, Kroner believes, to quote a photo in his office, that “the next big thing will be a lot of small things.” He sees Cincinnati’s neighborhoods, with their walkable business districts, as key.

“If we can continue to grow people-oriented neighborhoods, that is a climate solution; that is a quality of life solution that leans into the strengths we already had,” he said.

Walking the walk

Kroner is also a big believer in individual climate action. “The choices we make in what we purchase, in the food we eat, how we get to work – they all add up pretty significantly,” he said. “And one thing I know about behavior is:

It’s contagious.”

He lives on a mostly wooded acre in College Hill with his wife and their three children (ages 6 through 13), all of them contributing to the family’s “homesteading project.” That includes growing some of their own food, composting, removing invasive honeysuckle and recycling. They have solar panels on the roof and get around via electric cars.

Kroner serves on the Mill Creek Alliance board and UC Center for Public Engagement With Science (PEWS) Advisory Board. Nationally, he’s on the committee for the Urban Sustainability Directors Network catalytic fund.

He also has a whole list of hobbies befitting a self-described slow thinker with fast reflexes: Soccer, skiing, chess, reading, guitar and digital composing.

“Slow” is also an apt description for the pace

of government, and Kroner’s patience with and ability to find excitement in it make him wellsuited to his work. So does his ability to make connections.

“He is a systems thinker; he can look at a landscape of highly complex issues, which climate work is, and see connection – not only between issues but also between champions and other people passionate about this work,” Green Umbrella’s Sullivan said. “He is a true connector; he knows how to help people feel connected to the work and get plugged in in a way that is meaningful to them.”

Sullivan experienced that firsthand when they moved back to Cincinnati in 2017 after a decade on the East Coast. A cold call to Kroner and conversation about their similar backgrounds led Sullivan to a fellowship with the city. After working with him there and as a partner at Green Umbrella, they now consider him a friend.

“He is just a very thoughtful person, a deep thinker, and his systems-level perspective that he brings always strengthens his work and the people around him,” OEC’s Johnson said. “I’ve seen him stay calm, cool and collected in really challenging situations. … I aspire to be a leader like him.”

And, importantly, Kroner’s an optimist.

“It’s very easy to be pessimistic in a climate space, but I’m not,” he said. “I think we have forever changed the world, no doubt about it. But I think we have a lot of working solutions that are impacting people’s lives today, and they’ll continue to grow.”

“I’m optimistic that we’re making real impact,” he added of his work with the city. “Every day we’re doing real-world climate action. I have hope.” 

The Datebook

MARCH 5-7, THURSDAY-SATURDAY

Cincinnati International Wine Festival | First Financial Center. Winery Dinner Series on Thursday. Grand tastings on Friday and Saturday. Charity auction and luncheon Saturday. Proceeds benefit a variety of nonprofits.

 winefestival.com

MARCH 5, THURSDAY

Findlay Kitchen, Small Bites, Big Impact | 5:30-9 p.m. Rhinegeist Brewery, Over-the-Rhine. Small bites, full bar, program, paddle raise and raffles. Tickets: $95.

 findlaykitchen.org

MARCH 6, FRIDAY

Make A Wish, Wish Gala | 6 p.m. Music Hall Ballroom. Cocktail hour, dinner, live auction, silent auction and raffles. Tickets: $300.

 wish.org

MARCH 7-8, SATURDAY-SUNDAY

CancerFree KIDS, Night for the Fight | 7 p.m. Fifth Third Arena, University of Cincinnati. Games, food and fun.

 cancerfreekids.org/nightforthefight

Pones, Eunoia | 7 p.m. March 7, 2 p.m. March 8. Contemporary Arts Center, downtown. Performance showcase, music, photo booth, auction and full bar.  eventbrite.com,

Pyramid Hill, Founder’s Weekend | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Pyramid Hill, Hamilton. Sculpture unveiling, exhibitions, tours and family-friendly activities. Free.  pyramidhill.org

MARCH 7, SATURDAY

The Bridge Adaptive Sports & Recreation, Paralympic Watch Party | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. MadTree Parks & Rec, Blue Ash. Live streaming sled hockey match USA vs. Italy, raffles, door prizes and split-the-pot.  thebridgeadaptive.org

CORA, Bike & Trail Expo | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. MadTree Brewing, Oakley. Family-friendly, trail-loving event with exhibitors. Free.  coratrails.org

Junior League of Cincinnati, Women Doing a World of Good| 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Memorial Hall, Overthe-Rhine. Keynote: Elizabeth Smart. Luncheon, VIP reception, book signing, community resource fair and raffle prizes. Tickets start at $79.

 cincinnati.jl.org

Lord’s Gym Ministries, Annual Fowling Tournament | 9:30 a.m. Fowling Warehouse, Corryville. Pastries, coffee and prizes. Cost: $25.

 lordsgymministries.org/events

Ohio Valley Voices, Gala | 5:30-11 p.m. Westin Hotel, downtown. Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, silent auction, raffles, program and awards. Tickets: $250.

 ohiovalleyvoices.org/support

MARCH 9, MONDAY

Pink Ribbon Good, Party With a Purpose | 6-9 p.m. Hoppin’ Vines, Madeira. Dinner, drinks, duckpin bowling and raffles. Tickets: $30.  pinkribbongood.org

MARCH 10, TUESDAY

Catholic Charities Diocese of Covington, Appreciation Dinner | 5:30 p.m. Receptions Event Center, Erlanger. Dinner and social.  covingtoncharities.org

Easterseals Redwood, Booze Breakfast | 8 a.m. PeeWee’s Place, Crescent Springs. Donate spirits in exchange for $10 gift certificate for breakfast at PeeWee’s Place.  eastersealsredwood.org

Woman’s City Club, National Speaker Forum | 7 p.m. Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine. Keynote: Gina Belafonte. Tickets: $50.  womanscityclub.org

MARCH 11, WEDNESDAY

Spirit of Construction, Lifetime Achievement Event | 4:30-7:30 p.m. Dever Family Foundation Skilled Trades Education Center, Loveland. Recognizing lifetime achievement honorees.

 spiritofconstruction.org

NKY Chamber, Workforce Best Practices Symposium | 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Kenton County Public Library, Erlanger. Roundtable discussions centered on theme, “Future-Ready Workplaces: Building Talent, Data and Culture.” Tickets: $70.

 business.nkychamber.com

MARCH 12, THURSDAY

Allied Construction Industries, Annual Meeting & Dinner | 5:30-9:30 p.m. Northern Kentucky Convention Center. Networking, appetizers, drinks, dinner and after-party. Tickets: $420 non-members; $240 members.

 aci-web.com/events

Bethesda Lyceum | 6 p.m. Hard Rock Casino. Keynote: Sampson Davis. Dinner, drinks and VIP experience. Tickets: $300.

 bethesdafoundation.com

Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky, Homeless to Hopeful | 5:30-9:30 p.m. Receptions Event Center, Erlanger. Breakfast for dinner, bourbon, auction and program. Tickets: $135.

 emergencyshelternky.org

HER Cincinnati, Her Unfiltered | 5:30-8 p.m. Memorial Hall, Over-theRhine. Performances, reception, women-owned shopping market, drinks and light bites. Tickets: $70.

 hercincinnati.org

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*See Page 4 for print deadlines. Events must meet our editorial standards. Print content is chosen at the discretion of editorial staff and featured as space allows.

MARCH 13, FRIDAY

Asianati, Golden Gala | 5-9 p.m. Rhinegeist Clubhouse, Over-the-Rhine. Cocktail hour, remarks and dinner.  asianati.com

MARCH 14, SATURDAY

Cris Collinsworth ProScan Fund, Queen City Classic Chess Tournament | 7 a.m. TQL Stadium. Chess tournament with special guests: Maurice Ashley, Gregory Kaidanov and Irina Krush. Registration: $50.

 ccpf.org

Rock Your Beauty, Fashion Show | 5:30-9 p.m. Memorial Hall, Over-theRhine. Emcee: Jessica Blackwell. Drinks, food, women - centric vendors, fashion show and after-party. Tickets: $49-$114.

 rockyourbeauty.org

MARCH 15, SUNDAY

American Heart Association, Cincinnati Heart Mini-Marathon | 7:30 a.m. Downtown, corner of 5th & Lawrence streets. 15K mini-marathon, half marathon, plus other walks to raise funds for heart research.

 www2.heart.org

MARCH 16, MONDAY

Adventure Crew, No Man’s Land Film Festival | 6-9 p.m. Esquire Theatre, Clifton. All-women and gendernonconforming film festival showcasing a range of outdoor sports and activities. Social hour, cash bar and food. Tickets: $25 advance; $30 at door.

 adventurecrew.org/events

MARCH 18, WEDNESDAY

Meals on Wheels, Meals Madness Gala | 6-9 p.m. Cintas Center. March Madness-themed engagement, dinner, drinks, silent auction and program honoring the Haile Foundation and Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church.

 muchmorethanameal.org/madness

MARCH 21, SATURDAY

Mercy Neighborhood Ministries, Hoops & Hops | 6-10 p.m. Purcell Marian High School. Half-court shot contest. Cost: $1,000/team. 21+ event.  mercyneighborhoodministries.org

MARCH 27, FRIDAY

Cincinnati Museum Center, Omnimax Dinner Date | 6:30-9:30 p.m. Union Terminal. Three-course meal, beer, wine and screening of “Hubble.” Tickets: $150.  cincymuseum.org

MARCH 29, SUNDAY

Caracole, AIDS Walk + 5K/10K Run | 9-11 a.m. Spring Grove Cemetery. “Get Your Wig On” theme 5K walk, 5K or 10K run and Lois Kay Kids Fun Run (ages 3-12).

 caracole.org

APRIL 8, WEDNESDAY

University of Cincinnati Foundation, United For Justice | 6-10 p.m. Music Hall. Keynote: Tony Goldwyn. Cocktail reception, dinner and presentation. Benefitting Ohio Innocence Project.  foundation.uc.edu

APRIL 9, THURSDAY

Reset Ministries, “More ...” | 6-9 p.m. Receptions Event Center, Erlanger. Tickets: $125.  resetministries.org

APRIL 10, FRIDAY

Adventure Crew, Derick Lugo: “The Unlikely Thru-Hiker” | 5:30-8:30 p.m. Mercantile Library, downtown. Author Derick Lugo discusses “A Fabulous Thru-Hike,” social hour, presentation and Q&A session. Tickets: $20; $90 VIP.  adventurecrew.org/events

OneQuest Health, Annual Breakfast Fundraiser | 8-9:30 a.m. Drees Pavilion, Covington. Keynote: Michelle Keller, Kentucky Supreme Court justice.  onequesthealth.org

APRIL 11, SATURDAY

Chatfield Edge, Celebrating Our Scholars Brunch | 9:30 a.m.-noon. Ursuline Academy, Blue Ash. Brunch and program. Tickets: $100.  chatfieldedge.org

COVERD, Diaper Wrap-Off | 5-9 p.m. Bracket-style competition to wrap the most diapers. Food, drinks, raffles, silent auctions and games.  coverdgc.org

Karen Wellington Foundation, Annual Karen’s Gift Gala | 7-11 p.m. Mercantile Immersive, downtown. General admission: $175.  karenwellingtonfoundation.org

APRIL 16, THURSDAY

Character Council, 2026 Heroes of Character | 5:30-8:30 p.m. Delta Marriott, Sharonville. Honoring heroes for making a difference in their community. Reception, dinner, awards program and silent auction. Tickets: $125.  charactercincinnati.org

Junior Achievement of OKI Partners, Greater Butler & Warren Counties Business Hall of Fame | 6-9 p.m. The Oscar Center, Fairfield. Hors d’oeuvres, wine tasting, open bar and raffle baskets. Tickets: $225.  japartners.org

APRIL 18-19, SATURDAY-SUNDAY

Cincinnati Animal CARE, Shelter Slumber Pawty | Cincinnati Animal CARE, Northside. 6 p.m.-10 a.m. Match donors to pledge $2,500-$5,000 for overnight fundraiser where volunteers and staff sleep in kennels alongside homeless dogs to reach $100,000 fundraising goal.

 cincinnatianimalcare.org

APRIL 18, SATURDAY

1N5, Spring4Life Gala for Mental Health | 6 p.m. Bacon Barn, Blue Ash. Cocktail reception, silent auction, live auction, dinner by-the-bite, music and program. Tickets: $150.

 1n5.org

Cincinnati ToolBank, Building on our Community | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Camp Friedlander, Loveland. Volunteer to aid in projects aimed at improving grounds and facility.

 cincinnatitoolbank.org

Dragonfly Foundation, Grand Gala | 6-11 p.m. Music Hall Ballroom. Dinner, music, open bar, silent auction and grand raffle. Black tie optional.  cincinnati.dragonfly.org

Hope’s Closet, Hope in Bloom | 5:30 p.m. Oscar Event Center, Fairfield. Dinner, dancing and silent auction. Tickets: $125.

 hopesclosetohio.org/gala 

Nonprofit News

YWCA celebrates 10 leaders as Career Women of Achievement

Ten women from the Greater Cincinnati area are being honored for using their professional success to lift others.

YWCA Greater Cincinnati’s annual Career Women of Achievement program recognizes exceptional local leaders in healthcare, education, government, finance, law, construction, technology, philanthropy and the arts.

The honorees: Nabila Ahmad, IBM Americas sales leader; Dr. Evaline “Evie” Alessandrini, chief operating officer at Cincinnati Children’s; Debbie Brant, president and CEO of Cincinnati Ballet; Julie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of meetNKY; Sheryl Long, Cincinnati city manager; Michele O’Rourke, CEO of O’Rourke Wrecking Company; J. Phenise Poole, deputy general counsel and senior vice president, Fifth Third Bank; Cady Short-Thompson, president of Northern Kentucky University; Susan Street Whaley, chief legal officer and secretary at Procter & Gamble; and Kiana R. Trabue, president of the HealthPath Foundation of Ohio and the Public Health Fund of Ohio.

A celebration will be April 30 at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati.

 ywcacincinnati.org/careerwomen

Cincinnati Chamber buys ColdIron to expand festival, event services

The Cincinnati Regional Chamber acquired ColdIron Events and Rentals, a local event production company, to strengthen major festivals and expand rental services.

Founded in 1983, ColdIron has supported events and produced festivals such as Bacon, Bourbon and Brew, Smoke on the River BBQ Fest and the Great Inland Seafood Festival. Its rental division launched in 2015.

The deal brings decades of production experience to the Chamber and adds a rental division that provides tents, tables, chairs, stages and other equipment. ColdIron will remain open to outside event producers, with future discounts for Chamber members. Chamber leaders said the acquisition is an effort to grow existing events, including Taste of Cincinnati, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, Asian Food Fest and BLINK.

The Chamber will retain all full-time ColdIron staff. The combined organization expects to produce nearly 50 days of events each year and employ about 120 people during festival season.

 cincinnatichamber.com

Urban League to honor seven Legendary Lions

The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio has named seven local leaders to the 32nd class of its Legendary Lions Society, recognizing individuals who demonstrate leadership, service and dedication to the community.

The 2026 honorees: Thane Maynard, executive chair of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden; Dr. C. Keith Melvin, internal medicine physician at Mercy Health; John C. Merchant, partner at Dinsmore & Shohl; Sheila Mixon, president and CEO of The SASH Effect; Maribeth S. Rahe, president and CEO of Fort Washington Investment Advisors; Deborah White Richardson, president of DWR & Associates; and Carolyn Wallace, owner of The Perfect Brew.

The Urban League will honor the group at its annual Glorifying the Lions luncheon, April 20 at Cintas Center.

 ulgso.org/lions

Ronald McDonald House groups in Cincinnati, Dayton merge

Ronald McDonald House of Cincinnati and Ronald McDonald House of Dayton have merged to form Ronald McDonald House Southwest Ohio, creating one of the largest operations of its kind.

The merger expands services for families traveling to Southwest Ohio for pediatric medical care and strengthens regional partnerships. The organization will serve more families than any other Ronald McDonald House chapter in the United States and will rank among the top three worldwide.

Jennifer Loeb will serve as chief executive officer. Leaders said the merger grew out of discussions about increasing impact and better supporting families.

 rmhcincinnati.org

TriHealth purchases Kenwood outpatient campus for $46M

TriHealth purchased its Kenwood ambulatory building, an adjacent parking garage and surrounding land for about $46 million, securing long-term control of one of its busiest outpatient locations.

The acquisition includes the 114,000-squarefoot facility at 8245 Northcreek Drive, a two-level garage with more than 400 spaces and more than four acres for future development.

The site houses Group Health Kenwood, Northcreek Family Practice, Women’s Center Kenwood, the TriHealth Cancer and Blood Institute, Gastroenterology, the TriHealth Heart & Vascular Institute and other specialty practices. Services will continue without interruption.

TriHealth had leased the property since 2014 and opened the facility in 2015 under a 15-year lease with renewal options. The health system said ownership will allow it to expand services, accommodate more providers and generate more than $3.5 million in annual savings.

 trihealth.com

Two cultural groups combine to expand AAPI programming

A pair of local organizations have merged to expand programs and outreach for the region’s Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

Asianati and the Greater Cincinnati Chinese Cultural Exchange Association will operate under the Asianati name. Core initiatives, including the Asian Food Fest and the Moon Festival, will continue.

The merged organization also outlined a longterm goal of becoming a central hub for the region’s AAPI community by 2035, with plans for a permanent cultural center, expanded festivals, youth leadership programs, policy advocacy and a sustainable funding model. Asianati appointed Paraag Maddiwar as executive director.

 asianati.com

Talbert House opens veterans residences

Talbert House has opened the Klekamp Family Veteran Residences, a 49-unit permanent supportive housing development in Walnut Hills designed to serve veterans experiencing homelessness.

The 36,000-square-foot building at 2631 Gilbert Ave. includes one-bedroom apartments, onsite supportive services, a community room, laundry facilities and an outdoor courtyard. Its location next to Easterseals Redwood connects residents with services and job opportunities.

The Klekamp family provided a significant investment to launch the project. Additional partners include the Cincinnati Development Fund, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, City of Cincinnati, Fifth Third Bank, Model Group, Ohio Housing Finance Agency, OCCH, Strategies to End Homelessness and the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation.

 talberthouse.org 

Longtime community champion Maggie Brennan is the new vice president of social enterprise growth at Easterseals Redwood, where she’ll lead expansion of Building Value and the organization’s packaging and fulfillment operations. She worked as a consultant with SEI and held leadership roles at DonorDrive and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Brennan is board chair of the Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society.

Visit Cincy named an interim leadership team following the departure of its executive leader, Julie Calvert. Julie Kirkpatrick will serve as interim president and CEO, overseeing day-to-day operations while the organization conducts a nationwide search for Calvert’s successor; Kirkpatrick will continue as president and CEO of meetNKY. Visit Cincy also appointed Candace McGraw as an executive adviser. McGraw, who recently retired as CEO of the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, will assist with board governance, strategic guidance and leadership continuity during the search.

Danielle Wilder is the new executive director of Shelterhouse, succeeding Arlene Nolan. Wilder, who joined the organization in 2016 and most recently served as chief administrative officer, was chosen for her years overseeing operations, development, HR, IT and facilities. Shelterhouse and its Barron Center for Men and Hatton Center for Women provide emergency shelter and support for people experiencing homelessness.

The Mayerson JCC selected David Solomon as its chief operating officer. Solomon, a leader in Cincinnati’s Jewish nonprofit community, served as the JCC’s director of operations and most recently worked at the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, where he led initiatives to enhance organizational effectiveness.

Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society is honoring leaders Melvin Grier and Jim Wellinghoff as they transition from active board service to trustees emeritus, recognizing their contributions to the organization. Wellinghoff, a Vietnam War veteran and former CMHS treasurer, helped strengthen financial stewardship, guided long-term planning and advanced major preservation projects, including the Second Century Fund and the Longworth-Anderson Stage renovation. Grier, a U.S. Air Force vet and noted Cincinnati photojournalist, shaped CMHS’s programming and community connections, sustaining the jazz tradition within the LAS series.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati named Nadine Gibson as its first chief operations officer, expanding the former director of operations role to support the organization’s anticipated growth. Gibson has extensive experience in project management and real estate, including leadership roles at Procter & Gamble and Jones Lang LaSalle, where she managed complex initiatives such as a $500 million corporate relocation. She will help guide Habitat’s expansion of multi-home developments and new construction technologies.

Three new board members will help direct the future of Great Parks Forever, the philanthropic partner for the Great Parks system: Shawn Masterson, Tina Ross and David Walter. Masterson is Cincinnati commercial market president for First Financial Bank and a former trustee for the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio. Ross recently retired as executive director of the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Foundation and serves on the board of The East End Adult Education Center. Walter is VP of sales for Marathon Health and is on the board of the Dan Beard Council for Scouting America.

Franki Meier has been promoted to executive director of the Central Ohio chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Meier will continue building relationships with families, volunteers and donors while strengthening community partnerships across Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Indiana.

Flywheel Accelerators has strengthened its leadership team for its mission to drive social innovation. Dan Poston steps in as board president, joined by Melisse May as vice president, Byron Stallworth as secretary and Ben Berling as treasurer. For the past decade, Flywheel’s programs have empowered 190 founders across 67 companies, providing nearly $300,000 in early-stage capital.

Jennifer Knight Zelkind is the new executive director of Women Writing for (a) Change, a nonprofit that offers writing programs and free community events, including an annual Author’s Series. Zelkind has experience in publishing and journalism, along with expertise in business development, philanthropy, fundraising and planning. She also has nonprofit board and volunteer experience, including with the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Ballet and the Contemporary Arts Center.

Cincinnati-based CancerFree KIDS selected Julie Daubenmire to serve as director of marketing and family engagement in its Columbus office. Daubenmire has more than 20 years of experience in public relations and marketing, with a focus on nonprofit and healthcare organizations. Her work has included brand development, communications strategy and community engagement. She also has a personal connection: In 2024, her daughter was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, and is now in remission.

Michael Hurst, an Art Academy of Cincinnati alum, is returning to his alma mater as director of exhibitions. An artist and museum professional with 20 years of experience, Hurst most recently directed the museum program at 21c Museum Hotel in Cincinnati, managing exhibitions, artist support and installations for 13 years. At AAC, he’ll oversee shows while supporting openings, public programs and community engagement initiatives.

Talbert House hired Kevin Hackman as its strategy development director, where he’ll lead initiatives to advance the organization’s mission to support children, adults and families. Hackman brings more than 20 years of experience in fundraising, donor engagement and nonprofit development, with leadership roles at Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency, Cancer Family Care, the American Diabetes Association and Camp Joy.

Green Umbrella is turning to a familiar leader as it seeks a successor to Executive Director Ryan Mooney-Bullock. Van Sullivan, the nonprofit’s senior director of programs and climate strategy, has been named interim executive director. Since joining in 2020, she has shaped the organization’s climate policy and led community engagement efforts across the region.

Sean Keating, audit senior manager at Deloitte, has joined the board of OneSource Center for Nonprofit Excellence. The Cincinnati-based organization provides services, products and connections to help nonprofits strengthen their impact. Former United Way of Greater Cincinnati CEO Rob Reifsnyder was named this year’s board chair, with Taft Law’s David Zimmerman as vice chair.

The VIA Institute on Character selected Ashwani (Ash) Dhar as its new chief executive officer. The Cincinnati-based nonprofit, which merged with Mayerson Academy in 2023, studies and applies character strengths in schools, workplaces and communities. Dhar served as CEO of performance marketing agency Adlucent, where he led the company through a decade of growth and multiple ownership transitions.

A leadership transition is underway at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden as Chief Operating Officer Dave Jenike steps into his new role as director and Mark Fisher replaces him as COO. The changes follow Thane Maynard, the longtime director and public face of the zoo, stepping down Jan. 1 to become executive chair of the zoo’s board. Jenike and Fisher have spent the past two decades with the zoo.

Makers and Movers.pdf 1 2/10/26 11:54 AM

Karen Finan, president and CEO of OneNKY Alliance, received a Northern Kentucky Community Award from the NKY Chamber, which honors individuals, businesses and organizations making a positive impact in the region. A Northern Kentucky University alum, Finan leads OneNKY Alliance in advancing a vision for a unified community. Under her guidance, the organization opened the OneNKY Center and launched EducateNKY in 2023 to improve student outcomes.

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s Joanie Schultz is the latest recipient of the SDCF Zelda Fichandler Award, recognizing regional theater artists for creativity, community engagement and lasting impact. The award, presented by the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, includes an unrestricted $5,000 prize. Schultz is a director, teacher and arts leader whose work spans more than 30 theater and opera companies across the United States, including The Goodman Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater and Kansas City Repertory Theatre. She joined Cincinnati Playhouse in October 2021 as associate artistic director. 

Alpaughs giving $10M to Family Economics Center at UC

Peter Alpaugh and his wife, Vicki Alpaugh, are continuing a family legacy with a $10 million estate gift to the Alpaugh Family Economics Center at the University of Cincinnati, supporting programs that teach financial literacy and economic skills to students and teachers.

The donation will provide flexible funding for program and staffing enhancements, technology upgrades and other center needs. The center reaches tens of thousands of Ohio students annually through financial literacy, investing and entrepreneurship programs. Its $martPath online curriculum is used in more than 50 states and 80 countries.

Walter “Pete” Alpaugh, Peter’s father, was one of the center’s founders in 1976. The center officially took the Alpaugh name in 2019.

 economicscenter.org

GCF, Haile Foundation commit $1M to strengthen NKY initiatives

Northern Kentucky will receive more than $1 million to expand affordable housing, boost early literacy and create new job opportunities.

The funding comes through a partnership between the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation, supporting projects focused on economic stability and quality of life.

A five-year, $500,000 commitment to The Catalytic Fund will unlock $25 million in lending capital to create or rehab more than 1,000 affordable housing units. Another $100,000 will help cover renovation costs at SparkHaus, a new 50,000-square-foot Covington space for entrepreneurs.

GCF is also directing $475,000 to Northern Kentucky nonprofits that assist residents with education, job pathways, the arts and basic needs such as housing and transportation. Recipients include the Northern Kentucky Area Development District, NKY Works, NKY Education Council, Educate NKY, The Carnegie, Pones Inc., the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky, the Ion Center for Violence Prevention and Samaritan Car Care Clinic.

 hailefoundation.org

34 local nonprofits to share $1.5M in Better Together grants

More than 30 nonprofits across Greater Cincinnati will share $1.5 million to strengthen operations, build partnerships and plan for longterm stability amid growing financial pressures. The grants come through the Better Together

Lisa Huffman, dean of the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services; and Sue Heilmayer, co-executive director of Alpaugh Family Economics Center; with Peter Alpaugh at Market Madness 2025

Fund, a collaboration by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, bi3 Fund, BT RISE, Interact for Health and United Way of Greater Cincinnati.

The Better Together Fund offers capacitybuilding awards of up to $25,000, sharedservices grants up to $50,000, and grants of up to $100,000 to support formal collaborations or mergers. Participating organizations also receive consulting and technical assistance.

For this round, 34 organizations received awards, including Brighton Center, Camp BYOC, CASA for Clermont Kids to Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio and The Gaskins Foundation.

 Full list: moversmakers.org

 gcfdn.org/nonprofits

Community Matters receives $100K through Catalyst Ignite program

Stand Together Foundation selected Community Matters as one of 15 nonprofits across the country to join its yearlong Catalyst Ignite leadership and organizational development program.

The foundation will provide Community Matters with up to $100,000 in matching funds to encourage local investment and support initiatives shaped by neighborhood priorities.

Founded in 2014, Community Matters strengthens Lower Price Hill by supporting family sustainability, adult education pathways, resident-led leadership and neighborhood development.

 cmcincy.org

12 foundations contribute $613K to PWC for housing upgrades

People Working Cooperatively will use $613,500 in grants awarded in the second half of 2025 to repair and modify homes for low- and fixed-income residents across Greater Cincinnati.

The funding from 12 foundations — including the Boone County Capital Projects Fund, the Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation and the P&G Fund — will support critical home repairs, weatherization, accessibility modifications and PWC’s volunteer program. Two anonymous

foundations contributed $100,000 for repairs in Northern Kentucky. Additional grants will fund operations and expand volunteer involvement.

These grants will enable the nonprofit’s 130 professional staff and volunteers to deliver roughly 7,000 home services annually and support long-term stability for families in need.

 pwchomerepairs.org

Gilligan Give Back campaign grants $85K to Boys & Girls Clubs

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati received an $85,600 donation from The Gilligan Company through its annual Gilligan Give Back campaign, supporting programs that help youths reach their full potential.

The donation was raised through fundraising at the company’s local Dunkin’, Popeyes, goco/ Shell, and Subway locations. The funds will support BGCGC programs focused on academic success, leadership development and healthy lifestyles. The Gilligan Give Back campaign partners with a local nonprofit each year.

 bgcgc.org

Winn Reading gets $25K grant for literacy mentoring in CPS

Winn Reading received a $25,000 grant from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation to expand one-to-one literacy mentoring for elementary students in Cincinnati Public Schools.

The funding will cover mentor background checks, school clearance, volunteer training, classroom literacy mentor kits, and take-home decodable readers for students. The grant will help Winn Reading place more trained mentors in classrooms, the organization said.

 winnreading.org

Butler Foundation challenges Urban Education Center with $50K grant

The Notre Dame Urban Education Center received a challenge grant from the Butler Foundation to support educational opportunities for children and families in Covington and surrounding communities.

The grant will match every new or increased contribution up to $50,000 through June 30. The funding will help NDUEC strengthen existing programs, launch new initiatives and serve more students needing academic and mentoring support.

Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 2009, NDUEC offers after-school academic support, pre-K and summer learning programs, and family engagement initiatives.

 nduec.org 

SCPA showcases ‘Future of the Arts’ at gala

Cincinnati’s School for Creative & Performing Arts hosted its Future of the Arts gala in Music Hall, providing 175 students with performance and mentoring opportunities. SCPA students performed with professionals from Cincinnati Ballet, May Festival, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and The Children’s Theatre Cincinnati, presenting a showcase honoring Darrell M. Miller, honorary SCPA alumnus and renowned entertainment lawyer. Kyle Inskeep of Local 12 served as emcee for the gala, which was supported by the SCPA Fund Board, Cincinnati arts organizations and sponsors.

 scpa.cps-k12.org

Visit Cincy shows off remade Convention Center

Visit Cincy held its 2026 annual meeting at Cincinnati’s reimagined downtown convention center, bringing together more than 700 hospitality, business and civic leaders, including 60 meeting planners. The event was the largest gathering in the organization’s 80year history and served as the first major business meeting hosted in the renovated facility, which reopened in January after an 18-month, $264 million renovation project. The facility also has a new name: First Financial Center.

Visit Cincy – Greater Cincinnati’s tourism and convention bureau – presented its Spirit of Cincinnati Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the region’s hospitality industry and visitor economy. Honorees represented business, tourism, community and civic leadership, highlighting the partnerships that help drive visitation and economic impact.

The annual meeting shares progress and recognizes leaders. Visit Cincy’s mission is to drive economic impact and community vitality through destination marketing, sales and partnerships.

 visitcincy.com

468 CCM students perform at Moveable Feast event

“Moveable Feast: Illuminate” lit up the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music on stage, behind the curtain and in the classroom. Hosted by CCMpower, the fundraising gala generated more than $140,000 for student scholarships.

The event featured 468 student participants in 23 performances and presentations that represented all eight academic divisions of the college: Composition, Musicology and Theory; Ensembles and Conducting; General Studies; Keyboard Studies; Media Production; Music Education; Performance Studies; and Theatre Arts, Production and Arts Administration.

The evening raised vital funds for student scholarships while honoring honorary chairs Patti Myers and Alan Flaherty, and alumni guest of honor Scott Coulter.

 ccm.uc.edu

PREMIERES SUNDAY, MARCH 22, AT 9PM

Flywheel celebrates 10 years, announces new leadership

Flywheel Accelerators celebrated 10 years of advancing social innovation and supporting business founders by bringing together alumni founders, volunteer coaches, board members and community partners.

The evening, at First Financial Bank’s Community Center, featured reflections from founders Tony Bronsink of The Hive, Katie Nzekwu of Found Village and longtime volunteer Sandy Hughes, architect of Flywheel’s coach training program.

Flywheel has supported 190 founders, 68% of them women and 51% founders of color, across 67 companies. These companies have generated $8.7 million in revenue, with 80% still active.

The celebration also honored retiring board leaders Susan Ingmire and Rebecca Riegelsberger, and welcomed new officers: Dan Poston, board president; Melisse May, vice president; Byron Stallworth, secretary; and Ben Berling, treasurer.

The organization plans to launch a Resource Hub, host a Social Impact Summit and welcome new Elevate Impact founders in the fall.

 flywheelcincinnati.org

Art Academy showcases young talent

Art Academy of Cincinnati transformed its campus into a celebration of bold ideas and rising voices during the opening reception of the 2026 Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Students, educators, families and community members gathered to honor exceptional creative talent from grades 7-12 across Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. More than 1,700 awards were presented in visual arts and writing.

Guests explored standout work in painting, photography, sculpture, film, design and mixed media. Creative writing awardees took the stage for open-mic readings. The night also featured a photo booth, a pop-up AAC Archives Exhibition and the 2026 AAC Faculty Exhibition, spotlighting emerging voices and the creative forces shaping the region’s future.

 artacademy.edu

Freedom Center honors MLK Day

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center welcomed 3,500 visitors to celebrate the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Fifth Third Community Day event on MLK Day drew families, coworkers, sports teams, scout troops, living communities, church groups, friends and more. Community partners, volunteers, staff and supporters assisted guests, read to children, greeted visitors in the John Parker Library and contributed to Hoxworth’s 112 blood donations.  freedomcenter.org

from Phi

read books to some Freedom Center visitors.

Woodrow “Woody” Keown Jr., Freedom Center president & COO

Fuller was emcee for the 21st annual King Legacy Celebration.

Kahlil Greene (center), Gen Z historian and Yale University’s first Black student body president, was keynote speaker.

The Freedom Center welcomed 3,500 visitors on MLK Day with free museum admission, thanks to the Fifth Third Foundation.

SATURDAY 6:30PM CET SUNDAY 8:30PM CET ARTS

Join Barbara Kellar as she showcases artists and cultural leaders from the Greater Cincinnati community.

Emmy Award Winner Regional - Interview/Discussion Program www.CETconnect.org

M&M monthly mixer draws crowd to Mellotone

More than 80 friends and fans of Movers & Makers gathered on the third floor of Mellotone Beer Project in Over-the-Rhine in February to kick off the magazine’s fourth year of Mix & Mingle happy hours. Thanks to the Mellotone crew for their outstanding hospitality.

Our March location is set – Newport Car Barn, Wednesday, March 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m. –with free light bites and two free drink tickets courtesy of the venue. Come support M&M, make some new friends and experience this unique event space. RSVP using the QR code on Page 4.

Open Your Heart raises record amount for Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones’ 18th annual Open Your Heart fundraiser generated more than $113,000 for year-round programming for children, teens and adults with disabilities. The total is the highest in the event’s history.

Guests gathered at Stone Creek Dining Company, enjoying raffles, a silent auction, artwork created by Stepping Stones participants and a program celebrating the agency’s work. Others joined remotely, sharing Stone Creek meals from home while supporting the cause.

Ashley Bieber and Jeff Bieber were event chairs. Presenting sponsor was Convalescent Hospital Fund for Children. Valentine sponsors were Dawn Paxson and Allen Paxson, Saundra Seger and Mark Seger, and Amy Joseph and George Joseph.

Stepping Stones serves individuals with disabilities in day and overnight programs that increase independence and promote inclusion. Founded in 1963, the agency provides educational, recreational and social programs at locations in Batavia, Indian Hill, Norwood and Western Hills.

 steppingstonesohio.org

$113,000+ Net Raised for Stepping Stones

With heartfelt thanks to our sponsors

Presenting Sponsor Convalescent Hospital Fund for Children

Valentine Sponsors

Amy & George Joseph

Dawn & Allen Paxson

Sweetheart Sponsors

Nancy & Dr. David Aichholz

Ashley & Je Bieber

Benchmark Wealth Management

Constellation Wealth Management

CSJ Charitable Fund

Forcht Bank

Jones Lang LaSalle

KPMG

MegaCorp Logistics

Anne Pierce

Ryan Generational Capital Advisors of Janney Montgomery Scott

Anne & Jim Shanahan

SugarCreek/Julie & John Richardson

Muddie & Robert Robinson

Stepping Stones Executive Team

Western & Southern Financial Group

Saundra & Mark Seger For A Complete List of Sponsors, Visit: CincyOpenYourHeart.org

Lindner Center party scores big for new Educational Institute

Lindner Center of Hope welcomed more than 270 people to Great American Ball Park Champions Club for Touchdown for Hope, a Super Bowl watch party to benefit mental health education.

The event raised more than $167,000 before expenses in support of a new Educational Institute, an initiative to expand mental health outreach, education and understanding throughout the community.

Guests enjoyed wall-to-wall big-screen TVs, plush seating and a spirited tailgate atmosphere overlooking the baseball field. Attendees enjoyed Cincinnati favorites, including LaRosa’s Pizza, Skyline Chili, Montgomery Inn ribs, United Dairy Farmers ice cream and more.

Lindner Center of Hope in Mason is a comprehensive mental health center providing exceptional mental health services and improving the health of our community.

 lindnercenterofhope.org

198th St. Andrew’s Day Ball celebrates Scottish heritage

Cincinnati’s Scottish community gathered for the 198th St. Andrew’s Day Ball, held in the Pavilion Caprice Room at the Hilton Netherland Plaza. More than 200 guests honored tradition, music and fellowship.

The OP Brass Ensemble from Clark Montessori and Walnut Hills high schools performed. Piper Chris McClennan ushered in the officers. The Cincinnati Highland Dancers delivered sword dances and jigs, and the Cincinnati Caledonian Pipes & Drums performed.

A beloved ritual of the evening – Robert Burns’ “Ode to a Haggis” – was brought to life by Dr. Daniel Bowen, who offered a spirited reading before the Scottish delicacy was served to adventurous attendees. The Royal Scottish Country Dancers guided guests through classic reels and the ever-popular Gay Gordons dances.

The Cincinnati Caledonian Society is the oldest Scottish society in continuous existence in the United States. It celebrates its bicentennial in 2027.

 caledoniansociety.org

ArtsWave kicks off 2026 funding campaign

ArtsWave kicked off its 2026 campaign – and its 99th year of existence – with a gathering of arts, business, civic and education leaders at Cincinnati Ballet’s Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance. The annual campaign supports more than 150 arts organizations, artists and projects across the Cincinnati region.

Campaign Chair James Zimmerman announced strong early momentum with continued growth in executive leader giving, thanks to a $99,000 matching gift from Western & Southern Financial Group. Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Shauna Murphy highlighted the positive impact of ArtsWave’s More Arts, More Kids initiative, which provides arts field trips for nearly 20,000 students annually.

The kickoff underscored ArtsWave’s long-standing model of community investment and the role the arts play in strengthening the region. The campaign’s 2026 goal is to exceed last year’s $12.3 million fundraising effort.

 artswave.org

Show displays outdoor fashions, raises funds for Adventure Crew

Adventure Crew and longtime partner Roads Rivers and Trails hosted their annual Outdoor Fashion Show at The Barn in Mariemont. Highlights: a social hour; a runway show featuring sustainable outdoor clothing and gear from RRT, a Milford-based outdoor store; and a pop-up shop where attendees could purchase items from the show. The event raised more than $6,000 to support Adventure Crew’s programs, which connect city teens with nature and each other through engaging outdoor adventures. Sustainergy also offered support.

 adventurecrew.org, roadsriversandtrails.com

Models Brandon Behymer, Dalton Spurlin, Laura Wolf, Aidan O’Dell and Ellen Littmann

Models Chuck Pettigrew, Hannah Pruiett, Miranda Sharer and Emma Littmann

A great city takes dreamers – and doers

I’vehad a cartoon from The New Yorker pinned to my bulletin board for a long time. Two men, with hard hats and clipboards, are looking at a big hole in the ground with a skyscraper foundation. One is saying to the other, “I don’t know – seems like a lot of work.”

It makes me think about one of the most amazing things about human beings. They build the building anyway.

The theme of this Movers & Makers issue is the future city. I have a hard time imagining the future right now. But let’s say we correct income inequality, keep our ability to make decisions at the local level and are not blown away by extreme weather. Then, anything we build for the future will be the result of people saying, “That thing seems like a lot of work,” and then doing the thing anyway.

That impulse can work at a municipal, corporate or institutional

level, but when I think about what keeps Cincinnati a place where people still want to live, I think of what individuals and small groups have created. Sometimes they come from eccentric, super-personal visions that no one at a corporate or governmental level would ever think of. What they create gives the city texture, diversity, sparks of light. They create soul.

My years covering restaurants for The Enquirer often introduced me to some of those people. Talk about committing yourself to a lot of work. I was touched over and over by the bravery of starting something as reliant on vision, hard work and luck as a restaurant. Now, writing these columns, I talk to people about their nonprofit organizations or causes they fight for, and I have the same feeling.

I’ve never built up anything from a big hole in the ground. All I can do is give a little attention and love

sample of those who contribute to Cincinnati’s soul and who have made this a place I like living in.

First, we have the people willing to keep a small publication going, one that celebrates “arts & culture community, philanthropy.” Much work was done to allow you to hold it in your hand right now.

My husband and I are falling in love with Caffè Vivace jazz club, small enough that the music doesn’t just surround you, it enters you, and the audience understands the spirit of really listening. To make it even better, MC Sly Little hypes the band and gets the crowd warmed up, and starts sets off with one of his jazzy, improvised spoken word pieces. I love it.

My daughter’s boyfriend is from Chicago, but he loves Cincinnati, maybe mostly on account of goetta, and at Thanksgiving, we did a deep dive. We visited butchers like Wasslers and Humbert’s, where the guys behind the counter knew everyone’s names and had a patter going and just made standing in line to buy meat an experience that felt like community.

When I think about what openminded, socially aware and competent women my daughters are, I appreciate the work by the teachers at North Avondale Montessori and Walnut Hills High School. And at Kennedy Heights Montessori preschool, founded by families in the ’60s who wanted to make sure their neighborhood stayed strong and multiracial as others emptied out from white flight.

The activist farmers I met doing a story about Black urban farmers: people who had an idea that neighborhoods could call on the skill of their residents and the energy of young people to grow food that people needed. I could cry – it’s so much work and so important and beautiful.

I appreciate the people who run for the local city council even though the odds are against them. It’s hard to knock on doors, but I appreciate the ones who did, to tell me about their plans for a future

Polly Campbell

Cincinnati.

You can’t have a great city without bookstores! I thought we’d lost them, but they’re coming back. I’m so glad people have faith that they can work by opening Downbound and Roebling and The Village Bookworm and the Bookshelf. Record stores too, including the beguiling and eccentric Hail Records and Oddities in Covington.

I’d eat at Just Q’in even if they didn’t have good brisket and pulled pork. It’s a restaurant, but also a reentry program for people who need help getting their life together and finding employment.

Every time I pass the corner of 13th and Clay, dominated by the steeple of the old St. Mary’s Church since 1842, I can either stop for one of Brown Bear Bakery’s layered pastry versions of love and perfection on one corner, or stop in at Longfellow’s, the embodiment of what a good neighborhood bar should be.

We have kept places like Arnold’s, The Mercantile Library, Oktoberfest, The Cincinnati Music Festival, The Flying Pig, The FreeStore, Avril’s Meats, WAIF Radio, the Harvest Home parade, Black Family reunion going for 20, 40, 100 years. It doesn’t just take work to get them started, it’s also required to keep them going. Make your own list of the things that bring you pleasure and root you to your city. Participate. Go to board meetings, volunteer, become regulars and spend money. Nothing builds itself. 

Polly Campbell covered restaurants and food for the Cincinnati Enquirer from 1996 until 2020. She writes monthly on a variety of topics, and she welcomes your feedback and column suggestions at editor@moversmakers.org

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