CINCINNATI — The Art Climb is where people usually come to exercise or go sightseeing with friends, but people recently got the chance to express themselves artistically and prepare for the 2020 presidential election.
What You Need To Know
- Cincinnati was recently ranked one of the top 20 most vibrant arts cities in the nation
- The ranking was from the Southern Methodist University’s Arts Vibrancy Index
- A group of local arts organizations hosted a voting arts event called Art Climb and Vote
- Saturday’s event was one of several events that make up the city’s vibrant arts environment
“There are a lot of people in the country, in the world, that don’t vote. They can’t vote,” said David Moody, artist and member of House of Friends. “And so we want to really promote awareness and promote community engagement and activism because that’s the only way we’re going to see lasting change.”
That’s what inspired Moody of Cincinnati to get involved with the Art Climb and Vote event on Saturday in Eden Park.
“I’ve always wanted to express myself and I feel like everybody has something to say,” said Moody. “And I feel like artists are getting the best, best means for me to kind of communicate that.”
Moody is a member of the House of Friends, an arts organization that promotes equity, inclusion, and justice. It had a station on the climb where people were able to spray paint their own signs. “Raise your voice, hope vote, and your voice,” were just some of the words displayed.
“All these different, like, phrases that they can kind of make their own and kind of mix and match and combined to, to say something meaningful in their own way,” he said.
Moody even made a sign. It was black with a gold fist and the word “vote” in red letters across it.
“I wanted to, in a very simplistic way, communicate the idea that, you know, Black people, Black Lives are mattered,” he said.
The sign station was one of several activities set up by artists and other organizations. There was a vote maze and a booth to learn about the local and statewide candidates running for office.
Art events like this one are what help keep Cincinnati on the national charts. Cincinnati was recently recognized by Southern Methodist University DataArts as one of the top 20 most arts-vibrant cities.
“It speaks to what we felt instinctively about Cincinnati that the public really appreciates and values its arts,” said Alecia Kintner, the CEO ArtsWave.
Kintner has had an instrumental role in helping organize many events like these in the Cincinnati area.
“Now, we have a data-driven index to show how we rank on that public domain. It’s exciting. It’s affirming. It also gives us, you know, an aspiration for how to start,” said Kintner.
As a Cincinnati native, Moody said he’s excited to be a part of this movement and proud that his city received this recognition.
“Cincinnati doesn’t get enough press or enough awareness for its art scene, I feel it to be pretty vibrant, pretty robust, I think, and it’s nice to see that we’ve been recognized,” he said.
