Cincinnati Arts & Culture

Community Impact Study

The Cincinnati Arts & Culture Community Impact Study highlights the vital role that arts and culture play in promoting well-being across Greater Cincinnati.

By combining quantitative data and community feedback gathered through surveys, listening sessions and community engagement, the study offers a deeper understanding of how people from all backgrounds, including those historically underrepresented or underfunded, connect with arts and cultural opportunities throughout the Greater Cincinnati region.

Moving beyond traditional economic metrics, the study aims to provide a broader viewpoint of the arts and culture landscape, highlighting how creative expression can shape the over well-being and health of a community by:

• Building stronger, more connected neighborhoods

• Supporting mental and emotional health

• Helping community members feel seen, heard and valued

Two people sitting on a bench look at art on the wall

Led by Tiffany Cooper of Meaningful Connections LLC, in partnership with Candra Reeves (Ardelle Group LLC) and Kathy Garrison (Artsville), the study will use a mixed methodology for data collection through online surveys and in-person engagement sessions such as community listening sessions and panel discussions.

In collaboration with a voluntary advisory community committee made up of local arts and cultural leaders and community members, the project will engage residents, community organizations and arts and culture supporters to ensure a wide range of voices are represented throughout the study to help shape findings for future impact.

Group of people sitting around a table for a meeting

Our Process

Why Social Impact Matters:

According to the Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s State of the Region 2024 Report, the arts and culture sector and adjoining industries contributed an impressive $5.4 billion in economic impact to the Greater Cincinnati region in 2023. There is no doubt that arts and culture is an important driver for impact in our community. However, what is not as often discussed is the equally vital and far-reaching social impact of the arts and culture sector.

Arts and cultural initiatives not only contribute significantly to local economies by attracting tourism, creating jobs, and supporting small businesses, but they also play a crucial role in the overall well-being of a community. Supporting the revitalization of neighborhoods and communities, arts and culture help turn underutilized spaces into vibrant community hubs. These spaces often become catalysts for civic and community engagement and mobilizers drawing residents together around shared experiences, public dialogue, and collaborative problem-solving.

Participation in the arts has also been linked to improved mental health and overall wellbeing, offering therapeutic benefits and reducing social isolation. A driver in helping foster a sense of identity and belonging, arts and culture allows individuals and communities to embody their whole selves, expressing their histories, values, and aspirations in powerful and unifying ways. More than just performance or entertainment, the social benefits of arts and culture when done with intentionality and inclusivity, enhances quality of life and strengthens the social fabric of our entire region.

By evaluating the critical role of the social impact of arts and culture in our community we broaden the conversation around impact to give voice to the many people and places that help shape the vitality of our community.

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