BLINK: A Spotlight on Black artists, performers, & businesses

Illuminating BLINK: A Spotlight on Black artists, performers, events, and businesses.

BLINK, Cincinnati’s vibrant light and art festival, is an exciting opportunity to experience the city through a cultural lens. This guide spotlights the talented Black visual artists, live performers, and Black-owned businesses that make BLINK a celebration of diversity and creativity. From must-see art installations to dining at local Black-owned restaurants, along with essential parking, road closure, and transportation details, this guide will help you navigate BLINK while embracing the richness of Cincinnati’s Black culture.

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Art and Experiences from Black Artists Featured at BLINK

Discover the incredible talent of Black artists, muralists, filmmakers, and animators showcased at BLINK, where vibrant creativity and diverse perspectives come to life.

If I Ruled the World

Mural #2 by Gee Horton with Chroma Projects
1600 Vine Street (Findlay Market Zone)
The Coming of Age Mural Series features hyper-realistic charcoal and graphite drawings that explore the journey of growing up from the perspective of the Black experience. By blending the human form with contemporary cultural symbols, these murals do more than just beautify neighborhoods—they inspire a sense of pride and belonging.

Things Fall Apart

Mural #3 by Gee Horton with Chroma Projects
1714 Vine Street (Findlay Market Zone)
The Coming of Age Mural Series features hyper-realistic charcoal and graphite drawings that explore the journey of growing up from the perspective of the Black experience. By blending the human form with contemporary cultural symbols, these murals do more than just beautify neighborhoods—they inspire a sense of pride and belonging.

Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

Mural by Javarri Lewis with William Rankins Jr.
1619 Moore Street (Findlay Market Zone)
Painted by Javarri and designed together, this mural pays homage to Mr. Rankins Jr. and his legacy and serves as a reminder to keep creating beautiful, wonderful things.

You Got Me

Mural #1 by Gee Horton with Chroma Projects
1500 Vine Street (OTR Zone)
The Coming of Age Mural Series features hyper-realistic charcoal and graphite drawings that explore the journey of growing up from the perspective of the Black experience. By blending the human form with contemporary cultural symbols, these murals do more than just beautify neighborhoods—they inspire a sense of pride and belonging.

We Love Us

Film projection by Asa Featherstone IV and Black Art Speaks
1536 Pleasant Steet (OTR Zone)
A cinematic moving film showcasing the distinct beauty, essence, and identity of neighborhoods and their residents within Avondale, Lincoln Heights, Forest Park, and Bond Hill, four of Cincinnati’s majority Black neighborhoods and communities.

On Her Mind

Animation projection by MZ Icar
1534 Pleasant Street (OTR Zone)
A series of animations for projection on the mural “RIP Rapes,” which honors the late Jason Brunson and features Ernest Zacharevic’s painting of a local girl. The animations imagine the places and spaces the girl envisions, exploring her ancestors, dreams, and aspirations. The project showcases youth’s boundless potential, incorporating various tattoo styles as a nod to Brunson and blending animated photographs, drawings, and AI-generated imagery onto the mural.

Free Form

Experiential artwork by Afrochine
14 W 13th Street (OTR Zone)
Invites BLINK attendees to step inside and create an octophonic musical and visual experience procedurally generated in real-time. With each press of a switch, BLINK attendees will create a wholly new musical and visual composition—one that, at any given point in time, will never be like any combination before or after.

The Cincinnatus Experience

Projection featuring VINCE FRASER
1015 Vine Street (Downtown Zone)
Three different artists will light an iconic mural in downtown Cincinnatius this year in a truly magical experience you won’t want to miss!

BLM! Mural

Mural by Black Art Speaks
801 Plum Street (Downtown Zone)
Seventeen Black Art Leaders and more than 70 artists narrate a story through each letter to elevate their aspirations for family, peace, equality, and inclusivity. They conclude with a powerful collective declaration that demands nothing more and nothing less.

The Writing on the Wall

Artwork by Hank Willis Thomas and Dr. Baz Dreisinger
175 Rosa Parks Street (The Banks Zone)
An artwork featuring writings from prisons worldwide features a curated selection from the newest archives with the American Prison Writing Archive. Working to challenge the perpetual systems of oppression within and beyond the art world by exposing the public to warehoused and marginalized voices and minds.

Shadow REVEL

Experiential artwork by Christine Langford
15 E 4th Street (Newport Zone)
A large white screen, music, and colored lights set the scene. You are invited into the zone between the screen and lights where your body casts layered, colored shadows resulting in red, blue, green, magenta, cyan, yellow, and black colors. Through movement, you will experiment with the scale and overlapping of your shadows. Then, dance, flow, imagine, discover, rejoice, pose, and play.

Live Entertainment featuring Black Performers during BLINK

Experience the full lineup of Black performers at BLINK, featuring jazz, hip-hop, reggae, and more. Enjoy the sounds of local and regional African American DJs, musicians, bands, and drumlines.

Additional Events to experience before and after BLINK

With so much happening at BLINK, several events kick off before the festival and continue even after it ends. Enjoy pregames, yoga, drum circles, community markets, after-parties, and more!

Downtown Black-owned Businesses to check out during BLINK

Find Black-owned restaurants, bakeries, nightclubs, lounges, and entertainment venues in downtown Cincinnati to explore during BLINK.

Restaurants and Bakeries

Nightclubs and Lounges

Cinema OTR

1517 Vine Street (OTR Zone)
513-818-5058

Copa Lounge

1133 Sycamore Street (OTR Zone)
513-289-6264

Nostalgia Wine & Jazz Lounge

1432 Vine Street (OTR Zone)
513-381-1300

LoVe Nightclub

138 W 4th Street (Downtown Zone)
513-818-5058

Entertainment Venues

Selfie Cincy

1316 Main Street (OTR Zone)
513-328-2120

Black-owned eateries in Downtown Cincinnati | BLINK

Traveling to and Getting Around BLINK

Navigating BLINK requires some planning. Below, find everything you need to know about parking, travel options, accessibility, and road closures to ensure a smooth and stress-free experience.

Parking

BLINK is partnering with LAZ Parking, which offers reserved parking spaces at select locations. Once you purchase your reserved parking pass, you will see a button on the confirmation page to view your pass, as well as in a confirmation email.

Reserve a spot today

Transportation

Buses

Experience the nation’s largest immersive light and art show with fare-free rides and direct access from Park and Ride locations to this year’s immersive art experience.

All Metro Fixed-Route service will be free between 6 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., and Access service will be free until 2 a.m. Due to street closures, Government Square will close nightly at 6 p.m., and service will be relocated to the Riverfront Transit Center until 12:30 a.m.

Free special shuttle service is available to BLINK from park & rides:

Cincinnati State (Clifton)
Crossroads (Oakley)
Northern Kentucky University (Highland Heights) – Friday and Saturday only at Lots K, L, and M.
Meijer (Middletown)
Meijer (West Chester)

All shuttle service will travel between the park & rides and the RTC each day starting at
6 p.m. and ending by 12:30 a.m. to make sure everyone can get back to their cars at the
end of the night.

Streetcar

The Connector, Cincinnati’s streetcar, will operate during the four-day festival free of charge.

Road Closures

Advance Road Closures:

Plum Street – closes between Eighth Street and Ninth Street on Monday, October 14, at 9 a.m. for BLM Mural Restoration. Due to reopen on Monday, October 21, at 7 p.m.
Court Street- closes between Walnut Street and Vine Street on Wednesday, October 16, at 9 a.m. Due to reopen on Monday, October 21, at 5 a.m.
Jackson Street- closes between Twelfth Street and Thirteenth Street on Wednesday, October 16, at 9 a.m. Due to reopen on Monday, October 21, at 5 a.m.
Freedom Way- closes between Rosa Parks Street and Marian Spencer Way on Wednesday, October 16, at 6 a.m. Due to reopen on Monday, October 21, at 5 a.m.

BLINK Parade Closures from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, October 17:

W Pete Rose Way- closed between Mehring Way and Central Avenue (closes at 4 p.m. for staging)
Rose Street- closed between Mehring Way and W Pete Rose Way (closes at 4 p.m. for staging)
Smith Street- closed between Mehring Way and W Pete Rose Way (closes at 4 p.m. for staging)
Mehring Way- closed between Gest Street and E Pete Rose Way
Gest Street- southbound closed between Third Street and Mehring Way
Central Avenue- closed south of Third Street (northbound Central Avenue remains open north of W Pete Rose Way)
Elm Street- closed south of Second Street
Race Street- closed south of Second Street (garage access maintained)
Rosa Parks Street- closed south of Second Street (garage access maintained)
Marian Spencer Way- closed south of Second Street (garage access maintained)
Joe Nuxhall Way- closed south of Second Street (garage and hotel access maintained)
Suspension Bridge- closed
Ramp LL- closed
Johnny Bench Way- closed
E Pete Rose Way- closed west of Broadway

North-South Road Closures:

Elm Street- closed between Central Parkway and Findlay Street (Liberty Street remains open to east-west traffic)
Race Street- closed between Central Parkway and Findlay Streets (Liberty Street remains open to east-west traffic)
Vine Street- closed between Third Street and Central Parkway (Third Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Ninth Street remain open for east-west traffic)
Walnut Street- closed between Third Street and Central Parkway (Third Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Ninth Street remain open for east-west traffic)
Main Street- closed between Second Street and Twelfth Street (Second Street, Third Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Ninth Street, and Central Parkway remain open for east-west traffic) (Main Street will close to maintain the streetcar)
Jackson Street- closed between Twelfth Street and Central Parkway

East-West Road Closures:

Fourth Street- restricted between Main Street and Race Street. The street will remain open as possible but may close due to crowd congestion.
Seventh Street- restricted between Main Street and Race Street. The street will remain open as possible but may close due to crowd congestion.
Charles Street- closed between Central Parkway and Elm Street.
Twelfth Street- closed to through traffic between Main Street and Central Parkway.
Fourteenth Street- closed between Central Parkway and Race Street
Grant Street- closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
Magnolia Street- closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
Odeon Street- closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
Wade Street- closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
Green Street- closed to through traffic between Vine Street and Elm Street
Elder Street- closed between Vine Street and Central Parkway
Court Street- closed between Race Street and Vine Street
Freedom Way- closed between Race Street and Marian Spencer Way

Misc. Closures:

The Fifth Street ramp from SB 75 will close from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.
Suspension Bridge – closed 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. nightly

Accessibility

BLINK’s 2024 Access Program for patrons with disabilities includes:

Accessible Viewing Areas for various installations,
Accessible Pathways to make travel from one installation to another smooth,
Accessible Drop-Off and Pick-Up points throughout the city,
ASL Interpreting for events and music
A dedicated Accessible Viewing Area for the Opening Ceremony, Parade, and Drone Shows.

If you have questions, please email Accessibility Director Holly Maniatty at [email protected].

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Images provided by AdobeStock and BLINK on Facebook