ANNOUNCER: TONIGHT ON SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLER, CEO AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF ARTWORKS, COLLEEN HOUSTON.

STAY TUNED, SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLAR, WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

TODAY WE HAVE A REALLY, REALLY FUN, EXCITING GUEST, COLLEEN HOUSTON, WHO IS THE HEAD OF ARTWORKS, AND SHE'S HERE TO TELL US WHAT SHE DOES, WHAT HER GROUP DOES, WHAT THEY DO, AND THEY'RE INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE MOST WONDERFUL THINGS IN CINCINNATI.

SO, COLLEEN HOUSTON: THANK YOU, BARBARA.

IT'S SO NICE TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

KELLAR: TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ARTWORKS.

HOUSTON: SURE.

SO THIS IS OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY AND WE STARTED OUT -- WE'RE TELLING A LOT OF STORIES ABOUT OUR HISTORY THIS YEAR TO CELEBRATE THAT HISTORY.

BUT IT WAS REALLY MAYOR ROXANNE QUALLS, WHO LED A DELEGATION TO SEE A PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO CALLED GALLERY 37.

AS I UNDERSTAND THE STORY, SHE HAD BEEN IN THE HARVARD SCHOOL FOR MAYORS, SOME REALLY INCREDIBLE PROGRAM AND LEARNED ABOUT WHAT MAYOR RICHARD DALEY HAD BEEN DOING, AND SHE LED SOME OF OUR LOCAL LEADERS TO SEE THIS PROGRAM.

AND YOUTH WERE EMPLOYED IN THE SUMMER IN THE ARTS AND IT WAS A PAID APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

AND THEY THOUGHT THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO IN CINCINNATI.

AND SO THE REST IS HISTORY.

TAMARA HARKAVY IS OUR FOUNDING DIRECTOR, AND I WORKED WITH HER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

I ACTUALLY APPLIED AS A YOUTH APPRENTICE THE SECOND YEAR OF THE PROGRAM WHEN I WAS JUST COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.

AND SO IT'S JUST A REMARKABLE PROGRAM.

WE STARTED OUT UNDER TENTS IN THE FORMER SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS BALL FIELDS IN OVER THE RHINE.

MOVED THOSE TENTS TO EDEN PARK TWO YEARS LATER AND HAVE JUST EVERY SINGLE PROJECT WE'VE DONE IS IN PARTNERSHIP ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, OTHER NONPROFITS, NEIGHBORHOOD, COMMUNITY LEADERS, BUSINESSES.

AND SO ALL TOGETHER, WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE PORTFOLIO.

WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON PUBLIC ART.

AND SO WE HAVE 14,000 WORKS OF ART IN OUR PORTFOLIO, WHICH IS -- NOT EVERYONE KNOWS.

SO WHAT'S MOST ICONIC, I THINK, OUR PERMANENT PUBLIC OUTDOOR MURALS.

AND SO WE HAVE 230 OUTDOOR MURALS, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER WORKS THAT ARE INSIDE DUKE ENERGY CONVENTION CENTER, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE, HAMILTON COUNTY JUSTICE CENTER, AND MANY MORE SPACES ACROSS THE CITY.

KELLAR: WELL, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE ARTWORKS AND HOW THEY COME TO BE.

I KNOW YOU HIRE TEENAGERS IN THE SUMMER, BUT WHAT DO THEY DO AND HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THOSE MURALS?

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO?

HOUSTON:YEAH, IT'S A REALLY MAGICAL PROGRAM AND PROCESS.

AND SO, GOSH, I MEAN, WE HAVE 400 APPLICANTS THAT APPLY FOR JOBS FOR YOUTH APPRENTICES EVERY YEAR, SO WE HIRE AS MANY AS WE CAN.

I MEAN, WE'RE FUNDRAISING EVERY YEAR.

AND SO THE CITY HAS CONTINUED TO BE A REALLY STRONG PARTNER, BELIEVING IN YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT.

WE'VE REALLY EXPANDED OUR PROGRAM TO BE MORE THAN A SUMMER PROGRAM, SO WE HAVE AFTER SCHOOL JOBS AS WELL.

SO WE'RE REALLY YEAR ROUND.

AND WE EMPLOY, THIS YEAR WE'RE SO PROUD, WE EMPLOYED OVER 200 YOUNG ARTISTS, 275 FIVE ARTISTS TOTAL BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO EMPLOYING TEACHERS AND MENTOR ARTISTS.

AND SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD THAT ART IS, YOU KNOW, HAS ECONOMIC VALUE, REALLY.

WE'RE HERE TO PROVE THAT.

AND SO WE PUT A MILLION DOLLARS BACK INTO THE ECONOMY IN TERMS OF HIRING ARTISTS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

KELLAR: WOW.

HOUSTON: SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT IMPACT.

AND SO THAT'S PART OF OUR FOCUS ON ARTISTS, YOUNG EMERGING ARTISTS, LOCAL ARTISTS, AND WHEN WE CAN, WE ALSO INVITE IN REALLY WELL-KNOWN ARTISTS AS WELL.

AND THEN WE PARTNER WITH COMMUNITIES.

AND SO WE, ON AVERAGE, WE'LL DO 30 TO 40 DIFFERENT LARGE SCALE PROJECTS A YEAR, AND THERE'S A COMMUNITY PARTNER BEHIND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE, SOMETIMES MORE THAN ONE PARTNER.

AND SO JUST FOR EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR WE PARTNERED WITH, OH GOSH, I MEAN, SO MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS.

I'M TRYING TO THINK OF ONE.

IN MADISONVILLE WE DID A PUBLIC ART PLAN WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS.

AND SO WE WERE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT DIFFERENT SITES FOR WHERE PUBLIC ART COULD GO AND GETTING INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT PUBLIC ART COULD BE BECAUSE MADISONVILLE IS A VERY CREATIVE COMMUNITY.

SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE WERE PARTNERING WITH ACKERMAN GROUP, A LOCAL DEVELOPER.

AND SO THEY'RE REDOING DEVELOPMENTS, PUTTING NEW DEVELOPMENTS AT THE KIND OF MAIN INTERSECTION OF DOWNTOWN OR THE URBAN CORE OF MADISONVILLE, WETZEL AND MADISON AVENUE.

AND SO WHAT I APPLAUD IS THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS.

AND SO WE WORKED WITH LOCAL ARTISTS TO DESIGN BIKE RACKS, PERMANENT LIGHT-BASED INSTALLATIONS, MURALS, AND BENCHES.

KELLAR: WELL, TELL US ABOUT WHAT THE PRODUCT IS LIKE, THE MURALS.

THEY'RE NOT ONLY OUTSIDE, SOME ARE INSIDE?

HOUSTON: THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: AND TELL US ABOUT SOME THAT ARE THE MOST -- I MEAN, PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENVISION WHAT THEY'VE SEEN.

I MEAN, YOU JUST DRIVE BY AND YOU DON'T PAY THAT MUCH ATTENTION.

BUT THESE ARE REALLY INTERESTING THINGS, AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT ARTWORKS IS WHAT MADE IT HAPPEN.

HOUSTON: SO WE BELIEVE OUR CITY IS A GALLERY AND HAVE REALLY INVESTED IN PUBLIC ART.

I MEAN, I THINK THE ARTS COMMUNITY IS SO STRONG IN CINCINNATI, AND WE'RE SUCH A UNIQUE CITY.

WE'RE ACTUALLY REALLY PROUD IN 2020, CINCINNATI WAS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE 20 MOST SIGNIFICANT LARGE CITIES, CULTURAL CITIES IN TERMS OF OUR ARTS AND CULTURE.

AND PART OF THAT WAS THE MURAL PROGRAM AND ALSO BLINK WERE CITED, BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE SO INCLUSIVE, THEY'RE FOR EVERYONE.

THEY'RE THEY'RE SO ACCESSIBLE, THEY'RE FREE.

AND SO WE'RE REALLY COMMITTED TO ARTS ACROSS OUR ENTIRE CITY AND REGION, IN ADDITION TO DOWNTOWN AND OVER THE RHINE, WE'VE CROSSED THE RIVER INTO NORTHERN KENTUCKY.

WE'VE MENTORED HAMILTON ON THEIR MURAL PROGRAM.

WE ACTUALLY JUST MET, I MEAN, WE ARE ACTUALLY MENTORING OTHER CITIES LIKE WACO, TEXAS AND HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA ON HOW TO START MURAL PROGRAMS THAT EMPLOY YOUTH.

AND AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW INCREDIBLE THE PROGRAM IS BEHIND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE MURALS.

THAT THERE COULD BE A HUNDRED DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO GIVE INPUT, WHO TELL STORIES, WHO RAISE THE MONEY, WHO GIVE PERMISSION FOR THE WALL, OR WORK ON IT, I MEAN THE YOUNG ARTISTS, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

AND THERE IS REALLY AT ITS CORE, IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY BUILDING AND BUILDING CIVIC PRIDE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

HOW -- THE WALLS ARE SO DIVERSE.

I MEAN, A ROCK STAR AND ELIZABETH NOURSE THE PAINTER, AND JIM TARBELL AND ROSEMARY CLOONEY.

HOW HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO?

HOUSTON: HMM.

WELL, WE -- THERE'S SO MUCH HISTORY, SO THERE ARE STORIES TO TELL.

WE'VE HAD SERIES: CINCINNATI LEGENDS, SUCH AS LEGENDS THAT ARE LESSER KNOWN, LIKE HENRY HOLTGREWE, TO ICONS LIKE ROSEMARY CLOONEY AND EZZARD CHARLES.

WE, OF COURSE, HAVE CELEBRATED A STRONG HISTORY OF CINCINNATI ARTISTS LIKE ELIZABETH NOURSE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, TOM WESSELMAN, CHARLIE HARPER.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

HOUSTON: OUR DEARLY, OUR DEAR DEAR JOHN RUTHVIN, AND WE JUST PAINTED OUR SECOND JOHN RUTHVEN MURAL RUTHVEN THIS YEAR IN THE CITY OF MILFORD, WHICH IS OUR FIRST MURAL IN MILFORD.

YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK BECAUSE OUR CITY IS A GALLERY, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH POTENTIAL FOR A DIVERSITY OF STYLES.

AND SO YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT WE'RE PUSHING THE ENVELOPE MORE ABOUT THE MEDIUM AS WELL.

SO JUST FOR EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR WE DID OUR FIRST LIVING WALL MURAL IN WALNUT HILLS, SO IT HAS LIVE PLANTS THAT ARE GROWING.

KELLAR: OH, WOW.

HOUSTON: THAT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH URBAN BLOOMS.

WE ALSO DID A REALLY INCREDIBLE MURAL IN EAST PRICE HILL, AND IT WRAPS AROUND A BUILDING NEXT TO ARCO, WHICH IS THE NEW ART CENTER.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, RENOVATED MASONIC LODGE.

AND SO IT'S HOME TO MY CINCINNATI, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BEST NONPROFITS IN THE CITY.

YEAH.

HOUSTON: SO ARCO, IT'S THE BUILDING NEXT TO IT, WE'RE CALLING IT CASA COLINA, THE HOUSE ON THE HILL.

AND IT IS A MIXED MEDIA.

IT HAS PAINTED METAL BUTTERFLIES THAT ARE ON THE WINDOW BOXES OF THE MURAL.

OF COURSE IT IS PAINTED, BUT IT ALSO HAS CONCRETE TILE, WHICH IS VERY TRADITIONAL IN MEXICO.

SO IT'S INSPIRED BY MEXICAN FOLK ART TRADITIONS, AND IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE.

KELLAR: SO HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO?

HOUSTON: OH, SO I MEAN, REALLY IT'S A PROCESS OF INPUT FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS.

AND SO WE TRY TO GET A WIDE RANGE OF INPUT ON EACH AND EVERY PROJECT.

KELLAR: SO DO YOU HAVE A COMMITTEE OR PEOPLE BRING IDEAS TO YOU?

HOUSTON: YEAH.

OH, SO WE HAVE A PROCESS ON OUR WEBSITE, REALLY ANYONE CAN PROPOSE A PARTNERSHIP WITH ARTWORKS ANY TIME.

AND WE TRY TO REVIEW REQUESTS AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR.

BUT MANY WE TRY TO GET TO SOONER AND NOT HAVE YOU WAIT.

SO, AND THEN WE HAVE LONG STANDING PARTNERSHIPS, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE DUKE ENERGY CONVENTION CENTER.

ALMOST EVERY YEAR, WE PUT A NEW PERMANENT WORK OF ART IN THE CONVENTION CENTER.

AND WHAT'S SO WONDERFUL IS THERE AREN'T A LOT OF PARAMETERS.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT SUPPORTING CINCINNATI ARTISTS AND CELEBRATING CINCINNATI.

AND BEYOND THAT, THE ARTISTS HAVE A LOT OF ARTISTIC FREEDOM.

KELLAR: YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE SO MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE.

HOW DO YOU KEEP -- YOU'VE BEEN WITH ARTWORKS ACTUALLY A VERY LONG TIME.

HOUSTON: YEAH, I'VE BEEN WITH ARTWORKS 24 YEARS, AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS MISSION AND IMPACT.

KELLAR: DID YOU STUDY ART OR DID -- IS THIS WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO DO OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED LATER ON?

HOUSTON: YEAH.

SO I STUDIED ART AND I ACTUALLY DESIGNED MY OWN MAJOR IN COLLEGE, FOCUSING ON SOCIAL AND PUBLIC ART.

AND I WAS ABOUT TO GET MY MASTER'S DEGREE, AND THEN I STARTED WORKING AT ARTWORKS AND I JUST STAYED.

AND SO I HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A CHOICE, YOU KNOW, KEEP WORKING OR GO BACK TO SCHOOL TO DO OTHER TYPE OF WORK.

BUT I THINK I LOVE THE MISSION AT ARTWORK SO MUCH THAT IT HAD A REAL PULL TO STAY IN CINCINNATI.

I THINK THAT'S TRUE FOR A LOT OF CREATIVES.

KELLAR: IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY.

HOUSTON: YEAH, I THINK WE'VE-- YEAH, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL TEAM AND A WONDERFUL CULTURE AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN TOGETHER.

AND I MEAN, IT'S, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THERE'S IRONS IN THE FIRE, SO THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS, A LOT OF PROJECTS, A LOT OF ARTISTS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.

SO IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING.

THERE'S NEVER A DULL MOMENT.

AND THEIR WORK IS SO TANGIBLE.

I MEAN, YOU HAVE THAT FEELING THAT YOU'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

HOUSTON: YOU KNOW, WE REALLY ARE PROUD ABOUT -- OUR FEELING ABOUT PARTNERSHIP, IT'S ABOUT CO-CREATION.

SO IT'S ABOUT CREATING, CO-CREATING PRIDE, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES.

AND SO IF WE WORK, WE'VE BEEN DOING WORK IN AVONDALE, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR TEN YEARS.

AND OUR PARTNERS HAVE SO MUCH PRIDE IN THEIR HISTORY, THEIR HERITAGE, THEIR PUBLIC ART.

SO IT'S JUST THE MOST REWARDING WORK.

KELLAR: HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK AT ARTWORKS, NOT THE ARTISTS WHO ARE DOING THE MURALS, BUT I MEAN -- HOUSTON: FULL TIME STAFF.

KELLAR: YEAH, RIGHT.

HOUSTON: YEAH, WE'RE ABOUT 15 PEOPLE.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, BUT OUR TEACHING STAFF ARE ALS, THEY'RE PART TIME EMPLOYEES.

AND THEN WE'RE EXCITED, WE'RE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, OUR VISION IS TO HAVE MORE ARTISTS WORKING YEAR ROUND ON PROJECTS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS IN THE FUTURE, TO BE A BIGGER TEAM OF EMPLOYED ARTISTS YEAR-ROUND.

KELLAR: YEAH, I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT ANY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE TO WHERE THESE THINGS ARE AND HOW THEY GOT THERE.

BECAUSE I DON'T -- I JUST DON'T THINK PEOPLE FOCUS IN ON THAT.

AND JOHN RUFFIN, WHO WAS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL FRIEND OF OUR SHOW, AND HE EXPLAINED HOW THEY'D START WITH ONE SMALL PICTURE.

AND THEN IT ENDS UP ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING, WHICH IS A VERY MYSTERIOUS SORT OF FOR THE NOVICES WHO DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, IT'S LIKE, "WOW, HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?"

WE DID A SHOW WITH AND WHEN ELIZABETH NOURSE WAS IN PROCESS, SO IT WAS FUN TO TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW THIS IS DONE.

AND THEN YOU HAVE NOT JUST THAT, BUT YOU PARTNERED WITH BLINK AND ROSEMARY CLOONEY, WHO SANG.

WAS THAT SPECIFICALLY FOR BLINK?

HOUSTON: YES, ROSEMARY CLOONEY SANG FOR BLINK.

SO THAT WAS ALL DONE THROUGH ANIMATION.

AND WE'RE SO EXCITED, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE TIMING OF THIS INTERVIEW, BUT WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE SINGING MURAL HERE, SINGING AND COMING TO LIFE, THANKS TO BRAVE BERLIN'S PROJECTIONS.

KELLAR: EXACTLY.

BRAVE BERLIN DID LUMINOSITY AND BLINK.

AND TIM MALONEY OF THE HAILE FOUNDATION MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO HAVE THEM TO REIMAGINE OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER, WHICH WAS PRETTY MUCH LIKE EVERY OTHER FUNDRAISER, AND JUST GETTING A LITTLE STALE.

SO WE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING NEW AND REALLY DIFFERENT.

AND BECAUSE OF COVID, IT WAS PERFECT THAT WE JUST HAVE IT OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT, VERY CASUAL AND ONE NIGHT OF LITTLE MORE SMALLER CROWD, BUT THEN TWO NIGHTS OF LIKE A BLOCK PARTY.

AND WE HOPE THAT THIS WILL BE SOMETHING WE CAN BUILD ON THROUGH THE AGES.

BUT CERTAINLY YOU WOULD BE PARTNERS WITH US, I WOULD HOPE, IN WHATEVER THESE GUYS FROM BRAVE BERLIN COME UP WITH.

THEY ARE ABSOLUTE GENIUSES AND REALLY, REALLY FUN TO WORK WITH.

AND THE MURAL WE HAVE IS OF O'DELL, AND IT WASN'T DONE BY YOUR PEOPLE, RIGHT?

HOUSTON: NO, THAT'S TRUE.

KELLAR: IT'S NOT THE SAME PROCESS.

ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT?

HOUSTON: YES.

YES, I AM AWARE.

KELLAR: OKAY, EXPLAIN IT.

HOUSTON: SO FROM WHAT I'M AWARE OF, THE MURAL HONORING O'DELL WAS DONE BY ONE SINGLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.

AND THEN, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I'D ACTUALLY LOVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE WEREN'T INVOLVED.

BUT IT WAS PRINTED, POSSIBLY, AND INSTALLED ON A TYPE OF VINYL SO THAT IT COULD BE REMOVED.

KELLAR: IT COULD BE, IF EVER WE NEEDED TO.

HOUSTON: SO IT'S A TEMPORARY MURAL.

KELLAR: WELL, HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE PERMANENT BECAUSE IT CAN BE MOVED.

HOUSTON: AND REINSTALLED.

KELLAR: YEAH, BUT YEAH, AND REINSTALLED.

HOUSTON: THAT'S EXCITING.

KELLAR: YEAH, AND I'M NOT SURE WHY IT WAS DONE THAT WAY, BECAUSE I DON'T GET INTO THE TECHNOLOGY, INTO THE TECH PART.

BUT IT WAS A WAY THAT WE WANTED TO HONOR O'DELL.

AND THE OTHER -- AND NOT ALL THE MURALS ARE PEOPLE, THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE JUST, TOM WESSELMAN, FOR INSTANCE, AND THE ARTIST WHOSE NAME ESCAPES ME.

HE DID THE VEGETABLES?

HOUSTON: JONATHAN QUEEN.

KELLAR: JONATHAN QUEEN.

THANK YOU.

YEAH.

WHAT?

THAT WAS AMONG THE EARLIEST, WASN'T IT?

HOUSTON: YEAH, THAT IS.

SO IN THE EARLY, EARLY DAYS OF OUR MURAL PROGRAM, WE REALLY KNEW CENTRAL AVENUE HAD THIS POTENTIAL TO BE THE AVENUE OF THE ARTS.

AND WE WERE STRATEGIC ABOUT PUTTING AS MANY MURALS AS WE COULD ON CENTRAL AVENUE.

BUT I DO REMEMBER WE HAD TO PITCH TO KROGER THREE DIFFERENT TIMES TO GET THE PERMISSION.

YOU KNOW, IN THE EARLY DAYS, IT'S FUNNY WE HAD TO EARN TRUST AND MOST PEOPLE THOUGHT, "OH, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PAINTING A MURAL, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE VERY HIGH QUALITY."

AND SO WE QUICKLY PROVED, DISPELLED THAT MYTH.

AND WHEN WE PAINTED THE KROGER MURAL, I MEAN, EVERY COMPANY IN TOWN WAS CALLING WITH MURAL ENVY.

KELLAR: OH YEAH, RIGHT.

HOUSTON: YOU KNOW, AND IT IS TRULY A MASTERPIECE.

AND JONATHAN QUEEN, OF COURSE, WENT ON TO DESIGN AND PAINT THE INCREDIBLE TOY HERITAGE MURAL ON COURT STREET.

KELLAR: AND ALSO THE CAROUSEL.

HOUSTON: AND THE CAROUSEL.

KELLAR: YES, HE DID THE CAROUSEL.

YEAH, YEAH.

HOUSTON: THERE'S SO MUCH TALENT IN THE CITY, REALLY.

KELLAR: AND WE WE'RE STARTING TO ALLOW THEM TO DO THEIR THING, BECAUSE ARTISTS ARE NOT UNLIKE OTHER PEOPLE WHO NEED TO EARN A LIVING.

AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT ARTWORKS DOES.

HOUSTON: ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.

KELLAR: ACKNOWLEDGES THAT PEOPLE NEED TO EARN A LIVING IF THEY'RE ARTISTS.

AND EMPLOYING THE KIDS IN THE SUMMERTIME IS JUST REALLY GREAT.

I WAS OUT THERE WITH ONE OF THEM WHERE WE DID THE ELIZABETH NOURSE, HOT, OH MY GOD, BUT NOTHING DETERRED THEM.

AND OF COURSE, JOHN RUTHVEN WHEN HE DID THE MARTHA THE PASSENGER PIGEON, IF PEOPLE ARE AWARE, HE WAS OUT THERE IN 90 DEGREES WEATHER.

HOUSTON: HE PAINTED MARTHA HIMSELF.

KELLAR: YEAH, HE WAS ON THE SCAFFOLDING.

AND HE WAS IN HIS 90S WHEN HE DID THAT.

YEAH.

SO THERE ARE GREAT STORIES BEHIND A LOT OF THESE.

AND JIM TARBELL, HOW DID THAT ONE HAPPEN?

HOUSTON: OH, GOOD QUESTION.

GOSH, FROM WHAT I RECALL THERE, WE KNEW WE WANTED TO HONOR A LOCAL CINCINNATIAN AND DO A HEAD TO TOE MURAL.

AND WE WERE MENTORED ON OUR MURAL PROGRAM BY THE PHILADELPHIA MURAL ARTS PROGRAM.

AND SO I THINK THERE WAS A REALLY INCREDIBLE EXEMPLAR OF A LOCAL PHILADELPHIAN, AND WE LOVED THAT.

SO PROBABLY THERE WAS SOMETHING JUST ABOUT, AGAIN, DOING A HIGH QUALITY MURAL AND SHOWING THAT WE COULD DO HEAD TO TOE PORTRAITURE.

AND SO I THINK WE DID A SURVEY AND ASK THE COMMUNITY WHO'S AN ICONIC CINCINNATIAN AND JIM TARBELL ENDED UP BEING THE FAVORITE.

KELLAR: YEAH, MR. PEANUT.

YEAH, HE IS CERTAINLY AN ICONIC OF CINCINNATI.

AND SO IT ALSO WAS YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE DEAD TO GET TO BE ON AN URBAN WALL.

SOMEONE REFERRED TO THEM AS URBAN LEGENDS, AND HE CERTAINLY WOULD BE ONE.

ASIDE FROM THE ART ON THE WALLS, YOU DO LOTS OF OTHER ART EXHIBITS WHERE YOU INVITE.

ARE THEY VETTED SHOWS OR?

HOUSTON: SO WE HAVE JUST MOVED TO WALNUT HILLS AND WE WERE AT HISTORIC PEEBLE'S CORNER IN WALNUT HILLS.

WE'RE SO EXCITED THIS WILL BE OUR PERMANENT HOME.

WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT SPACE TO HAVE ARTIST STUDIOS AND A GALLERY AND OUR OFFICES ALL UNDER ONE ROOF.

BUT WE ARE -- WE HAVE THREE STOREFRONTS THAT WRAP AROUND PEBBLE'S CORNER, SO IT REALLY JUST FEELS LIKE AN EXCITING WAY TO BE CONNECTED TO A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY WITH.

AND ONE OF THOSE STOREFRONTS IS A GALLERY, WHICH WE OPENED JUST THIS YEAR.

SO IT'S THE ONLY GALLERY IN OUR CITY THAT IS FOCUSING ON YOUTH AND EMERGING ARTISTS.

THERE'S A COHORT OF EIGHT YOUTH ARTISTS IN EVERY SHOW WORKING WITH AN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE.

AND SO WHAT'S WONDERFUL IS THEY'RE NOT ONLY MAKING ART TOGETHER AS A COLLABORATIVE, BUT THEY'RE MEETING WITH CURATORS, COLLECTORS, AND THEY'RE REALLY LEARNING ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF BEING AN ARTIST, HOW TO PRICE THEIR WORK, HOW TO HOW TO WRITE AN ARTIST STATEMENT.

AND THEN -- AND THEY DO AN ARTIST TALK AT THE OPENING.

AND IT, I MEAN, YOU SHOULD COME.

IT REALLY, EVERYONE SHOULD COME.

IT'S JUST REMARKABLE.

AND TO SEE, WHEN YOU WERE MENTIONING, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO ARTISTS, TO BE RECOGNIZED, TO EARN A LIVING REALLY.

AND FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY MAKE 90% OF THE SALES.

THERE WAS ONE YOUNG ARTIST WHO SOLD $900 WORTH OF ART ON THE FIRST OPENING NIGHT OF THE GALLERY.

AND SO, BUT REALLY, WHEN YOU HEAR THEM SPEAK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND JUST IT'S EXTRAORDINARY.

SO, THAT'S A NEW PROGRAM THAT WE'VE JUST STARTED.

AND BUT, YES, I MEAN, BEYOND MURALS, WE, AS I MENTIONED, WE WILL DO PUBLIC ART PLANNING AND CONSULTING.

WE'LL DO CALL FOR ARTISTS.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A REALLY EXCITING CALL FOR ARTISTS RIGHT NOW FOR THE CINCINNATI PUBLIC LIBRARY, FOR THEY'RE REDESIGNING THEIR DOWNTOWN SPACE.

AND SO AS PART OF THEIR PUBLIC PLAZA, THEY HAVE ASSIGNED SOME BUDGET FOR PUBLIC ART.

AND SO WE'RE DOING A NATIONAL CALL TO ARTISTS FOR THAT.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE DO A NATIONAL CALL TO ARTISTS OR WORK WITH THE NATIONAL ARTISTS, WE'RE INTRODUCING THEM TO LOCAL ARTISTS AND TRYING TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL ARTISTS AS WELL AND REALLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO WE'LL BE HIRING ARTISTS TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND IT'LL BE A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH NO MATTER WHAT, NO MATTER WHO SELECTED.

KELLAR: THE ICONIC BUILDING THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY IN, YOUR NEW DIGS, IS I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD RECOGNIZE AS THE BUILDING ON THE CORNER AND AT PEBBLE'S CORNER, THE ART DECO BUILDING.

HOUSTON: OH, THE PARAMOUNT.

YEAH, IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.

SO THAT'S ACTUALLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM US.

KELLAR: OH, OKAY.

HOUSTON: BUT COME VISIT WALNUT HILLS, I MEAN.

KELLAR: IT IS REALLY COMING UP THERE.

HOUSTON: IT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD TO REDISCOVER AND IT WAS ALWAYS KNOWN AS CINCINNATI'S SECOND DOWNTOWN.

OF COURSE, I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT THE CINCINNATI BALLET JUST OPENED THEIR EXTRAORDINARY BUILDING.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE ART MUSEUM PUT IN THE BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC STEPS, WHICH I THINK REALLY INVITE THE COMMUNITY.

KELLAR: IF YOU CAN DO IT.

HOUSTON: RIGHT, RIGHT.

KELLAR: WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE YOURS TRULY.

HOUSTON: IT'S ATHLETIC.

KELLAR: I LIKE TO SEE OTHER PEOPLE CLIMBING THOSE STAIRS.

HOUSTON: BUT I THINK I HAVE HEARD BOTH THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM, AND THE BALLET, YOU KNOW, REALLY CLAIM WALNUT HILLS AS THEIR HOME AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND WE FEEL THE SAME WAY AND WE THINK -- WE'RE A LITTLE FURTHER UP THE HILL, BUT TOGETHER WE CREATE THIS ARTS CORRIDOR IN THE CITY.

I DO THINK IT'S A REALLY EXCITING TIME TO START TO DISCOVER WHAT, YOU KNOW, JUST HOW THRIVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS.

KELLAR: DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE -- WELL, THERE AN ARTIST OR AN ARTS ADMINISTRATOR?

WHAT?

HOUSTON: WELL, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT IS MOSTLY WHAT I WANTED TO BE.

ALTHOUGH I ALSO FOR A WHILE DID TOY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.

I KNEW I WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD.

BUT I'VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT THAT AND JUST HOW WE COULD BE DOING MORE WORK WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ARTISTS.

AND I MEAN, THE BEAUTY OF ART IS THERE'S SO MUCH THAT YOU CAN SAY AND COMMUNICATE, AND YOU CAN REALLY REACH PEOPLE'S HEARTS.

AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE DONE A LOT OF ART AROUND SOCIAL CHANGE.

AND SO I THINK ANYTHING IS REALLY POSSIBLE.

WE'VE DONE ART AROUND MENTAL HEALTH.

WE ACTUALLY WORKED WITH ARTIST KATE TEPE TO DESIGN A CARD GAME FOR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.

AND I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST RECENTLY SOMETHING, I MEAN, WE PROMOTE IT ALL THE TIME.

WE GIVE THESE OUT FOR FREE AND IT'S REALLY JUST A WAY TO DESTIGMATIZE MENTAL HEALTH, AND SO THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE.

WE'VE DONE LARGE SCALE MURALS AND ART INSTALLATIONS FOCUSING ON HOMELESSNESS AND DESTIGMATIZING THAT THAT IS AN EXPERIENCE THAT IS TEMPORARY.

IT'S NOT A PERMANENT STATE OF BEING.

SO JUST REALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT ART IS A TOOL FOR EMPATHY AND EDUCATION AND CONVERSATION, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT'S TRUE.

KELLAR: DOES -- ARTWORKS IS THE GROUP WHO DID, I FORGET WHAT YOU CALLED IT, WHERE A LOT OF ARTISTS COULD SUBMIT SMALL THINGS AND THEN PEOPLE CAME TO THE PARTY?

HOUSTON: YEAH.

KELLAR: EXPLAIN THAT, MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THAT BECAUSE SHE'S A PHOTOGRAPHER.

HOUSTON: OH, THAT'S SO WONDERFUL.

SO THIS WAS CALLED SECRET ARTWORKS, AND WE DID IT FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS AS OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER AND GALA.

AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST PARTIES IN TOWN.

I THINK IT WAS VOTED ONE OF THE BEST ARTS PARTIES.

AND SO THE FUN OF IT WAS THAT YOU SUBMITTED A PIECE OF ART AND YOU DIDN'T SIGN IT.

YOUR NAME WAS ON THE BACK.

AND SO PEOPLE REALLY PICKED OUT ART BECAUSE THEY LOVED IT AND EVERYONE WHO CAME GOT TO LEAVE WITH A PIECE OF ART.

AND BUT ARTISTS HAD SOME REAL FUN KIND OF TRYING TO FOOL THE AUDIENCE, YOU KNOW, BORROWING EACH OTHER'S STYLES AND SEEING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY ARTISTS WHO HAVE REALLY RECOGNIZABLE STYLES.

YOU KNOW?

SO THEY MIGHT BE SOUGHT AFTER AND YOU MIGHT PICK A PIECE BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S A CERTAIN ARTIST, BUT THEN BE FOOLED.

KELLAR: YOU SHOULD PICK JUST WHAT YOU LIKE.

HOUSTON: PICK WHAT YOU LIKE.

EXACTLY, EXACTLY.

KELLAR: WELL, YOU'RE DOING GREAT THINGS IN THE CITY.

WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH, AND YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS AS EFFECTIVE.

SO THANK YOU FOR COMING.

HOUSTON: THANK YOU.

KELLAR: AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND WE'LL KEEP WATCHING FOR A GREAT ART.

AND BECAUSE WE ARE A GREAT ART CITY.

HOUSTON: WE ARE A GREAT ART CITY.

THANK YOU, IT'S A REAL PLEASURE.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK, FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.

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