On any given afternoon inside the new Clifton Cultural Arts Center building, you will walk in to find a buzz of activity and immediately feel an air of positivity and excitement. It might smell like crafting ink from a potato stamping class or melting metal in the stained glass workshop. Under the cheerful greetings, children’s laughter echoing off the wall or lively salsa music rolling down the halls, you can hear the whir of a 3D printer hard at work or the whoosh of a kiln firing the latest projects. This is in stark contrast to the still lovely and nostalgic musk or the emptiness often felt inside the 80,000-foot school building CCAC had been in since its conception in 2002. That space offered a long-standing lineup of adult tap class, art camps and even allowed for room rentals. But, it just wasn’t right. The new building feels more alive, more welcoming and much, much better suited for the happenings of an eager community of artists.
CCAC’s new building opened six months ago and sits in the Gaslight District, off Clifton Avenue. It came to exist thanks to years of work, millions of dollars raised and a whole community worth of voices eagerly proclaiming their needs. While the new building is only about a quarter of the old space’s square footage, it uses each inch purposefully. The theater room has omitted a stage, so it can be multi-use. The second floor, where most movement classes take place, has two spaces available for movement classes — one with regular hardwood floors and one with slightly softer smooth-surface floors. Whether the creative bodies utilizing those rooms want to enjoy that oh-so-satisfying click-a-clack of tap shoes or need something a little more gentle on joints, it’s available on the second floor. There is a rentable conference room, multiple carpeted studios that can be used for private lessons or as dressing rooms and large, well-lit gallery spaces throughout. Currently on display on the third floor is a bold, bright collaged map of the west side of Cincinnati, installed by ArtsWave.
And the roof! There are two sets of stairs and an elevator leading up to CCAC’s 7,000-square-foot roof, featuring a partial “living roof,” panoramic views of Clifton and still room for about 400 people. It’s the perfect rentable event space. They recently hosted a proposal party and are currently hosting a giveaway for a free rooftop wedding. CCAC also acquired a liquor license, making it the perfect spot for an open-bar wedding or engagement party. They’re even combining art and alcohol for their Crafts and Cocktails series — potato stamping and potato vodka cocktail, anyone?
The arts can often feel exclusionary — only attainable by the wealthy and only acceptable to pursue by the youth or the retired. But CCAC makes art approachable to all. In less than a year at their new space, they’ve awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships.
“We've awarded roughly $9,000 in scholarships in the first six months of being in our new home, with even more scholarship opportunities in the fall,” shares John Leo Muething, Marketing and Development Manager at CCAC. “Over half of the classes at CCAC are now Fair Share Pricing eligible, meaning anyone can select a subsidized tuition rate, no questions asked. CCAC has always had a robust, application-based scholarship program that has been funded from a combination of individual donations to our annual campaign and foundations, like the Woodward Trust, The Fifth Third Foundation and the Louise Taft Semple Foundation, to name just a few. This year, however, we were able to expand our scholarship program through Fair Share Pricing thanks to an incredibly generous donation from the Gerald H. Fitzgerald Scholarship Fund.”
They also offer classes to a wide range of ages and experience levels. A partnership with Mutual Dance Theatre means several afterschool dance classes are available to kids from neighboring schools, complete with school pickup and the walk back to CCAC. This summer they hosted numerous summer camps with themes from costume design to comic book creation. Among their wide array of adult classes was a small, month-long stained glass class, and they will continue offering stained glass workshop time. There are also pottery classes and access to multiple 3D printers. On any given afternoon at CCAC’s new space, you’ll enter to find a local artist’s work on the walls, exuberant kids making their way to class and adults with tap shoes at the ready.
“At the core of everything CCAC does is our vision of bringing people together through shared experiences,” says Muething. “I like the word that Leslie [Mooney, executive director] often uses: ‘cross-pollination.’ By having programming for everyone to express themselves — people of different ages, backgrounds, interests — and having those programs all in the same location happening at the same time, we are creating opportunities for folks to interact. For example, this summer, it was so cool to see our summer campers take a break from their own creative activities and wander through the gallery featuring work of local emerging artists. Or seeing a young parent waiting to pick up their child from ballet, and they witness an African dance class and decide to sign themselves up. Those are the times when we're not just encouraging people to share their art; we're encouraging them to build a community.”
This summer CCAC also hosted Wednesdays in the Woods — one of their more lively and all-ages events. Gathering in Burnet Woods each Wednesday, art fans could listen to local music, dance or simply commune. Food trucks showed up. Art supplies were loaded onto nearby picnic tables and families from the Clifton area and beyond enjoyed time together outside. On rainy evenings, CCAC’s new home offered the perfect shelter from the storm. Suddenly, stained glass class became soundtracked by salsa music and visitors poked in their heads to see new and experienced artists hard at work.
Fall is on its way and school is back in session, which means new chances for CCAC to share art with their greater community. On Thursdays, they’re hosting two different regular events. Bearcats (or anyone, really) can enjoy music at U-Square at the University of Cincinnati, or swing by the new building for rooftop sessions from local musicians. TikTok FYP awash with cookie recipes and icing hacks? There are three upcoming holiday-themed, one-day cookie decorating workshops available on Oct. 26, Nov. 16 and Dec. 21. All supplies included. Maybe a family art night is in order? Perhaps your “little” with their oh-so-big imagination will enjoy a performance of Peter Pan on Oct. 13? Whatever your kid, your parents, your bored uncle or you could possibly be interested in, there’s a class or event at Clifton Cultural Arts Center to pull you in and make you never want to leave.
To view the Clifton Cultural Arts Center’s full schedule, visit cliftonculturalarts.org.
This story is featured in CityBeat's Sept. 18 print edition.
