Artist Run: The Continuing Legacy of Cincinnati’s Artist-Run Spaces

Various Locations

October 1, 2024–October 31, 2024

Cincinnati has long been an incubator for experimental, outsider, and DIY arts activities. Some would argue that it’s because Ohio is a flyover state—or perhaps it’s due to a lack of robust institutional support for local artists, or simply because it lacks a strong collector and commercial gallery system—that artists here are more willing to step outside of the conventional white-walled box to create unique art experiences. Whatever the reason, Cincinnati has a history of artist-run spaces in spades.

There is a joy, freedom, and willingness to “make it work” that is found largely in artist-run spaces. Artists identify a void in the offerings of cultural centers in our region and aim to fill it. Often begun with little-to-no experience, budget, or supplies, these spaces become the ultimate learn-as-you-go laboratories, and, being artist-run, the spaces are often more artistic endeavors unto themselves than curatorial models at all.

Artist Run, developed by Britni Bicknaver and Calcagno Cullen, is a photographic archive and audiovisual history tour of underground art spaces in Cincinnati, including performative bus tours during October. The bus tour will be an art experiment, very much in the spirit of the DIY spaces being recognized with this project.

Each site will include a large-scale historical print of the space installed on the exterior of the building and signage with a QR code linking to audio interviews. A digital publication will accompany this project. The bus tour will visit a small selection of pivotal, formerly active spaces, with many more recognized on the website.

Featured Venues: Anytime Dept., C.A.G.E., DiLeia, Images, The Mockbee, Neo Ancestralists, Publico, Semantics, Thundersky, VOLK

Artists: Britni Bicknaver and Calcagno Cullen

Bus Tours:
October 4: 7pm & 9pm
October 5: 7pm & 9pm
October 11: 7pm & 9pm
October 12: 7pm & 9pm

Tours begin at Wave Pool at 7pm and 9pm, with a reception between tours from 8–9pm to discuss the project, share stories, and connect the artist-run community. Receptions are open to the public. Registration is required via artistruncincy.com.

Group Show Documentary Contemporary Historical Two-Person Show Outdoor

Related Events

[Members of Neo-Ancestralists (l–r: Thomas Phelps, Ken Leslie, Jimi Jones)], 1997. Photo by John Hunt
[Performance by Andy Marko at Semantics], 1999. Photo by Maureen France
[Floyd Johnson’s Ohio Against the World Black Friday Party at The Ice Cream Factory], 2012. Photo by Scott Beseler
[Board Members of CAGE at Safari Cage in the parking lot (l–r: Jim Duesing, Kate Gallion, Suzanne Fisher, Jason Tannen, Tony Walsh, Maureen France)], early 1980s. Photo by Brad Smith
[One Thousand Breaths Fundraiser Image], 2015. Courtesy of Semantics
[SSNOVA Mission with background image by Michael Johnson], 2002. Courtesy of Emily Buddendeck
[Performance at DeLeia], 1995–1999. Courtesy of DiLeia Contemporary