2024 Summerfair Cincinnati Small Arts Organization Award Winners
4 Way Quartet
4-wayquartet.com
Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra
summermusik.org
Dearborn Highlands Arts Council Inc.
www.dearbornhighlandsarts.org
The Drama Workshop
thedramaworkshop.org
Loveland Stage Company
lovelandstagecompany.org
Kennedy Heights Arts Center
kennedyarts.org
Kentucky Symphony Orchestra
kyso.org
Each year, Summerfair Cincinnati grants Small Arts Organization Awards to regional small and mid-sized arts organizations. These awards are designed to increase arts experiences for everyone – regardless of age, ability, income, or location – throughout the community.
The program provides up to $5,000 to an organization, which can be used in the creation of new programs, the expansion of current programs, or help with production or presentation expenses.
This year’s awards were presented to 4 Way Quartet ($4,600), Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra ($5,000), Dearborn Highlands Arts Council Inc. ($2,400), The Drama Workshop ($5,000), Kennedy Heights Arts Center ($5,000), Kentucky Symphony Orchestra ($3,000), and Loveland Stage Company ($5,000). In total, Summerfair gave $30,000 to local small arts organizations.
The 4-Way Quartet is a community-based ensemble, whose members share a deep commitment to teaching and social action.
Committed to sharing the joy of making music with underserved children in our city, 4-Way provides free lessons and small ensemble experiences through the 4-Way String Project, now in its seventh year.
Each Tuesday afternoon after school, students have private lessons on violin, viola, or cello, and play in small ensembles, learning to be leaders, cooperate, and to work as part of a team. During the year, they have several chances to perform – individually, alongside their teachers, and in their chamber groups.
Through their Summermusik program, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra creates intimate, transformative experiences that connect the musically curious. Summermusik is an independent ensemble of 32 professional musicians that is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024 and is widely recognized as one of the leading performing arts organizations in the Greater Cincinnati region.
Founded as a volunteer organization in 1974 by Paul Nadler, the artistic goal of the CCO is to perform music that is not generally heard when attending concerts presented by a large symphony orchestra, and thereby offer a unique musical experience to the listener.
Dearborn Highlands Arts Council offers a broad range of programs and is committed to presenting quality programming and assisting local artists to perform, exhibit and educate.
Programs include OPEN Gallery/Marketplace with bi-monthly exhibits, Arts Alive! Art Fair & Gift Bazaar in November and December, Library Classics Series with regional artists, and arts education programs that reinforce education curriculum.
The current exhibition, Youth Art, is open through April 19. This annual exhibit emphasize the value of art education for all children and encourages support for quality art programs. Students share and highlight their talent and creativity, with prizes awarded.
The Drama Workshop is one of the longest running theater groups in the Cincinnati area. Since 1958 the group has produced at least three shows a year. Everything from classics like The Glass Menagerie, comedies like The Odd Couple, and contemporary dramas like Pride’s Crossing.
In May, don’t miss Dear World, a Jerry Herman musical based on the novel The Mad Woman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux. With beautiful songs, it focuses on the Countesses Aurelia, who deviously schemes to stop businessmen from drilling for oil in the Parisian neighborhood of Chaillot. The forces of idealism, love and poetry win over those of greed, materialism and science.
Housed in the former home of Lewis Kennedy, built in 1875, The Kennedy Heights Arts Center is an example of community action at its finest. When developers threatened to demolish the historic mansion, a group of local residents organized to save it. Today, the KHAC includes a 10,300-square-foot satellite facility with a multi-purpose performance and event venue, digital media lab and artist studios.
With a mission to enhance the life of the surrounding community through arts and cultural experiences that embrace diversity, foster creativity and build community, the KHAC offers a wide range of arts and cultural programs.
On Saturday you can see I Dream of Me, a multi-generational, family friendly performance supported by the United Way of Greater Cincinnati from Revolution Dance Theatre in partnership with David Choate Productions. This musical-meets-ballet uses the power of representation to inspire kids and dreamers of all ages to see themselves in a new story.
Saturday is also the opening reception for the 16th Annual Student Art Show. Each year, KHAC celebrates its talented students with an exhibition featuring original artwork in all media created by the youth and adult students enrolled in KHAC classes.
The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, formed in 1992, has demonstrated a unique ability to make the concert experience relevant and entertaining to audiences while maintaining high performance standards and integrity.
Created to make classical music attractive, accessible and affordable to people in the region, their next performance at St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption pays homage to the king of instruments – the organ.
Long Live the King, at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, features organist Brenda Portman performing works by Reed, Barber and Saint-Säens. The KSO performs throughout Northern Kentucky with three series of concerts: Summer Series in Devou Park (July– September), Free Education/Outreach concerts (October – March), and an affordably priced Subscription Series (five programs held October–May).
Each KSO program contains both familiar and unique repertoire presented in a thematic context that is compelling and entertaining. Through the years, KSO concerts have offered many surprises including silent films, dancers, comedians, zoo animals, alternative, rock and complete operas and musicals, country bands, a limbo contest, aerobic classes, poetry readings, Civil War battle re-enactments and more.
The Loveland Stage Company is dedicated to serving the community by providing quality theater and performing arts experiences.
Their next production is The Red Velvet Cake War, directed by Mark Culp, from May 3–19. This Southern-fried comedy finds the three Verdeen cousins—Gaynelle, Peaches, and Jimmie Wyvette—in the midst of a chaotic, and hilarious, family reunion.
Summerfair Cincinnati is dedicated to supporting young artists, individual artists, and community-based arts organizations all year long through awards, scholarships, and exhibitions. This year’s Summerfair arts fair will be held Mat 31 to June 2 at Coney Island. Find tickets and more information at www.summerfair.org.