A Rising Tide
Flow, An African American Arts Experience
Oct. 17 – “Marcus Leslie Singleton: Next Steps,” Contemporary Arts Center
Jan. 17, 2026 – “American Voices” with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra,
April 24 – August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson,” Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
July 9 – “Lalovavi” Cincinnati Opera
More information and subscriptions available at artswave.org/flowpass.
ArtsWave, in collaboration with four of the region’s outstanding arts organizations, presents the milestone fifth anniversary season of Flow, An African American Arts Experience,.
This cross-venue subscription series, the Flow Pass, presented by Fifth Third Bank, features four premier Black-centered arts events across Cincinnati's most prestigious venues.
For just $200, Flow Pass subscribers will receive premium access to four distinctive, Black-centered events spanning visual art, orchestral music, theater and opera. Each experience features an all-inclusive pre-show Flow Social, sponsored by Triversity Construction, featuring drinks, light bites, and opportunities to connect with artists, sponsors and a growing community of fellow arts supporters.
“As we mark five years of Flow, we celebrate a growing audience for Black artistry on Cincinnati's most prestigious stages,” says Alecia Kintner, ArtsWave president and CEO. “The Flow Pass isn’t just a ticket, it's about joining a community that’s committed to sustaining diverse voices and perspectives in our cultural landscape.”
The 2025–26 Flow Pass season begins on Oct. 17, 2025, at the Contemporary Arts Center with “Marcus Leslie Singleton: Next Steps,” the first solo museum exhibition dedicated to Singleton's nuanced, deeply intimate paintings of Black American communities. The evening includes a special fifth anniversary celebration at the pre-show Flow Social.
On Jan. 17, 2026, Flow Pass subscribers will experience “American Voices” with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, celebrating the life of Martin Luther King Jr. in a program highlighting influential African American artists and composers. Conductor Christian Macelaru will lead the orchestra with bass Morris Robinson and poet Rita Dove. Subscribers will gather for a pre-concert Flow Social in the Wilks Studio at Music Hall.
The series continues on April 24, 2026, at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park with August Wilson's explosive, award-winning play “The Piano Lesson,” a gripping story of family, legacy, and the choices that define us. The evening includes a pre-show Flow Social and parking.
The season concludes on July 9, with Cincinnati Opera's long-awaited “Lalovavi,” an Afrofuturist adventure set 400 years in the future that follows Persephone, the youngest daughter of the ruler of Atlas, the city formerly known as Atlanta.
“Over five years, we’ve been building a culturally curious and diverse audience coming together to experience excellence in Black artistry,” says Mel Gravely, Flow's co-Chair and Triversity Construction executive chair. “The Flow Pass continues to build on the momentum of growing appreciation and therefore demand for Black art in all of its forms. The outcome enables more Black artists to thrive and inspire. This anniversary season represents both how far we've come and our continued commitment to showcasing Black voices in the Cincinnati region.”
Flow, which began in 2020, complements and expands the region's existing inventory of multicultural experiences offered by local arts organizations. The series supports and promotes professional, evocative African American artists with the goal of attracting a highly diverse, culturally adventurous audience and creating a shared and elevated appreciation for artists of color.
The series is presented by ArtsWave with support from area businesses, foundations, and individuals and with guidance from a steering committee comprised of representatives from the region's top corporations.