Ready to Glow

Open you eyes to new possibilities, as BLINK, illuminated by ArtsWave, returns Oct. 8–11, with more than 90 artists participating in its fifth edition, which will be free and open to the public across Cincinnati and the Northern Kentucky area. (Full list below.)

Since 2017, BLINK has biennially transformed the urban core of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky into a massive, immersive art festival spanning more than sixty downtown city blocks. This year’s renowned local, national and international artists will continue to shed light on the area and encourage new ways of looking at the familiar, through This year’s iteration features the latest technology and digital art techniques, a record number of women artists, and marks the first time many of the participating artists are exhibiting at BLINK, underscoring the festival’s role as both a global showcase and a launchpad for emerging and established talent alike. The biennial highlights the city’s creative economy and growing arts ecosystem, utilizing local cultural workers and emerging artists while also showcasing artists who regularly exhibit at international festivals and cultural institutions.

BLINK welcomes audiences of all ages and interests, and creates space for experimentation, play and discovery. In its last iteration, BLINK was attended by over 2 million people and is estimated to have had a $205 million impact on the city. Past installations from 2024 can be seen here.

The Ready. Set. BLINK! opening ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 8, 4 – 9 p.m., marks the evolution of BLINK’s traditional opening parade into a larger, more immersive opening celebration that brings the community together. From 4 to 9 p.m., the area surrounding TQL Stadium will transform into a five-block, block party-style experience featuring live music from local DJs and performers, interactive and collaborative art installations, hands-on light art creation stations, community activations, and food and beverage vendors throughout the event footprint.

“First Financial Bank is proud to sponsor the new ‘Turn On the Lights’ Contest,” said Mandy Neeley, Chief Consumer Bank and Corporate Strategy Officer at First Financial Bank. “This region-wide community engagement experience will build excitement and anticipation for BLINK 2026 while inviting participants to play a meaningful role in one of the festival’s signature and most anticipated moments — the opening night celebration. By extending the campaign directly into communities across the region, First Financial is helping broaden the festival’s impact, encourage public participation, and reinforce our commitment to supporting vibrant, thriving communities.”

The evening centers around an activated stage built over the steps of TQL Stadium. Community groups, artists, and attendees become part of the experience through participatory light art and interactive installations that celebrate the creativity and inclusivity at the heart of BLINK.

As the sun sets, the event transitions into BLINK’s opening ceremony. At sundown, there will be a collective moment to “turn the lights on,” officially launching the 2026 festival, followed by a spectacular drone and pyrotechnic show that illuminates the stadium and surrounding skyline. Blending music, technology, art, and community participation, Ready. Set. BLINK! serves as the opening chapter of the four-day festival and sets the stage for the immersive experiences that await throughout BLINK.

For BLINK 2026, visitors will enjoy art, architecture, live performance, food and beverage, enhancing Cincinnati’s already rich cultural landscape. Details about programming, including talks and additional community events, will be announced at a later date. More information can be found on BLINK’s website.

BLINK 2026 PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

Kyle Eli Ebersole, Cincinnati
LeMonde Studio*, Austin
Leslie Epsztein*, France
Lightborne, Cincinnati
Lindsay Glatz & William Nemitoff*, LA
Liv Cassinelli, Cincinnati
Marc Phelps*, Northern Kentucky
Marie Ajras*, New York, NY
Max Sansing, Chicago
Medianeras*, Barcelona
Miami University - Emerging Technology in Business & Design,     
    Oxford, OH
Mike Stasny*, Atlanta
Mindscape Studio*, Romania
Napoleon Maddox, Cincinnati
Northern Kentucky University Art Students, Erlanger, KY
Onda Studio*, Italy
Paper Acorn, Cincinnati
Paper Massacre*, Italy
Parker Heyl*, England
Pastel*, Argentina
Polina Soloveichik*, Berlin
Radius Concepts, School for Creative and Performing Arts*, 
   Cincinnati
Scott Pennington*, Baltimore
Sean Van Praag, Cincinnati
Sew Valley, Cincinnati
Shahzia Sikander*, New York
Silent Partners Studio, Montreal
Smash Studio*, Sweden
SnellBeast, Cincinnati
Sofles*, Australia
Spencer Sterling*, California
Strangeloop*, Los Angeles
Structurals*, Switzerland
Susan Kosti, Australia
The Mz.Icar Collective, New York
The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music≠ 
   Lighting Design & Technology, Cincinnati,
This is Loop, England
Truly Design Crew*, Italy
Vamos Animation*, Germany
Vigas*, Brazil
Vince Fraser, England
Wayne Horse*, Amsterdam
Xavier University Art Students*, Cincinnati

*Denotes an artist who is new to BLINK.

0H10M1ke*, New York
1001 Colors, Cincinnati
2Looking Up Arts*, San Francisco, CA
577 Studio, Los Angeles, CA
Aérosculpture*, France
Ana Tomashvili*, Georgia
Art Academy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati
Asha AMA, Cincinnati + New York
Asianati, Cincinnati
Beamhacker*, Australia
Big Art, Canada
Black Art Speaks, Cincinnati
Brett Bolton, Las Vegas
Cedric Michael Cox & Studio 181 Brent Keltch*, Cincinnati
Chase Melendez*, Covington, KY
Chaske Haverkos, Cincinnati
Christian Reichle & Squid Kohut, Reno, NV
Christo Squier & Thomas Blackburn*, England
Cincinnati Skatepark Project, Cincinnati
Columbus College of Art & Design, Columbus, OH
Custom Fibre Optics*, England
Daniel Rossa*, Germany
Daniel Shields, Cincinnati
DecideKit, Thailand
Drew Merritt*, NM
Dulk*, Valencia, Spain
Elléna Lourens*, New York
Felix Frank, Germany
Fifth Third Design, Cincinnati
Filip Roca, Barcelona
Forealism, Northern Kentucky
Gera 1*, Greece
Greg D’Amico, Cincinnati
Inka Kendzia, South Africa
James Bullough*, Berlin
Jérémie Bellot, France
Jérémy Oury*, France
Jim Tucker and Frank Young*, Cincinnati
Jonas Denzel*, Germany
JP Jackson & Brian Havener, Nashville, TN
Juan Fuentes*, Madrid
Justin Boh, Cincinnati
Kasumi Art Studios*, Cleveland
Ke Jyun Wu*, Los Angeles
Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, Cincinnati
Kemper Sauce Studios, Cincinnati
Koros Design Studio*, Hungary