FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 20, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: Cody Hefner, (513) 608-5777, chefner@cincymuseum.org

Cincinnati Museum Center teams up with ArtWorks on interactive mural

Mural debuts in You Are Here gallery October 22

CINCINNATI – Union Terminal has its share of incredible mosaic murals. Now, thanks to a collaboration between Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) and ArtWorks, it’s added one more that begs to be reimagined in infinite ways. CMC’s You Are Here gallery debuts its new mural interactive October 22.

CMC’s You Are Here gallery is one of the newest additions to the Cincinnati History Museum. The permanent gallery shares the stories of Cincinnati’s history to answer the question, “What really makes Cincinnati Cincinnati?” From how people live to how they work to how they play, You Are Here attempts to answer that question by showcasing Cincinnati’s s people and places to its traditions and struggles.

Among the gallery’s objects and artifacts are those celebrating Cincinnati-style chili, goetta and beer that give our city flavor; the May Festival, Reds and Bengals that give our city zest; the churches, schools and universities that give our city soul. Interactive elements bring those stories to life. CMC worked with ArtWorks to make the Queen City’s vibrant arts scene stand out.

“Our city has such a brilliant, beautiful legacy of innovation and artists and we wanted to make sure to tell that story with the same brilliance and beauty,” says Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. “ArtWorks has mobilized artists to create stunning murals on iconic buildings across Cincinnati. Now we can add Union Terminal to that list.”

The mural is inspired by the many murals dotting Cincinnati buildings but encourages guests to get creative and design a mural of their own. No-touch, gesture-based technology allows you to put yourself in the mural, adding brilliant pops of color to the blank space on the black-and-white mural painted on the wall behind you. The interactive mural is a perfect encapsulation of the ingenuity Cincinnati’s city of doers possess. CMC worked with ArtWorks and student artists to create the static mural.

“It is an incredible honor to bring the ArtWorks mural program inside the walls of Cincinnati Museum Center, one of our region’s most beloved cultural treasures,” says Colleen Houston, CEO and artistic director of ArtWorks. “This new exhibit demonstrates the cultural and historic significance of the ArtWorks mural program and its legacy. This collaboration is unique as it creates an interactive mural-making experience, and I’m delighted museum visitors will get the opportunity to create their own murals, as public art is for everyone.”

You Are Here will continue to expand this November with three additional interactive elements: a news desk where guests can deliver scripts on air; Quizinnati, a multi-player quiz that tests your knowledge of all things Cincinnati; and Cincinnati Counts, a survey of the most Cincinnati debates with a large-format projection displaying the collective results.

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About Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution and national historic landmark. Dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration, CMC was awarded the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2012. CMC is one of a select few museums in the nation with both of these honors, making it a unique asset and a vital community resource. Union Terminal has been voted the nation's 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater and Cincinnati History Library & Archives. Recognized by Forbes Traveler Magazine as the 17th most visited museum in the country, CMC welcomes more than 1.8 million visits annually. For more information, visit www.cincymuseum.org.

About ArtWorks
ArtWorks is an award-winning Greater Cincinnati nonprofit that transforms people and places through investments in creativity. The organization creates jobs for youth, ages 14-21 with the majority from underserved households, providing competitive 21st-century career-readiness skills through mentorship by professional artists. Since 1996, ArtWorks has employed more than 3,600 youth and 3,200 creative professionals, and the organization has completed more than 12,500 public and private art projects that include 200 permanent outdoor murals, contributing to the region’s global reputation as an arts destination. Learn more at artworkscincinnati.org.