Producer’s Antenna: The Southwest Ohio Arts Radar
When you watch an episode of The Art Show, do you ever wonder how the producers discover these artists and arts organizations to highlight? How do we find out about the Whimsical Troll Sculptures at Aullwood Park or the journey of Ballet Dancer Cevillio Amador from Cuba to Cincinnati Ballet? As producers, it sometimes feels like we are a cadre of arts “whispers” who intuitively know everything happening in Southwest Ohio. While we certainly love our jobs producing quality arts and culture content and would like to think we are pretty good at it, alas, the truth lies in a bit more down-to-earth process.
Over the years, I have been invited to many galas and parties to promote artists and preserve culture, and if it provides an excuse to wear cool clothes, I am all in. Who doesn’t love a good party where you dress up and hang out with fabulous people? And even better when it’s in support of the arts!
I was only working at the station as Community Arts Liaison for two months when I received an invitation to the Springfield Museum of Arts Gala. Of course, I had to be there; This museum plays a special role in my career as an artist as the site of my first solo artwork exhibition in 2011. I created an extravagant multi-media performance specifically designed for their uniquely-shaped gallery space which follows the curving contours of Buck Creek. It is a beautiful space with splendid architecture that I was eager to experience again.
The Gala was a dynamic evening of dinner, dancing and networking. I found a lively enclave of fans of The Art Show and reconnected with dear friends and colleagues, including the newly appointed curator of collections and exhibitions, Jennifer Wenker. The executive director Jessimi Jones gave her welcoming remarks, and she was pleased to announce that the museum was scheduled as the first stop of a national tour in 2025! Sponsored by The Bridges Foundation, the tour is an exhibition of the works of Aminiah Robinson, a treasured African American artist from Columbus. What a feather in the cap for this fantastic gem of a museum!
This announcement immediately perked up my producer’s antenna as I began brainstorming how we could develop this into a segment on The Art Show. Our production team regularly meets for in-depth discussions where we exchange our insights about current arts and cultural happenings in the area.I couldn’t wait to share the announcement with my team at our next meeting!
Attending local events like the Springfield Arts Gala is essential for staying informed about the
arts scene –and any excuse to wear a tuxedo is an added bonus. Even a casual coffee chat with artists or arts leaders is a great opportunity to hear about the latest and most exciting developments in the Southwest Ohio art community. These conversations fuel our creativity for our broadcast segments, podcast interviews, blog posts and more.
Our mission is to create content that inspires that same joy for discovery in our audience. We welcome YOUR input about the ideas or guests that you would like to see featured in our content. So, as you stay tuned for an upcoming feature of Aminah Robinson, do not hesitate to reach out to The Art Show team with your own findings and insights about the Southwest Ohio arts scene: https://form.jotform.com/223244485244051.
Rodney Veal
CET and ThinkTV Producer and Community Arts Liaison
Photo provided by Springfield Museum of Art
