CINCINNATI — During a press conference on Monday, BLINK officials announced the first wave of artists who have signed on to exhibit work for the festival in 2022.
Despite an announcement that founding partner Brave Berlin would not participate in this year's art and light show, festival officials announced 14 international artists and 18 local artists have signed on to participate.
Here's a list of the artists and partners announced for BLINK 2022 so far:
- Shantell Martin, visual artist
- Case Maclaim, muralist
- AddFuel, visual artist and illustrator
- Wendy Yo, projection and dance
- Vince Fraser, afro-surrealist visual artist
- Michael Coppage, projection installation
- Jason Snell, projection mapping
- Lightborne, projection display
- DogFish Crew, Jessica Wolf, Mallory Feltz, Cincy-inspired art
- Linz & Lamb, Cincy-centric art
- Sean Van Praag, projection artist
- Antaless Visual Designs, projection artists
- Jonathan Queen, local artist
- This is Loop, multidisciplinary creations
- OGE Design Group, art collective
- Pichiavo, 2D and 3D integration
- MASARY Studios, youth art showcasing
- Architects of Air, sculpture
- Mz Icar, sculpture
- Sonny Day, merchandise
- Nespoon and Devious, lace-inspired art
Organizers previously announced the 2022 festival will continue to build on the extension across the Roebling into Covington that was established in 2019. The Covington Plaza area will have a full BLINK experience, with large-scale installations taking shape along the riverfront to be seen from both sides of the Ohio River.
In 2019, over 1.3 million people walked the streets of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky to experience the light and art show put on as part of BLINK, organizers said. The festival was so popular that its website crashed under the weight of searches and demand the night before the show launched in 2019.
In 2021, then-mayor John Cranley announced the planned to use American Rescue Plan funds to bring the festival back to Cincinnati this year. Cranley said city officials called for $1 million of the city's $290 million from the ARP would go to BLINK to help artistic endeavors recover after the industry was deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The festival debuted in 2017 and has been a free, multi-day outdoor art experience.
In 2022, the festival will run for four days and span 30 city blocks, flooding the streets of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky with street art, projection mapping and light-based installations. It's set to take place Oct. 13 through Oct. 16.
