At ArtsWave, we want everyone in Greater Cincinnati to experience the positive benefits of the arts – a more vibrant regional economy and more connected communities. In fall 2015, ArtsWave released the Blueprint for Collective Action in the Arts which outlines five community goals, a roadmap for their achievement, and a framework for ArtsWave’s community investment strategy and grant programs for the next ten years.
All applicant organizations are asked to demonstrate how their work aligns to one or more of these five strategic areas. We strongly recommend downloading and reviewing this document to familiarize yourself with this framework before applying for ArtsWave support.
The ArtsWave tt stern-enzi memorial award is a newly created $5,000 cash award presented to an aspiring filmmaker in the Greater Cincinnati Region who reflects the vision and values of tt's legacy demonstrated through a completed application process. This award was made possible by the generosity of tt’s family, friends and colleagues.
Applications for the tt stern-enzi memorial award application are now open through July 3, 2026.
tt stern-enzi
Terrence Todd “tt” stern-enzi, 56, passed away on 9/29/25 after a very brief and sudden illness. He had been part of the Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival leadership team since 2018. He was the programmer for its first two years, before being named Artistic Director in 2021. He also was a board member of the Film Festival Alliance and Art House Convergence. He was instrumental in the festivals growth and in shaping its artistic direction.
tt was also a member of the prestigious Critics Choice Association since 2019, and an accredited critic for Rotten Tomatoes, the website for movie and TV show reviews. He covered some of the world’s most significant film festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival.
For more than 20 years he was a freelance writer and Greater Cincinnati film critic. He had contributed film reviews to CityBeat since 2011; discussed movies on Cincinnati Public Radio’s Cincinnati Edition, and did “tt’s take” reviews Friday mornings on Fox 19 Now.
A 1991 graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, he had been an adjunct instructor for the University of Cincinnati Journalism Department since 2008. He taught upper level journalism courses on “Advanced Reporting Topics” and “Writing about Film.”
tt was dedicated to sharing stories that foster human connection and celebrate our shared humanity. His passion for film was evident in all he did, as a leader in Cincinnati’s film community and as a voice that touched lives far beyond.
He was just as passionate about supporting other creatives in the community and encouraged everyone he met with and mentored to go after their dreams and goals. His wife says that countless people have reached out to her since his death to say how much they appreciated his wisdom, support and guidance over the years. In fact, he encouraged many to apply for the same ArtsWave grants that he was awarded because he wanted to see others win. He truly wanted everyone to succeed and to have the opportunities that he did. This dedication to others is the impetus behind the idea to create a memorial grant in his name so that his legacy of uplifting others continues on.
Boardway Bound is comprised of six sessions focused on introducing leaders to the Cincinnati region's arts sector, preparing leaders for arts board service, and connecting leaders to an arts board. Sessions are conducted by local arts and business leaders, including ArtsWave staff leaders. In the final session, candidates will meet with their top arts organization choices for board service in a fast-paced interview process. A graduation and reception event is held the week after program culmination.
Candidate Qualifications: Applicants are accomplished, diverse and motivated professionals who wish to engage in leadership opportunities within the region’s arts sector. Participants typically have minimal board experience yet desire professional development in governance best practices. All participants must commit to attending the sessions and completing assigned reading and exercises.
2026 Session Dates will be in person at ArtsWave, 20 E. Central Parkway.
- Thursday, October 22 | 3:30-6:30
- Thursday, October 29 | 3:30-6:30
- Thursday, November 6| 3:30-6:30
- Thursday, November 12| 3:30-6:30
- Thursday, November 19| 3:30-6:30
- Thursday, December 3| 3:30-6:30
- GRADUATION: Thursday, December 10| 3:30-6:00, venue TBD
Tuition: $1250, usually underwritten by the employer and payable by September 1. A limited number of scholarships are available on an as-needed and as-available basis. Contact ArtsWave to discuss this opportunity.
Thank you for your interest! We will be in touch on or after July 31 to update you on the status of your application.
Working Capital Bridge Loan Guidelines
Purpose
The purpose of the Working Capital Bridge Loan is to provide a useful, no-interest financial tool to address demonstrated, short-term cash flow needs of small and mid-sized arts and cultural heritage organizations in Greater Cincinnati. The Working Capital Bridge Loan Fund, first established through a private gift, was expanded in 2009 by a donation from the Weathering the Economic Storm Fund, a collaboration of Cincinnati funders.
Who May Apply
To be eligible for a Working Capital Bridge Loan, an organization must meet all of the following criteria:
- Have a 501(c)3 tax status for a minimum of three years
- Have a primary mission to provide programs or activities in areas directly concerned with arts or cultural heritage for the general public
- Be based in the Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN MSA, which includes the following counties: Brown, Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren Counties in Ohio; Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, and Pendleton Counties in Kentucky; and Dearborn, Ohio and Union Counties in Indiana
- Have at least one FTE of paid or contracted staff
- Have received funding from ArtsWave in the past 3 years
- Have an annual operating budget of less than $2M
- Does not have an outstanding Working Capital Bridge loan or other overdue grant requirements
- Loan requests to ArtsWave for more than 3 consecutive years are unlikely to be considered without proper justification from the organization’s leadership.
Terms of Loan
Working Capital Bridge Loans will be interest-free and will not exceed $10,000. Loans shall be repaid in full within 12 months. Organizations delinquent in paying the full loan back within 12 months will not be eligible to apply for support for support from ArtsWave for one year after the loan is repaid.
Application
All application materials must be submitted via Submittable, ArtsWave’s online grantmaking system. While completing your application, remember these tips:
- Be brief, clear and direct, focusing on what is most important.
- We recommend that you prepare your responses offline in a word processing program and then copy and paste them into the appropriate sections of the online application.
- Limit the use of bullets and other formatting in text fields.
- Add Impact@ArtsWave.org to your safe senders list to ensure that you receive all communications from the online grantmaking system.
- Use one of the following compatible browsers: Chrome® v.22+, Firefox® version v.27+, Internet Explorer® v.8-10 (if enabled), Internet Explorer v.11, Safari® v.7+, or Edge®.
The application consists of the following sections:
A. Organization Information
- Tax ID
- Organization Contact Information
- Organizational Leadership
- Contact for Loan
B. Loan Request
- Reason loan is needed (up to 300 words)
- Loan amount requested
- Date when funds are needed
- How loan funds will be used (up to 125 words)
- Source of funds to be used for repayment of loan (up to 125 words)
C. Financial Information
- Contact information for individual responsible for financial reporting and management
- Availability of financial statements
D. Attachments
- ArtsWave Working Capital Bridge Loan Financial Report Form (attachment, can be accessed via the Apply for Funding page) - Provide a one or two page financial report for revenues, expenses and operating bottom line which includes actuals for your most recently completed fiscal year, year-end projections for your current fiscal year, and a budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The percentage change columns between each of the years should also be included along with explanations for variances of 10% or more for total revenue, total expenses and total operating bottom line.
- Working Capital Bridge Loan Signature Page (attachment, can be accessed via the Apply for Funding page) - an authorizing official will certify that s/he is authorized to submit the application on behalf of the organization and that the information submitted in the application is true and correct to the best of his/her knowledge.
Repayment Schedule
No payments will be due the first six months of the loan. Six monthly payments of 1/6 of the total loan amount will be due on the 1st day of the month beginning the seventh month of the loan.
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: Rolling
- Application Review: As quickly as possible
- Funding Decision: Within 2 weeks of submission
- Repayment Due: Within 12 months
Need to bring some entertainment to an event or a creative break during a long meeting? Schedule a performance from one of the Cincinnati region's top artists!
Performances can range from an evening of live, in-person entertainment to a quick 5-10 minute virtual drop-in. All art forms are available to fit you and your team. Some examples include...
- At a retirement party, the lyrics to a popular song are rewritten about the person retiring, then sung by a professional who pops in to the meeting (virtually or in-person) to share in the fun.
- A company has someone in leadership who loves classical music, so to surprise that person, an instrumentalist visits the office or joins a call to perform a piece.
- A jazz band provides ambient music for a lunch event.
- A local actor performs a stirring monologue to get the team ready for a major project that's about to begin.
For a list of available artists, check out the Artist Roster.
The rate for each 5-10 minute virtual performance is $125, with most of that fee going directly to the artist. The suggested rates for live, in-person performances are as follows:
- Soloists: $150/hour
- Duos: $300/hour
- Trios: $375/hour
- Quartet+: $125 per performer/hour
* Please note, a $25 processing fee will be added to all in-person performances. Rates are subject to change based on artist/ availability.