Alecia Kintner

ANNOUNCER: TONIGHT ON SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR CEO AND PRESIDENT OF ARTSWAVE, ALICIA KINTNER.

STAY TUNED.

SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

[MUSIC] KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLAR.

WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

AND TODAY WE HAVE A WONDERFUL GUEST, ALICIA KINTNER, WHO IS THE HEAD OF ARTSWAVE HERE IN CINCINNATI, ONE OF OUR OLDEST AND BEST ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.

WELCOME.

KINTNER: THANK YOU SO MUCH, BARBARA.

KELLAR: SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ARTSWAVE'S BEGINNING.

KINTNER: WELL, THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES, SO THANKS FOR ASKING.

WE WERE ESTABLISHED ALMOST 100 YEARS AGO, IN 1927 BY CHARLES PHELPS TAFT AND ANNA SINTON TAFT.

THEY WANTED TO BE SURE THAT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE, LIKE THE SYMPHONY AND THE ART MUSEUM AND ORGANIZATIONS YET TO BE IMAGINED.

THEY WANTED TO ENSURE THE FUTURE OF THE ARTS IN CINCINNATI, AND THEY CHALLENGED THE PEOPLE OF CINCINNATI AND SAID, "LOOK, WE WILL LEAVE YOU OUR ART COLLECTION AND OUR HOME," WHICH IS NOW THE TAFT MUSEUM, "IF THE PEOPLE OF CINCINNATI WILL SHOW THEY VALUE IT BY MATCHING OUR GIFT OF $1 MILLION."

AND WITHIN JUST SEVERAL MONTHS, IN 1927, THE PEOPLE OF CINCINNATI HAD CONTRIBUTED $2.5 MILLION.

KELLAR: AND THIS WAS IN 1927.

KINTNER: YEAH, 1927.

AND THE TAFTS PUT THEIR MILLION DOLLARS DOWN.

AND WHAT IS REALLY A UNIQUE ENDOWMENT WAS ESTABLISHED.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EVERY SINGLE PLEDGE CARD FROM 1927, HAND-SIGNED WITH THE DOLLAR AMOUNT.

SOME OF THEM ARE $5, SOME OF THEM ARE $500, SOME OF THEM ARE EVEN MORE.

AND THERE ARE NAMES OF PEOPLE, FAMILIES.

KELLAR: AND YOU HAVE THOSE CARDS.

KINTNER: WE HAVE THEM IN LEDGER BOXES.

AND THEN THEY WERE COMPILED INTO A GENERAL LEDGER, VERY EFFICIENTLY.

SO THEY'RE ALSO HANDWRITTEN.

AND NOT LONG AGO THE KENTON COUNTY LIBRARY DIGITIZED THAT FOR US.

SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEARCH THE DATABASE OF DONORS TO THE CINCINNATI INSTITUTE OF FINE ARTS.

KELLAR: OH MY GOODNESS.

KINTNER: WHICH IS OUR CORPORATE NAME, AND SEE WHO WAS A DONOR AT THAT TIME.

WE EVEN HAD A STAFF MEMBER WHO CONNECTED HER ANCESTORS THAT SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HAD BEEN IN CINCINNATI.

KELLAR: OH MY GOSH.

KINTNER: SHE FOUND THEM, YES.

SO IT'S JUST AMAZING PART OF THE COMMUNITY HISTORY.

AND THAT ORGANIZATION THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BECAME LATER THE FINE ARTS FUND, WHICH CONTINUED TO RUN AN ANNUAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN.

AND THEN IN 2010, WE REBRANDED AS ARTSWAVE.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

THE ORIGINAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE TO BENEFIT FROM IT WERE?

KINTNER: THE SYMPHONY AND THE ART MUSEUM.

AND OF COURSE, THE OPERA HAD JUST BEEN ESTABLISHED IN 1920.

THE CHILDREN'S THEATER, I GUESS THE YEAR PRIOR, IN 1919.

THE MAY FESTIVAL WAS OUR ORIGINAL.

SO THERE WERE SOME BIG INSTITUTIONS THAT HAD ALREADY -- KELLAR: THE BALLET DIDN'T COME UNTIL LATER, BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT.

KINTNER: THE 60S PERHAPS?

KELLAR: YEAH, I REMEMBER THAT.

KINTNER: YES.

AND OF COURSE THE PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK WAS ESTABLISHED AROUND THEN.

SO WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD THIS HISTORY IN CINCINNATI OF INCREDIBLE PUBLIC INVESTMENT, CARETAKING AND STEWARDSHIP FOR THE ARTS.

AND EVEN TODAY WE CONTINUE TO SEE NEW ORGANIZATIONS, CREATING NEW ART, NEW ART HERE.

KELLAR: WELL, WEREN'T THERE FOUR IN THE BEGINNING.

KINTNER: THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.

KELLAR: AND NOW, WHAT IS IT?

WHAT IS IT?

KINTNER: WELL, NOW WE SUPPORT NEARLY 50 ORGANIZATIONS WITH AN ANNUAL OPERATING GRANT.

AND THEY RANGE IN SIZE, BUT REALLY IT'S AN INCLUSIVE UMBRELLA THAT PRIORITIZES COMMUNITY IMPACT, PROPORTIONATE TO YOUR BUDGET SIZE.

AND THEN ON TOP OF THOSE 50, WE MAKE ANOTHER 100 OR SO GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS.

SO EVERY YEAR MORE THAN $10 MILLION INVESTED IN THE ARTS IN OUR REGION.

KELLAR: WOW.

KINTNER: THANKS TO THE PUBLIC, THANKS TO THE PUBLIC, THESE ARE ALL CITIZEN FUNDED GIFTS.

KELLAR: SO, YOUR FUNDRAISING IS DONE MOSTLY THROUGH CORPORATIONS, ISN'T IT?

KINTNER: HISTORICALLY, THAT HAS BEEN TRUE, YES.

AND WE STILL CONDUCT ABOUT 250 WORKPLACE GIVING CAMPAIGNS REGION WIDE, WHICH IS A GREAT FORUM FOR TALKING WITH EMPLOYEES AND CONNECTING THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES TO WHAT'S GOING ON.

THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, OF COURSE, IS A TREMENDOUS SUPPORTER BECAUSE OUR BUSINESS LEADERS SEE THE CONNECTION OF A VIBRANT ART SCENE TO THEIR ABILITY TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TOP TALENT.

KELLAR: YES.

KINTNER: SO THERE'S A LOT OF INTERDEPENDENCIES BETWEEN THE ARTS SECTOR AND OUR ECONOMIC VIBRANCY AND, YOU KNOW, FUTURE POTENTIAL AS A REGION.

KELLAR: YEAH, BEYOND THE ART OR THE BUSINESSES, WHERE ELSE DO PEOPLE -- WHERE'S YOUR REVENUE COME, OTHER THAN THOSE?

KINTNER: WE DO HAVE FOUNDATION GIFTS.

OF COURSE, THERE ARE MANY OTHER FAMILIES THAT ESTABLISHED FOUNDATIONS TO TAKE CARE OF THE ARTS.

AND THEN WE DO A RESIDENTIAL MAILING CAMPAIGN, A TRADITIONAL CAMPAIGN, AND WE ARE NOW EXPERIMENTING WITH SOME NEW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES.

KELLAR: AH-HA, OKAY.

KINTNER: BECAUSE TO REACH THE DONOR OF THE FUTURE, WE NEED TO PROBABLY BE IN THEIR POCKET ON THEIR PHONES.

SO, YEAH.

STAY TUNED.

I'LL COME BACK AND SHARE THAT EVOLUTION WHEN IT'S -- KELLAR: WELL, YOU JUST FINISHED YOUR FEASIBILITY -- NOT FEASIBILITY STUDY.

KINTNER: ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY.

KELLAR: ECONOMIC IMPACT.

EASY FOR ME TO SAY.

ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

KINTNER: YES.

WE LOOKED AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF 70 ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE REGION.

WE WANTED TO SEE -- WE COMMISSIONED THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO DO THIS.

WE WANTED THEM TO SEE THE HEALTH OF OUR SECTOR COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, AND ALSO THE HEALTH OF THE ARTSWAVE COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN.

WHAT WE FOUND WAS WHAT WE KNEW TO BE TRUE INSTINCTIVELY.

BUT IT'S A BIG NUMBER.

SINCE 2019, WHICH OF COURSE WAS PRE-COVID, THROUGH 2022, THAT FOUR YEAR PERIOD, ARTS AND CULTURE GENERATED $1.6 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT.

KELLAR: WOW.

KINTNER: BILLION WITH A B.

AND ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, IT'S ABOUT $500 MILLION.

AND THAT'S ON PAR WITH OUR THREE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS.

KELLAR: YES.

YEAH.

WOW.

KINTNER: SO IT'S AN ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR SURE.

ANOTHER SURPRISING THING, WE LOOKED AT THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN OUR FACILITIES, STARTING WITH THE RENOVATION OF MUSIC HALL AND THE MUSEUM CENTER, ALL THE NEW THEATERS THAT HAVE COME ONLINE, THE RESTORED EMORY THEATER, WHICH IS STILL IN PROGRESS.

THERE'S BEEN $750 MILLION INVESTED IN CULTURAL FACILITIES, STARTING WITH MUSIC HALL.

KELLAR: WOW.

KINTNER: SO THAT'S THE DIRECT INVESTMENT.

ON TOP OF THAT, IT GENERATED AN INDIRECT IMPACT OF OVER $800 MILLION AND THOUSANDS OF JOBS.

AND TO OUR SURPRISE, THESE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR 8% OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

KELLAR: OH MY GOODNESS.

WOW.

KINTNER: YES, SO ARTS AND CULTURE ARE REALLY INTERSECTING WITH OUR BROADER COMMUNITY.

KELLAR: STATISTICALLY, HOW DOES CINCINNATI RATE?

I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE, FOR OUR SIZE, WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE ARTS SCENE.

IS THERE PROOF OF THAT STATISTICALLY?

KINTNER: THERE IS, IT'S CALLED A LOCATION QUOTIENT, OR LQ.

THINK OF EQ, LQ, AND IT IS A MEASURE OF THE NUMBER OF JOBS IN A SECTOR THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT IN A REGION OF YOUR SIZE VERSUS ACTUAL.

AND WE HAVE AN LQ IN ARTS AND CULTURE OF 1.48.

SO 48% MORE JOBS, PRODUCTIVITY IN ARTS AND CULTURE THAN YOU WOULD EXPECT TO FIND IN A REGIONAL OUR SIZE.

KELLAR: YEAH, IN A CITY OF OUR SIZE.

KINTNER: EXACTLY.

SO THAT'S ONE MEASURE.

WE ALSO RANK NUMBER 11 ON THE ARTS VIBRANCY INDEX, WHICH LOOKS AT 900 US COMMUNITIES AND LOOKS AT THEIR PUBLIC INVESTMENT, THEIR GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN THE ARTS, THEIR ECONOMIC IMPACT.

AND WE STARTED ON THAT LIST AT NUMBER 20, WHICH IS STILL AMAZING.

I THINK NUMBER ONE IS NEW YORK CITY.

KELLAR: OF COURSE.

KINTNER: AND WE HAVE MOVED TO NUMBER 11 AHEAD OF SOME OTHER AREAS EVEN IN THE STATE.

KELLAR: YEAH, I JUST READ THAT THE MET, THE METROPOLITAN OPERA IN NEW YORK IS THE LARGEST ARTS IN THE COUNTRY.

KINTNER: IS IT?

KELLAR: THEY SPEND, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY SPEND THE MOST MONEY.

OPERA IS AN EXPENSIVE ART.

$354 MILLION A YEAR, I THINK IT WAS.

KINTNER: WOW.

KELLAR: WHICH IS HORRIFYING.

AND OF COURSE, THEY'RE IN DEEP TROUBLE BECAUSE OF THAT.

KINTNER: YES.

WELL, THE REPORT UNDERSCORED THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF INFLATION.

SO PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT'S COSTLY IN THE FIRST PLACE TO PRODUCE THE ARTS, OPERA.

AND THEN WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT WITH INFLATION, YOU GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN'T CHARGE A TICKET PRICE THAT COVERS THE PRODUCT PRICE.

AND THAT IS A CHALLENGE IN THE ARTS.

KELLAR: YEAH, I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T THINK, UNLESS YOU'RE ON AN ARTS BOARD OR VERY ACTIVE, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW LITTLE OF WHAT THEY PAID ACTUALLY PAYS FOR WHAT THEY'RE GETTING.

KINTNER: THAT'S RIGHT.

AND THAT'S WHY PHILANTHROPY IS SO IMPORTANT.

KELLAR: WITHOUT IT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE IT.

KINTNER: RIGHT, AND COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, I THINK OUR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN CINCINNATI HAVE, BY AND LARGE, FARED BETTER THAN SOME LARGER CITIES, QUITE HONESTLY, BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH COORDINATED COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND THIS HISTORY OF PHILANTHROPY, IN ADDITION TO TICKET SALES.

AND OUR ORGANIZATIONS WENT INTO THE PANDEMIC IN A FAIRLY HEALTHY POSITION.

THEY WEREN'T ALREADY ON SOME DOWNWARD SPIRAL.

RIGHT?

SO THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO REBOUND A LITTLE MORE QUICKLY THAN SOME REGIONS.

KELLAR: YEAH.

IT'S WHAT WE TRY TO BE MISSIONARIES TO INFORM PEOPLE THAT THE QUOTE BARGAIN THAT THEY'RE GETTING THAT IT'S HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED.

KINTNER: RIGHT.

KELLAR: THE TICKET PRICE IS VERY SMALL PORTION OF WHAT THE ACTUAL AND EVEN THOUGH THE TICKET PRICES, WHICH I'VE BEEN SURPRISED, I KNOW I LOOKED AT ONE THE OTHER DAY, IT WAS $80, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A LOT, BUT HOW MUCH IS A TICKET TO A ROCK CONCERT?

KINTNER: THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH.

KELLAR: I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT COSTS.

KINTNER: OR THEATER IN NEW YORK.

KELLAR: YES.

WELL, I THINK YOU'VE SAID IT ABSOLUTELY PERFECTLY, THE COST OF THE TICKET DOES NOT COVER THE EXPERIENCE.

AND SO WE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO CONTRIBUTE A PHILANTHROPIC GIFT TO ARTSWAVE EVERY SPRING.

AND THAT $10 MILLION THAT'S AGGREGATED IS THE LARGEST SINGLE SOURCE OF ARTS FUNDING IN THE CINCINNATI REGION.

YEAH.

AND HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT EACH PERSON, NOT PERSON, WHAT EACH ORGANIZATION GETS?

KINTNER: IT'S A FORMULA THAT LOOKS AT THEIR BUDGET SIZE AND A SCORE RELATIVE TO COMMUNITY IMPACT.

AND WE DEFINE THAT IS HOW THEY ARE HELPING KIDS FUEL CREATIVITY AND LEARNING, HOW THEY'RE ENLIVENING NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THEIR ART, HOW THEY ARE HELPING BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER BETTER, CREATING EMPATHY AND TOLERANCE, HOW THEY'RE HELPING DEEPEN THE ROOTS OF PEOPLE SO THEY WANT TO STAY IN THE REGION, WHETHER IT'S NEW COLLEGE GRADS OR EXECUTIVES RECRUITED AT HIGH COST.

AND FINALLY, HOW THEY HELP BUILD CINCINNATI'S REPUTATION, PUT US ON THE MAP.

THAT'S HOW WE DEFINE IMPACT, AND EACH ORGANIZATION DEMONSTRATES HOW THEY DO THAT.

IF THEY'RE LARGER BY BUDGET SIZE, THEIR GRANT IS THEN LARGER.

SO IT'S SORT OF PROPORTIONAL.

BUT IT'S IT'S THE SAME FRAMEWORK.

AND WE'RE ENCOURAGING EVEN SMALL ORGANIZATIONS TO BE FOCUSED ON THAT COMMUNITY IMPACT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

ARE THEY ALL INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS?

KINTNER: NO, WE'RE 15 COUNTIES.

KELLAR: THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

I THOUGHT YOU HAD BRANCHED OUT.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

KINTNER: WELL, THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT HAPPENED, HONESTLY, BARBARA, BUT WE HAVE BEEN A REGION WIDE SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR A COUPLE DECADES AT LEAST, WHICH MEANS NORTHERN KENTUCKY.

KELLAR: OH, YOU GO INTO KENTUCKY ALSO?

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

KINTNER: SO THE CARNEGIE IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT RECEIVES OPERATING SUPPORT, THE KENTUCKY SYMPHONY, BEHRINGER-CRAWFORD MUSEUM, AND OTHERS.

AND THEN WE GO NORTH TO SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP AND LEBANON AND OTHER ARTS CENTERS NORTH.

KELLAR: YOU MEAN LIKE HARRY WILKES PLACE?

KINTNER: YES.

PYRAMID HILL.

KELLAR: PYRAMID HILL, YES.

KINTNER: AND FITTON CENTER, BOTH IN HAMILTON, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, HAVING A HUGE RESURGENCE, REVITALIZATION, AND ARTS ARE A PART OF THAT TOO.

SO YEAH, BECAUSE PEOPLE LIVE ALL OVER THE REGION.

RIGHT?

KELLAR: YES.

KINTNER: AND WE WANT THE ART TO BE WHERE THEY LIVE.

AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME DOWNTOWN, EXPERIENCE WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

I THINK PEOPLE, MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE AMAZED AT HOW FAR YOU REACH.

HOW DO THOSE SMALLER PEOPLE, ORGANIZATIONS, GET YOUR ATTENTION SO THAT THEY GET WHAT I WOULD CALL NEW FUNDING?

THEY GO BY THAT -- YOU GO BY THAT FORMULA, YOU ASK?

KINTNER: WE HAVE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT WE PUBLICIZE, AND EACH CATEGORY HAS DIFFERENT CRITERIA.

IF YOU ARE A NEW ORGANIZATION TO US, WE ASK YOU TO APPLY FOR A PROJECT GRANT FIRST SO WE GET TO KNOW YOU.

AND WE DO ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU'D EXPECT, WEBINARS AND INFORMATION SESSIONS AND THINGS ON THE WEBSITE.

AND WE HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR OFFICE THAT YOU CAN TALK WITH ABOUT YOUR PROJECT IDEA.

SO LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, IT'S ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AND GOOD IDEAS.

KELLAR: YEAH.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A CRAZY QUESTION, BUT IS CET CONSIDERED AN ARTS ORGANIZATION?

KINTNER: YES.

KELLAR: ARE WE?

KINTNER: THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF CET IS ONE OF THE 70 ORGANIZATIONS IN THE STUDY.

AND OF COURSE, ARTSWAVE AND CET HAVE LONG HAD PARTNERSHIPS OF VARIOUS KINDS.

ABSOLUTELY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

BECAUSE I THINK OF US WELL, CERTAINLY THIS SHOW IS AN ARTS SHOW, BUT EDUCATION IS ART, ART IS EDUCATION.

KINTNER: YES, THAT'S RIGHT, AND SO ARE THE TECH FOLKS, YOUR CAMERA CREWS, YOUR MAKEUP ARTISTS.

YOU'RE ALL PART OF THE CREATIVE ECONOMY.

WE CAN ADD THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR PLUS THE FILM INDUSTRY, PLUS BLINK.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST A HUGE ECONOMIC IMPACT.

AND IT GOES AGAIN TO THE THAT JOBS, THE LOCATION QUOTIENT, WE HAVE JOBS HERE.

IN FACT I THINK THE CHAMBER AND OTHERS SHOULD BE DOING BIG NATIONAL PUSHES TO GET MORE CREATIVES HERE BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE ARTS.

KELLAR: YEAH.

DO YOU HAVE A BIG STAFF?

KINTNER: WE'RE ABOUT 24 PEOPLE.

KELLAR: THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT FOR WHAT YOU, YOU KNOW.

KINTNER: YEAH, YEAH.

IT'S BEEN CONSISTENT OVER THE YEARS.

THE 250 WORKPLACE CAMPAIGNS, THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF PROJECT COORDINATION.

KELLAR: YEAH, DO YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND VISIT THOSE PEOPLE?

KINTNER: WE DO.

WE BRING ARTISTS INTO THE WORKPLACE.

WE WORK WITH VOLUNTEERS FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND JUST MANAGE A PROCESS OF 30,000 GIFTS EVERY YEAR.

KELLAR: THAT'S A LOT.

KINTNER: MANY OF THEM THROUGH PAYROLL DEDUCTION, SO THAT'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TRANSACTIONS.

SO WE HAVE RELATIONSHIP MANAGERS AND, YOU KNOW, AN ACCOUNTING TEAM THAT MAKE EVERYTHING ADD UP AT THE END OF THE DAY.

KELLAR: THOSE PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS, HOW MANY COMPANIES DO THAT?

KINTNER: I'M GOING TO SAY ABOUT 50 AT THIS POINT.

UM-HMM.

KELLAR: FIFTY, AND ARE THEY PRETTY GOOD?

I MEAN, DO THEY -- IS IT ENOUGH TO BE SIGNIFICANT?

KINTNER: ABSOLUTELY.

KELLAR: I WOULD THINK SO.

KINTNER: YEAH, ABOUT 60, 65% OF THE CAMPAIGN REVENUE COMES FROM THAT SOURCES.

KELLAR: THAT'S DEFINITELY SIGNIFICANT.

KINTNER: VERY SIGNIFICANT, YES, $6-7 MILLION.

IT'S VERY HARD TO IMAGINE HOW WE WOULD REPLACE THAT IF FOR WHATEVER REASON, PROCTER AND GAMBLE AND GE AND KROGER AND FIFTH THIRD BANK, IF THEY CHANGED THEIR POLICIES.

KELLAR: IF THEY STOPPED DOING THAT.

KINTNER: BECAUSE IT HAPPENS.

KELLAR: YEAH, WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS WITH KROGER, I REMEMBER AND THEY HAD CERTAIN GOALS FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND IT WAS A GIVEN THAT YOU WOULD GIVE.

YEAH, IT WAS A GREAT ATMOSPHERE OF GIVING.

KINTNER: YES, HISTORICALLY, OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS HAVE BEEN GREAT AT INSPIRING OR ENCOURAGING OR INSISTING ON GIVING.

I LIKE TO THINK IT'S MORE VOLUNTARY NOW, BUT IT IS STILL A PARTNERSHIP.

AND IT TAKES STRONG CIVIC AND BUSINESS LEADERS TO SET THAT EXAMPLE FOR EMPLOYEE GROUPS.

AND THEN IT'S ON US IN THE ARTS TO MAKE THE ARTS PRODUCT ACCESSIBLE AND RELEVANT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

YOU WONDER IF WHEN THEY PUT ALL THE DONORS IN THE PROGRAMS, IF THEY -- IF YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE WHAT YOU DONATE, WHAT YOUR -- WHAT THE ARTSWAVE CONTRIBUTION IS.

THAT MIGHT BE VERY INTERESTING TO PEOPLE.

KINTNER: IN THE DIFFERENT ARTS INSTITUTIONS?

KELLAR: YEAH.

KINTNER: THAT'S A GREAT THOUGHT ACTUALLY.

KELLAR: YEAH, THAT I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO THE DONORS, HOW MUCH IS COMING FROM ARTSWAVE.

KINTNER: AND THE CAMPAIGN, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, BOARDS OF DIRECTORS MAY KNOW, BUT SOMETIMES IN THE DONOR LISTS, YOU KNOW, IT'S $100 AND UP AND WE'RE WAY, WAY UP, BUT WE'RE STILL ON THAT LIST.

KELLAR: YEAH, EXACTLY.

KINTNER: IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

KELLAR: YEAH.

I THINK THAT JUST WOULD MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF ARTSWAVE AND WHAT IT DOES, BECAUSE HONESTLY, THOSE OF US WHO ARE OLDER ARE STILL THINKING OF THE FINE ARTS FUND.

AND WE, "WHERE?

WAIT A MINUTE.

THEY HAVEN'T ASKED ME FOR MONEY LATELY."

WELL YES THEY HAVE.

KINTNER: YEAH, WE'RE NOW ARTSWAVE.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

WHAT WAS YOUR BACKGROUND THAT YOU ENDED UP HERE?

KINTNER: WELL, I DID SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR IN HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, THE GREATER HARTFORD ARTS COUNCIL RAN AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN.

AND MY FIRST DAY ON THAT JOB, I SAID TO MY BOSS, "HOW DO YOU DO IT?

HOW DO YOU WORK WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYEE GROUPS?"

AND HE SAID, "LET'S CALL MARY MCCULLOUGH HUDSON IN CINCINNATI, NOBODY DOES IT BETTER."

KELLAR: OH, MY GOODNESS.

KINTNER: AND SO MY VERY FIRST DAY, I WAS CONNECTED TO MARY.

WE BECAME, YOU KNOW, COLLEAGUES AND VOLUNTEERS WITH AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL TOGETHER.

AND MY ARTS COUNCIL IN HARTFORD WOULD BENCHMARK AGAINST YOU IN CINCINNATI.

MY BOARD THERE WOULD SAY, "HOW DO THEY DO IT?"

AND I'D TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

KINTNER: OF COURSE, NOW THAT I'M HERE, I SEE IT IS SO TIED TO THE CITY'S HISTORY AND EARLY VISIONS OF BEING AN ART CITY.

THAT'S VERY UNIQUE.

KELLAR: MY GRANDDAUGHTER GRADUATED FROM TRINITY.

KINTNER: OH, REALLY?

KELLAR: WHICH IS IN HARTFORD.

AND I THOUGHT OF -- I KNOW THAT HARTFORD HAD A SORT OF A DOWN -- THEY HAD ALL THESE INSURANCE COMPANIES, AND THEN THEY DIDN'T.

KINTNER: YES, LIKE CHARLOTTE TOO, IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY.

YES, WITH THE FINANCIAL CRISIS, A LOT OF CITIES THAT WERE DEPENDENT ON INSURANCE AND BANKING SAW THEIR CORPORATE PARTNERS CHANGE, IF NOT DISAPPEAR.

KELLAR: WERE YOU THERE AT THAT TIME?

KINTNER: I WAS AT THE START OF IT, YES.

AND I WITNESSED A LOT OF TRANSITIONS IN EMPLOYEE GIVING WHERE A COMPANY WOULD DECIDE TO LEAVE IT UP TO THE EMPLOYEE ESSENTIALLY, RATHER THAN HAVE THAT COMPANY WIDE EFFORT.

AND THE GIFTS PLUMMET.

KELLAR: OF COURSE.

OF COURSE THEY DO.

KINTNER: YEAH, SO I LIKE TO THINK THAT MARK TWAIN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS, BUT CINCINNATI, WE ARE STILL HAVING WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIPS.

KELLAR: YEAH.

KINTNER: AND WE CAN LOOK TO THE PAST, THOUGH, TO KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO PROTECT AND ENCOURAGE OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO STAY WITH US.

KELLAR: WELL, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF, I MEAN, DETROIT CERTAINLY HAD A HUGE PROBLEM AND, NEW ORLEANS AND BATON ROUGE, NOT KATRINA, BUT THE OIL BUSINESS.

KINTNER: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: AND THE BOTTOM SORT OF DROPPED OUT OF THAT.

AND I THINK PEOPLE THINK THAT GIFTS TO ARTS OR ANY OTHER CHARITY ARE THE FIRST THINGS TO GO WHEN YOUR BUDGET IS CUT DOWN.

KINTNER: ABSOLUTELY.

KELLAR: SO IT MAKES IT HARDER.

KINTNER: IT DOES.

THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPORTANT NEEDS THAT NEED TO BE MET IN ANY COMMUNITY.

BUT THE ARTS SHOULDN'T BE THE FIRST THING TO CUT, BECAUSE IN SO MANY WAYS, THEY'RE WHY WE'RE WORKING SO HARD FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, RIGHT?

KELLAR: WELL, WE FOUND THAT -- THAT'S THE ROYAL WE, OF COURSE.

WE'VE FOUND THAT CINCINNATI, EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE DON'T GO TO THE SYMPHONY OR THE BALLET OR THAT, THEY WANT IT TO BE HERE.

KINTNER: EXACTLY.

KELLAR: THEY WANT THE CITY TO HAVE IT.

AND PART OF THAT IS THE CORPORATE ATTRACTING PEOPLE.

HERE WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS IN EACH CATEGORY.

BUT I, WE, I THINK -- WELL CET LEARNED THAT MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE HAVING A HORRIBLE CRISIS.

AND IN ONE WEEKEND THEY, THE PUBLIC JUST RESPONDED, KIDS EMPTIED OUT THEIR PIGGY BANKS.

YES.

KINTNER: REALLY?

KELLAR: TO KEEP CET, BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T WATCH, OF COURSE, IN THOSE DAYS IT WASN'T MUCH TO WATCH.

IT WAS VERY LIMITED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME PEOPLE WANTED IT TO STAY.

THEY DID NOT WANT TO LOSE THAT.

AND PEOPLE, CORPORATES, OTHERS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE, THAT'S PART OF WHAT THEY LOOK FOR, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT IN THOSE SEATS.

KINTNER: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: THEY WANT THEM TO BE AVAILABLE.

KINTNER: THAT'S RIGHT.

AND SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR LIFE.

IF YOU'RE RAISING YOUR KIDS, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO CHECK OUT THE SYMPHONY.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT CAN BECOME MORE MEANINGFUL.

AND IT ALSO POINTS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF ARTS EDUCATION IN OUR SCHOOLS AND HELPING KIDS BECOME FAMILIAR WITH OUR ARTS INSTITUTIONS SO THEY FEEL WELCOME AND LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S COMPELLING.

AND IF WE DON'T DO A BETTER JOB OF INTRODUCING KIDS TO THE ARTS, WE CAN'T EXPECT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GO OR GIVE TO THE ARTS.

SO WE'VE WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER, ALL OF US, AT THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS.

KELLAR: YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PROGRAMS FOR KIDS IN ARTS?

KINTNER: WE HAVE LAUNCHED A PROGRAM CALLED MORE ARTS, MORE KIDS, AND IT'S EXACTLY WHAT I JUST DESCRIBED, A FIELD TRIP PROGRAM WHERE WE WANT EVERY FIRST THROUGH SIXTH GRADER IN AN ENTIRE DISTRICT TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE ARTS FIELD TRIP EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

SO THEY CAN LOOK BACK ON THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAREER, AND THEY WOULD HAVE ESTABLISHED A PATTERN OF PARTICIPATION AND VISITATION.

AND THEY BEEN INSIDE MUSIC HALL, INSIDE THE ART MUSEUM, INSIDE THE ARONOFF.

AND HOPEFULLY THAT WOULD HELP SPARK THEIR FURTHER INTEREST.

WE'VE STARTED THIS WITH CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND THIS FALL, 2,500 THIRD GRADERS ATTENDED THE CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S THEATER.

IT TOOK 49 BUSSES.

KELLAR: OH MY GOSH.

KINTNER: YEAH.

AND THEN THIS SPRING, THE FIFTH GRADERS ARE GOING TO THE ART MUSEUM AND FIRST GRADERS ARE GOING TO THE SYMPHONY YOUTH CONCERT.

AND NEXT FALL WE'LL PHASE IN THE OTHER GRADES.

AND THIS IS A MODEL THAT CAN BE REPLICATED WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WITH OUR PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS.

AND IT'S LOOKING AT THE WHOLE SYSTEM AND EQUITY SO THAT EVERY CHILD HAS THAT SAME ACCESS.

KELLAR: YEAH, I THINK MOST OF THE ARTS, THE SYMPHONY, THE OPERA, THE BALLET, I THINK THEY ALL HAVE SPECIAL PROGRAMS WHERE THEY BRING CHILDREN IN FOR PROGRAMS THAT ARE AGE APPROPRIATE.

KINTNER: YES.

AND THAT'S WHAT GETS THEM.

THAT'S WHAT GETS THEM.

KINTNER: THAT'S ABSOLUTELY, YEAH.

WITH MORE ARTS, MORE KIDS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OUR KIDS ARE HAVING THAT EXPERIENCE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT SCHOOL.

AND EVEN IF THEIR PARENTS AREN'T IN THE HABIT OF BRINGING THEM.

RIGHT SO IT'S TRYING TO SYSTEMATIZE THE ACCESS.

KELLAR: YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WHERE A HUGE AMOUNT OF CHILDREN BECOME INTERESTED IN THE ARTS IS THROUGH A PERFORMANCE OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER.

KINTNER: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: THAT'S THEIR FIRST TASTE OF IT, AND THEY LIKE IT.

KINTNER: WE WANT TO GET THEM, TURN THAT AS A POSITIVE.

KELLAR: GET THEM WHILE THEY'RE YOUNG.

WELL WHAT YOU DO IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE CITY.

I MEAN IT REALLY IS THE CORE OF FUNDING FOR THE ARTS.

KINTNER: IT'S A PRIVILEGE.

KELLAR: IT IS.

AND YOU'VE BEEN AT IT HERE FOR 11 YEARS.

KINTNER: 11 YEARS.

KELLAR: GOOD.

KINTNER: I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

KELLAR: LOOKS LIKE YOUR ENTHUSIASM, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GOOD FOR ANOTHER AT LEAST ANOTHER 11 YEARS.

KINTNER: I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

I WILL SEE IT THROUGH THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY IN 2027, WHICH WILL BE A GREAT CELEBRATION FOR THE COMMUNITY.

KELLAR: ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THAT?

KINTNER: YES.

WE WANT TO HAVE A VERY VISIBLE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION, MAYBE A SPECIAL FUNDRAISING EFFORT, ANNOUNCE THAT 50,000 KIDS HAVE HAD FIELD TRIPS, THINGS LIKE THAT, SO YES, WE'RE ACTIVELY PLANNING THAT.

KELLAR: YEAH, WE GET MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE EFFECT THAT IT'S HAD.

KINTNER: YES, YES, MEASURE SOME IMPACT.

BUT RIGHT NOW, FIRST AND FOREMOST WE HAVE TO RAISE $12.5 MILLION FOR THE '24 ARTSWAVE COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN, WHICH KICKS OFF VERY SOON.

KELLAR: NOT -- PIECE OF CAKE, YOU CAN DO THAT.

AND WHO IS CHAIRING THE '24 CAMPAIGN?

KINTNER: WE HAVE CO-CHAIRS THIS YEAR, JOHN MUELLER, WHO'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF P&G, AND HIS WIFE, LISA SAUER, WHO IS A LIFE TRUSTEE OF ARTSWAVE, BEEN INVOLVED FOR AT LEAST A DECADE.

AND THE TWO OF THEM ARE DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB REACHING OUT TO NEW PROSPECTS, NEW BUSINESSES.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GREAT ADVOCATES FOR HOW THE ARTS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ECONOMY AND THE ABILITY FOR A CORPORATE GIANT LIKE P&G TO HAVE THE BEST TALENT RIGHT HERE.

KELLAR: SOUNDS GOOD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND WHAT YOU DO.

YOU ARE IT.

KINTNER: WELL, BACK AT YOU, BARBARA.

THANK YOU.

KELLAR: THANK YOU.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.

CAPTIONS: MAVERICK CAPTIONING CIN OH MAVERICKCAPTIONING.COM