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Every week you'll find numerous programs to get your creativity and mind going
May 2026 Events
| Sun. | Mon. | Tue. | Wed. | Thu. | Fri. | Sat. |
1 6:00 p.m. Alex Lippert Co-LAB : Reception and Artist Talk
01
May Alex Lippert Co-LAB : Reception and Artist Talk 
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2 1:00 p.m. Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
02
May Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy 
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3 |
4 |
5 |
6 4:00 p.m. Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
06
May Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy 
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7 10:30 a.m. Thursday Art Play: Mother's Day Gifts
07
May Thursday Art Play: Mother's Day Gifts 
4:00 p.m. Educator Workshop: French Link Bookbinding with Cereal Box Studio
07
May Educator Workshop: French Link Bookbinding with Cereal Box Studio 
4:00 p.m. Young Adult Lab: May Festival Flower Making Workshop
07
May Young Adult Lab: May Festival Flower Making Workshop 
5:30 p.m.
07
May Drawing in the Galleries 
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8 |
9 1:00 p.m. Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
09
May Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
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10 |
11 |
12 |
13 4:00 p.m. Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
13
May Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
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14 10:30 a.m.
14
May Thursday Art Play: Game on!
4:00 p.m. Young Adult Lab: Mindful Collages with Art Therapist Sibel Ozer
14
May Young Adult Lab: Mindful Collages with Art Therapist Sibel Ozer 
5:30 p.m.
14
May Drawing in the Galleries 
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15 5:00 p.m. Opening Reception: Voices UnHeard
15
May Opening Reception: Voices UnHeard 
7:00 p.m. Film Screening: The Best Years of Our Lives
15
May Film Screening: The Best Years of Our Lives 
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16 10:00 a.m. Soul Session 1: All Decked Out: Divination, Dreams & Death
16
May Soul Session 1: All Decked Out: Divination, Dreams & Death 
1:00 p.m. Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
16
May Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
7:30 p.m. Clos(in)g: A New Play Staged Reading + Talkback at the CAC Black Box
16
May Clos(in)g: A New Play Staged Reading + Talkback at the CAC Black Box 
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17 6:30 p.m. Clos(in)g: A New Play Staged Reading + Talkback at the CAC Black Box
17
May Clos(in)g: A New Play Staged Reading + Talkback at the CAC Black Box
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18 |
19 |
20 4:00 p.m. Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
20
May Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
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21 10:30 a.m. Thursday Art Play: Garden Studio
21
May Thursday Art Play: Garden Studio
4:00 p.m. Young Adult Lab: Soul Collage; Embracing through Intuition
21
May Young Adult Lab: Soul Collage; Embracing through Intuition 
5:30 p.m.
21
May Drawing in the Galleries 
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22 |
23 10:00 a.m. Book-Making with Cereal Box Studio
23
May Book-Making with Cereal Box Studio 
1:00 p.m. Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
23
May Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
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24 |
25 |
26 |
27 4:00 p.m. Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
27
May Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
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28 10:30 a.m. Thursday Art Play: Blue Dreams
28
May Thursday Art Play: Blue Dreams
4:00 p.m. Young Adult Lab: Create Your Own Instrument and Soul Jam w/ Music Therapist Becca Stone!
28
May Young Adult Lab: Create Your Own Instrument and Soul Jam w/ Music Therapist Becca Stone! 
5:30 p.m.
28
May Drawing in the Galleries 
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29 |
30 1:00 p.m. Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
30
May Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
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31 | ||||||
May 2026 Events
29
April
2026
Wednesday
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
Join us every Wednesday at the downtown public Library from 4-6PM and Saturday at the CAC from 1-3PM for our Artist-in-Residence program where artist Ciara LeRoy will practice their art alongside the general public, educating and inspiring along the way! Residency Theme: SECRET WORDSFrom the early days of written language to...
01
May
2026
Friday
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Alex Lippert Co-LAB : Reception and Artist Talk
Alex Lippert will be having an artist talk and reception highlighting creative resistance through tintypes, community, and collaboration. The artist talk will start at 7pm. Alex Lippert is a tintype photographer whose large-format work employs the historic wet plate collodion process of the mid-nineteenth century. Rooted in a material practice that embraces...
02
May
2026
Saturday
9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Play Your Way
This sensory-friendly program is designed for families and children who benefit from a quieter, more supportive museum experience. Join the CAC on select Saturdays for special early open hours. Take your time strolling the galleries, connect with a local artist, and experiment with hands-on activities. These mornings offer a welcoming...
02
May
2026
Saturday
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Yay! Play!
Drop by the CAC's Creativity Center from 10:30am-noon for a giant play date your little ones are sure to love. The Creativity Center is the perfect space to connect with parents and children through conversation and play. Join us on select Saturdays for a creative space filled with sensory stations...
02
May
2026
Saturday
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
Join us every Wednesday at the downtown public Library from 4-6PM and Saturday at the CAC from 1-3PM for our Artist-in-Residence program where artist Ciara LeRoy will practice their art alongside the general public, educating and inspiring along the way! Residency Theme: SECRET WORDSFrom the early days of written language to...
03
May
2026
Sunday
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Community Critique
Community critique would be held on the first Sunday of the month from, 11 to 3pm in the Creativity Center. Participants will bring in work they would like to have conversations around to either gain a new perspective or to promote their own art practice. Attendees do not have to...
06
May
2026
Wednesday
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
With Art in Mind
With Art in Mind is a welcoming program designed for people living with dementia and their care partners. Participants enjoy a light breakfast, a guided gallery tour, and a hands-on art activity—all in a calm, private setting during non-public hours. Free for all. Reserve your spot by emailing Shannon Braun, or...
06
May
2026
Wednesday
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
Join us every Wednesday at the downtown public Library from 4-6PM and Saturday at the CAC from 1-3PM for our Artist-in-Residence program where artist Ciara LeRoy will practice their art alongside the general public, educating and inspiring along the way! Residency Theme: SECRET WORDSFrom the early days of written language to...
07
May
2026
Thursday
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Thursday Art Play: Mother's Day Gifts
Join us Thursday mornings for creative playtime at the CAC. This family program uses hands-on art making activities and yoga to excite and educate our youngest visitors. Lets celebrate mothers, grandmothers, or a special role model in your life, with handmade creative gifts to show how much we care. Stick...
07
May
2026
Thursday
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The Art of Letting Go
The Art of Letting Go - Step into a dynamic dance experience led by Pones professional dance instructors, where movement meets mindfulness in unexpected ways. This immersive class explores techniques to help settle the mind and release tension in the body, offering simple yet powerful tools you can carry into...
07
May
2026
Thursday
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Educator Workshop: French Link Bookbinding with Cereal Box Studio
Join us for an Educator Workshop focusing on the exhibition, Gee Horton: Chapter 4, In Another Lifetime. Horton's work focuses on Black masculinity, generational memory, and childhood, exploring themes of safety, vulnerability, and the fragile boundary between freedom and protection. Gee Horton and Cereal Box Studio have partnered on a...
07
May
2026
Thursday
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Young Adult Lab: May Festival Flower Making Workshop
Join us every Thursday in the CAC Creativity Center for Young Adult Lab, a free drop-in art making program for young adults! This week, we're celebrating Spring by making custom flowers for the May Festival. These flowers will be highlighted in their space at Music Hall throughout the festival, which takes...
07
May
2026
Thursday
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Drawing in the Galleries
For the month of May participants will be focusing on planar analysis. These classes are free and are open to participants 16+. These classes run from 5:30pm-7pm every Thursday. During each session attendees will have 10-15 minutes to have a group discussion about their work after a 2 hour drawing...
08
May
2026
Friday
8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Art Prom: Y2K Edition
Calling all teens! Come show off your awesome/awkward/crazy dance moves at the CAC’s annual Art Prom on May 8th from 8-10PM. This FREE student planned event includes food, art making, a photo booth and a live band; all led by teens! This year, we're taking Art Prom back in time...
09
May
2026
Saturday
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
Join us every Wednesday at the downtown public Library from 4-6PM and Saturday at the CAC from 1-3PM for our Artist-in-Residence program where artist Ciara LeRoy will practice their art alongside the general public, educating and inspiring along the way! Residency Theme: SECRET WORDSFrom the early days of written language to...
13
May
2026
Wednesday
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
Join us every Wednesday at the downtown public Library from 4-6PM and Saturday at the CAC from 1-3PM for our Artist-in-Residence program where artist Ciara LeRoy will practice their art alongside the general public, educating and inspiring along the way! Residency Theme: SECRET WORDSFrom the early days of written language to...
14
May
2026
Thursday
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Thursday Art Play: Game on!
Join us Thursday mornings for creative playtime at the CAC. This family program uses hands-on art making activities and yoga to excite and educate our youngest visitors. Learn about the artist Garrett Goben and his use of games as inspiration for his Soft Bones installation in the Creativity Center. Design...
14
May
2026
Thursday
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Young Adult Lab: Mindful Collages with Art Therapist Sibel Ozer
Join us every Thursday in the CAC Creativity Center for Young Adult Lab, a free drop-in art making program for young adults! This week, we'll continue a series of workshops, this time led by art therapist Sibel Ozer. Sibelwill help guide all attendees in making mindful collages, using the simple power...
14
May
2026
Thursday
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Drawing in the Galleries
For the month of May participants will be focusing on planar analysis. These classes are free and are open to participants 16+. These classes run from 5:30pm-7pm every Thursday. During each session attendees will have 10-15 minutes to have a group discussion about their work after a 2 hour drawing...
15
May
2026
Friday
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Opening Reception: Voices UnHeard
Join us for the opening reception of Voices Unheard: Art, Identity, and Experience in the CAC's 6th floor Community Gallery. This multidisciplinary art show highlights the voices of detained youth through visual art, writing, music, and science. Each piece reflects personal stories of identity, resilience, rehabilitation, and growth based on environment...
15
May
2026
Friday
7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Film Screening: The Best Years of Our Lives
Cindependent partners with Ohio Goes to the Movies and the Public Library to present an 80th anniversary screening of a Golden Age classic! Timeline 7pm - Mix and mingle + Photo opportunity with Cindependent mascots 7:30pm - Film (with introduction from Cindependent and the Cincinnati Public Library) The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) The...
16
May
2026
Saturday
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Soul Session 1: All Decked Out: Divination, Dreams & Death
About the Workshop Our first session of our summer Co-LAB featuring spiritual leader, Phyllis, will explore the spiritual cosmologies that permeate and inform Chapter V: In Another Lifetime, by Gee Horton, using divination, dreams and death as a points of entry. This workshop is free and open to the public. Upon registration,...
16
May
2026
Saturday
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
Join us every Wednesday at the downtown public Library from 4-6PM and Saturday at the CAC from 1-3PM for our Artist-in-Residence program where artist Ciara LeRoy will practice their art alongside the general public, educating and inspiring along the way! Residency Theme: SECRET WORDSFrom the early days of written language to...
16
May
2026
Saturday
7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Clos(in)g: A New Play Staged Reading + Talkback at the CAC Black Box
Join American Legacy Theatre for a staged reading of Clos(in)g, a new play by Megan Benjamin Bennett exploring housing, displacement, and the reality of being priced out. Set within an apartment building on the edge of change, Clos(in)g centers on residents navigating rising costs, shifting identities, and the uncertainty of what...
17
May
2026
Sunday
6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Clos(in)g: A New Play Staged Reading + Talkback at the CAC Black Box
Join American Legacy Theatre for a staged reading of Clos(in)g, a new play by Megan Benjamin Bennett exploring housing, displacement, and the reality of being priced out. Set within an apartment building on the edge of change, Clos(in)g centers on residents navigating rising costs, shifting identities, and the uncertainty of what...
20
May
2026
Wednesday
3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
EARLY CLOSURE
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20
May
2026
Wednesday
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
Join us every Wednesday at the downtown public Library from 4-6PM and Saturday at the CAC from 1-3PM for our Artist-in-Residence program where artist Ciara LeRoy will practice their art alongside the general public, educating and inspiring along the way! Residency Theme: SECRET WORDSFrom the early days of written language to...
21
May
2026
Thursday
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Thursday Art Play: Garden Studio
Join us Thursday mornings for creative playtime at the CAC. This family program uses hands-on art making activities and yoga to excite and educate our youngest visitors. Learn about the artist Michael Stillion and create artwork inspired by his new exhibition. Stick around for some kid-friendly yoga following each Art...
21
May
2026
Thursday
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Young Adult Lab: Soul Collage; Embracing through Intuition
Join us every Thursday in the CAC Creativity Center for Young Adult Lab, a free drop-in art making program for young adults! This week, we'll be continuing our journey with art therapy by welcoming artist and facilitator Dani Clark to guide us in a soul collage! Soul Collage practice involves taking images...
21
May
2026
Thursday
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Drawing in the Galleries
For the month of May participants will be focusing on planar analysis. These classes are free and are open to participants 16+. These classes run from 5:30pm-7pm every Thursday. During each session attendees will have 10-15 minutes to have a group discussion about their work after a 2 hour drawing...
23
May
2026
Saturday
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Book-Making with Cereal Box Studio
Held in conjunction with Cereal Box Studio and inspired by Gee Horton's exhibition, Chapter 4, In Another Lifetime, this 2-day workshop invites participants to explore dreams, symbols, and personal narrative through hands-on bookmaking. Participants can register for the series, or attend a single workshop. This series is free for CAC Members,...
23
May
2026
Saturday
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
Join us every Wednesday at the downtown public Library from 4-6PM and Saturday at the CAC from 1-3PM for our Artist-in-Residence program where artist Ciara LeRoy will practice their art alongside the general public, educating and inspiring along the way! Residency Theme: SECRET WORDSFrom the early days of written language to...
27
May
2026
Wednesday
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Artist in Residence at the Public Library: Ciara LeRoy
Join us every Wednesday at the downtown public Library from 4-6PM and Saturday at the CAC from 1-3PM for our Artist-in-Residence program where artist Ciara LeRoy will practice their art alongside the general public, educating and inspiring along the way! Residency Theme: SECRET WORDSFrom the early days of written language to...
28
May
2026
Thursday
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Thursday Art Play: Blue Dreams
Join us Thursday mornings for creative playtime at the CAC. This family program uses hands-on art making activities and yoga to excite and educate our youngest visitors. Learn about the artist Gee Horton and create artwork inspired by his new exhibition. Stick around for some kid-friendly yoga following each Art...
28
May
2026
Thursday
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Young Adult Lab: Create Your Own Instrument and Soul Jam w/ Music Therapist Becca Stone!
Join us every Thursday in the CAC Creativity Center for Young Adult Lab, a free drop-in art making program for young adults! This week, we'll continue a series of workshops, this time led by music therapist Becca Stone. Becca will guide participants in making their own musical instrument from simple materials...
28
May
2026
Thursday
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Drawing in the Galleries
For the month of May participants will be focusing on planar analysis. These classes are free and are open to participants 16+. These classes run from 5:30pm-7pm every Thursday. During each session attendees will have 10-15 minutes to have a group discussion about their work after a 2 hour drawing...
29
May
2026
Friday
7:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
CreativeMornings
CreativeMornings is a free global breakfast lecture series designed to build creative community through shared ideas and storytelling. Each month, CreativeMornings Cincinnati gathers designers, artists, makers, nonprofit leaders, and curious thinkers from across the region for a welcoming morning of reflection, inspiration, and connection. This month Alex Lippert will be the...
29
May
2026
Friday
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
CAC@21c Tour
Two tours, one hour! Join a CAC docent for a half-hour guided tour of the galleries at the neighboring 21c Museum Hotel, followed by a half-hour tour of the Contemporary Arts Center exhibitions. Event takes place on the final Friday of each month. Tours are free and open to the...
29
May
2026
Friday
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Open Mic Night
Step into a night of creativity with word artists and poets, Jamie Lee Morris and Brandon Issac, as they lead an open mic inspired by our latest exhibitions. Explore our gallery, draw inspiration from the art, craft your own poem during the first hour’s workshop, then take the stage to share...
30
May
2026
Saturday
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Artist in Residence at the CAC: Ciara LeRoy
Join us every Wednesday at the downtown public Library from 4-6PM and Saturday at the CAC from 1-3PM for our Artist-in-Residence program where artist Ciara LeRoy will practice their art alongside the general public, educating and inspiring along the way! Residency Theme: SECRET WORDSFrom the early days of written language to...
On-Going Events
Through
10
May
2026
Student Art Show: 2026 CAC School Program
The student art show is the culminating event of the School Outreach Program. Featuring the work of students K-12 enrolled in the CAC's SOP Program.
Through
31
May
2026
Creative Resistance Captured in Tintype: Immortalizing Art as Activism
Working with artists from Cincinnati and the surrounding regions, Lippert combines in-depth interviews with handcrafted tintypes to explore how different and sometimes unexpected art functions as a tool for community building, cultural memory, and protest.
Through
31
May
2026
Voices Unheard: Art, Identity, and Experience
This multidisciplinary art show highlights the voices of detained youth through visual art, writing, music, and science. Each piece reflects personal stories of identity, resilience, rehabilitation, and growth based on environment and lived experience.
Through
30
August
2026
Michael Stillion: And then it was flowers
Michael Stillion’s work explores the human condition through emotionally charged, visually layered compositions. In 'And then it was flowers' Stillion presents recent paintings, works on paper, ceramic sculptures, and an animation, all which depict vessels with human-like features.
Through
30
August
2026
Gee Horton: Chapter 4, In Another Lifetime
This narrative-driven exhibition features Gee Horton’s loosely autobiographical account of the struggles of Freeman Little, a 37-year-old Black man living with Guent Bu Wa, a rare hereditary sleep disorder that causes vivid, prophetic dreams.
Through
31
October
2026
SOFTlab: Gravity's Rainbow
This installation, suspended from the ceiling of the CAC’s Dr. Stanley & Mickey Kaplan Hall Lobby, takes something invisible