CAC began as a gallery in the basement of the Cincinnati Art Museum in 1939. Today, we offer our own basement as a launching pad for others. The Basement: CAC's Black Box Lab is a blank canvas, full of possibilities for experimental and innovative works.

Located in the lower level of the conic Zaha Hadid-designed Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, our black box theater is the ideal launchpad for grassroots organizations to perfect their work and present it to the public. Equipped with essential lighting, sound, and versatile seating arrangements, the CAC’s Black Box offers flexible configurations to accommodate a variety of artistic disciplines and events.

The Basement: CAC's Black Box Lab is made possible through the generosity of the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation. The inaugural Basement partners include:

• American Legacy Theatre
• Cindependent Film Festival
• Pones