Press releases and announcements from Ohio's arts organizations
The Akron Art Museum presents Kent Monkman: History Is Painted by the Victors, the only Midwest stop for a sweeping survey of the Cree artist’s work, running April 11 through Aug. 16.
Read moreThe Cleveland Museum of Art announced its ArtLens Gallery will reopen in July 2026 as a fully transformed space featuring AI, mixed reality, and four interactive zones designed to deepen engagement with the permanent collection.
Read moreGreat Lakes Theater’s 2026-27 season at the Hanna Theatre features Shakespeare, Sweeney Todd, Les Misérables, and A Christmas Carol, with subscriptions now on sale.
Read moreSix Central Ohio artists will be featured in the biennial Visual Arts Fellowship Exhibition at Columbus Museum of Art, opening April 15 in partnership with the Greater Columbus Arts Council.
Read morePlayhouse Square announced its seven-show 2026-27 KeyBank Broadway Series, opening Sept. 12 with the touring premiere of Death Becomes Her.
Read morePlayhouse Square announced a seven-show 2026-2027 KeyBank Broadway Series headlined by the national tour launch of Death Becomes Her. The season runs from September 2026 through September 2027 and also includes Mamma Mia!, BOOP!, Maybe Happy Ending, Buena Vista Social Club, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Season tickets range from $185 to $810.
Read moreThe Toledo Museum of Art has opened ‘Cursed! The Power of Magic in the Ancient World,’ featuring artifacts from the Louvre, British Museum, and Met on loan through July 5.
Read moreThe Toledo Museum of Art opened ‘Cursed\! The Power of Magic in the Ancient World’ on March 21, featuring 75 objects from the Louvre, British Museum, and Metropolitan Museum.
Read moreBalletMet’s ‘For the Love of Dance!’ triple bill at Davidson Theatre included a world premiere by company member Leiland Charles alongside works by Ratmansky and Arqués.
Read moreThe Columbus Museum of Art will present a landmark 60-work survey of Asian American art from April 15 through August 16, 2026, organized by Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center.
Read moreOhio University’s Global Arts Festival marked its 20th anniversary with three days of concerts, workshops, and performances featuring artists from five countries.
Read moreThe Cleveland Orchestra announced its 2026 summer seasons on March 13, with Brett Mitchell returning to Blossom and live Harry Potter film concerts among the highlights.
Read moreThe Cleveland Orchestra announced its 2026 Blossom Music Festival and Summers at Severance seasons, marking Music Director Franz Welser-Möst’s 25th and final summer with the ensemble.
Read moreThe Cleveland Orchestra announced 13 programs for its 2026 Blossom Music Festival and Summers at Severance series. Idina Menzel headlines on July 26. Music director Franz Welser-Möst leads his 25th and final summer season with programs at both Blossom and Severance. The festival opens with an America at 250 celebration and closes with three nights of John Williams over Labor Day weekend.
Read moreThe Cleveland Orchestra announced its 2026 summer season with highlights including an America 250 tribute, Idina Menzel, a Harry Potter film concert, and conductor Franz Welser-Möst’s final season.
Read moreThe Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown has received a 1957 ‘Homage on the Square’ painting by Josef Albers, donated by the Roemer family of Pittsburgh.
Read moreThe Cleveland Orchestra unveiled its 2026 summer season featuring the Blossom Music Festival, Idina Menzel, Harry Potter film concerts, and Welser-Möst’s final summer with the ensemble.
Read moreThe Cincinnati Pops Orchestra released Harlem Renaissance on March 13, its eighth album under conductor John Morris Russell, featuring Marcus Roberts, Duke Ellington, and a debut recording of Carlos Simon’s Hellfighters’ Blues.
Read moreCincinnati Playhouse in the Park announced a 2026-27 season headlined by a world premiere commissioned from playwright Theresa Rebeck and the launch of the inaugural Made in Cincy: New Works Festival.
Read moreBallet Excel Ohio, the Cuyahoga Falls company founded in 1975, celebrates its 50th anniversary with a world premiere production of ‘Aladdin’ at Akron Civic Theatre on March 14-15, 2026, led by the company’s first Black male lead.
Read moreHershey Felder starred as Sergei Rachmaninoff in a new musical play at Cleveland Play House’s Allen Theatre, exploring a fictional encounter between the composer and Tsar Nicholas II.
Read moreThe Cleveland Orchestra has appointed five new members to its violin and viola sections, including a new First Associate Concertmaster and Associate Concertmaster.
Read moreBeck Center’s 24th annual Razzle Dazzle production unites performers with disabilities and community volunteers at the Lakewood arts center April 24-26.
Read moreThe Toledo Museum of Art is reorganizing its entire collection chronologically for the first time in nearly 40 years, with a grand reopening expected in late 2027.
Read moreThe Cleveland Museum of Art opens a landmark exhibition on Édouard Manet and Berthe Morisot on March 29, alongside a full calendar of Women’s History Month performances.
Read moreThe Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s 2026-27 season features Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with soloists Louise Alder and Nicholas Phan, and a season-opening Brahms program.
Read moreThe Toledo Museum of Art has been named the Best Art Museum in the United States by USA Today’s 10Best contest for the second year in a row.
Read moreThe Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops unveiled a 2026-27 season featuring Wynton Marsalis, world premieres, and an American-themed Pops lineup, with Conductor John Morris Russell’s contract extended through 2028.
Read moreBeck Center for the Arts is marking its 50th year of dance with a new production of “Little Red Riding Hood.” The original ballet features over 95 performers in a playful take on the classic tale, with guest appearances from Cinderella and Goldilocks. Performances will be held at the Senney Theater from April 10-12, 2026, including a sensory-friendly option and a family-friendly matinee. Tickets are available for purchase, with various age-appropriate pricing tiers.
Read moreThe Toledo Museum of Art presents ‘Cursed\! The Power of Magic in the Ancient World,’ featuring approximately 75 objects from Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Greek, Roman, and Babylonian cultures, on view March 21 through July 5, 2026.
Read moreA statewide yearlong celebration of Lorain native Toni Morrison launched February 19, 2026, with events at libraries, universities, and cultural organizations across Ohio to mark what would have been the Nobel laureate’s 95th birthday.
Read moreThe Wexner Center for the Arts presents Ximena Garrido-Lecca: Seedings, a participatory installation and sound sculpture exploring Andean seed culture and ecological systems, through May 24, 2026.
Read moreToledo Opera has announced its 2026-2027 season, featuring two major productions: Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida” and Gilbert & Sullivan’s “H.M.S. Pinafore.” The season, beginning in October 2026, will present “Aida” for the first time in over a decade, alongside the company’s first Gilbert & Sullivan operetta in more than twenty years. “Aida” will explore themes of love, duty, and sacrifice in ancient Egypt, while “H.M.S. Pinafore” promises nautical fun and comic hijinks. Subscriptions and single tickets will go on sale March 2, 2026, offering audiences a chance to experience both grand opera and comic operetta.
Read moreArtsWave launched its 2026 community fundraising campaign with the theme ‘Discover More,’ raising more than .3 million in early pledges as the Cincinnati-based organization marks 99 years supporting regional arts.
Read moreThe Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland opened its 2026 season January 30 with four exhibitions on view through August 2, exploring themes of nature, memory, survival, and responsibility across photography, installation, and film.
Read moreCincinnati Opera launched Underscore, a new three-event spring series running March through May 2026. Events include an original play about Oscar Wilde, an interactive Carmen murder mystery on April 21, and an Afrofuturist salon on May 7. Tickets are $25 per event or $60 for all three.
Read moreThe Allen Memorial Art Museum is set to host “June Leaf: Shooting from the Heart,” a major retrospective of artist June Leaf, from January 27 to May 24, 2026. This exhibition is the first comprehensive look at Leaf’s work in over three decades, showcasing nearly 100 pieces from a career spanning seven decades. The show includes paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, and collages, highlighting Leaf’s unique artistic vision. Curated by Allison Kemmerer, Gordon Wilkins, and Sam Adams, the retrospective aims to re-examine the significant contributions of the Chicago-born artist. The exhibition will conclude its national tour at the Allen, celebrating Leaf’s return to the Midwest.
Read moreThe Akron Art Museum has launched two new exhibitions, “Transfiguration: Rachel Libeskind and the Tiffany Window” and “Jess T. Dugan: I want you to know my story.” The “Transfiguration” exhibition features a restored Tiffany stained-glass window, originally designed by Frederick Wilson for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Akron, alongside contemporary works by Rachel Libeskind. The window, a significant piece of Tiffany Studios’ history, has been conserved to be accessible to a wider audience. The “Jess T. Dugan” exhibition showcases photographic portraits that explore the power of relationships and authentic self-expression. Dugan was recognized with the Akron Art Museum’s 2024 Knight Foundation Purchase Award for Photographic Media. Both exhibitions will be on view through July 2026.
Read moreGreat Lakes Theater’s 65th anniversary season features six productions including Sweeney Todd, Les Misérables, and two modern Shakespeare translations at Playhouse Square.
Read moreThe Cleveland Museum of Art has announced its February 2026 event calendar, featuring Valentine’s Day-themed activities, the opening of new exhibitions, and ongoing popular programming. Highlights include a “Make and Sip” event, “Date Night Performances” with jazz, and “Valentine’s Day Tours.” New exhibitions opening in February are “still/emerging: Native American Works on Paper” and “Hidden Insights: Looking at the Backs of Portrait Miniatures.” Visitors can also experience events celebrating Black History Month and music series.
Read moreThe National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is set to host five diverse programs in February 2026 to honor Black History Month. The programming aligns with the 100th anniversary of Negro History Week and will feature a range of events including lectures, film screenings, performances, and workshops. A key event is the free Fifth Third Community Day on February 15, which will include a presentation by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black and other academics. Other scheduled activities include a look at Black independent cinema, a talent showcase, a family history workshop, and a documentary screening.
Read moreThe Cleveland Museum of Natural History has achieved a significant national recognition, ranking #4 in USA TODAY’s 2026 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best New Museums. This honor follows the museum’s extensive renovation, completed in December 2024. The award highlights the museum’s innovative design, sustainability efforts, and community engagement, positioning it as a top new cultural destination. The recognition underscores the museum’s commitment to science and environmental stewardship, adding to its growing list of accolades.
Read moreThe Cleveland Museum of Art has opened a call for artist submissions for a juried group exhibition at Transformer Station running July through November 2026.
Read moreThe Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) will host a free, daylong celebration on Monday, January 19, 2026, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event will feature activities designed to encourage reflection on history and legacy, exploring connections between Dr. King’s work and the museum’s collection. Visitors can participate in art-making workshops, guided tours, and will receive free admission to the “Renaissance to Runway” fashion exhibition.
Read moreThe Cleveland Museum of Art has unveiled its January 2026 programming, featuring a variety of musical performances, new and continuing exhibitions, and diverse on-site activities. Highlights include concerts by Trio Seoul and the Oberlin Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble, alongside new exhibitions like ‘Pahari Paintings: Art and Stories.’ The month also offers educational programs, family-friendly events, and a special celebration for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, providing a rich cultural experience for visitors.
Read moreHeights Arts will present two new exhibitions beginning January 6, 2026, titled “Consider Fires” and “Spotlight: Josh Chefitz.” The exhibitions delve into the multifaceted nature of fire, exploring themes of destruction, transformation, memory, and healing. “Consider Fires” features local Northeast Ohio artists interpreting these concepts through diverse artistic mediums. The “Spotlight” exhibition highlights the work of artist Josh Chefitz, whose mixed media pieces focus on memory as a pathway to personal growth. Both shows run until March 15, 2026, with an opening reception on January 16th and a special artist and poet event on February 19th.
Read moreApril Sunami has been awarded the 2026 Aminah Robinson Artist Fellowship by the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Columbus Museum of Art. The fellowship provides a three-month residency in Aminah Robinson’s former home studio, a $15,000 award, and a community outreach project. Sunami will use the residency to create mixed media artworks inspired by Yoruba goddesses. This fellowship honors Aminah Robinson’s legacy by supporting African American artists in Franklin County.
Read moreApril Sunami has been awarded the 2026 Aminah Robinson Artist Fellowship by the Columbus Museum of Art and the Greater Columbus Arts Council. The fellowship provides Sunami with a three-month residency in Aminah Robinson’s home studio, a $15,000 award, and a community outreach opportunity. During her residency, Sunami will create mixed media works inspired by Yoruba goddesses, exploring themes of resilience and transformation. This program honors Aminah Robinson’s legacy and supports African American artists in the region.
Read moreThe Cleveland Museum of Art has announced its exhibition schedule for 2026, featuring a robust lineup of diverse programming to mark its 110th anniversary. The year will include major exhibitions such as “Spectacular Freedom: Andrew Wyeth and the Modern American Watercolor,” “Martin Puryear: Nexus,” “Manet & Morisot,” and “Ten Kings of Hell and the Afterlife in Medieval Korea,” among others. These exhibitions will explore a wide range of artistic periods and cultures, from American watercolor traditions and contemporary abstraction to Impressionist dialogues and Korean Buddhist art. The museum aims to offer visitors a rich and varied experience, delving into the evolution of artistic movements and the cultural contexts that shaped them.
Read moreThe Cleveland Museum of Natural History is set to host Ira Flatow, the acclaimed host of NPR’s “Science Friday,” for an event on “The Art of Science Communication” on January 23, 2026. The program will delve into making science accessible and engaging through various communication methods. Flatow will share his career insights during a moderated Q&A session. This event is part of the Know Your World Lecture Series and underscores the museum’s mission to connect people with science and the natural world. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the event beginning at 7 p.m.
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