The Brief - Ohio Arts Recap
Recent news from late January 2026 to February 7th 2026
Cincinnati
- Cincinnati Art Museum Opens "Longing: Painting from the Pahari Kingdoms" -- More than 40 court paintings from present-day India, dating between the 17th and 19th centuries, are on view through June 7. Free admission.
- Cincinnati Opera Launches "Underscore" Event Series -- A new three-part series approaching opera from unexpected angles, starting March 3 with a one-act play about Oscar Wilde's 1882 visit to Cincinnati. Tickets are $25 per event.
- Cincinnati Arts Association Presents "Shucked" at the Aronoff Center -- The Tony-nominated Broadway musical comedy runs February 10 through 15.
Cleveland
- Cleveland Museum of Art Opens "still/emerging: Native American Works on Paper" -- Around 30 prints and drawings by Native American artists from the 1950s to today, on view through June 7. Free admission.
- "Suffs" Opens at Playhouse Square -- The Tony Award-winning musical about the women's suffrage movement runs at the Connor Palace through February 22.
Columbus
- Wexner Center Prepares Midwest Debut of "Hew Locke: Passages" -- Opening February 14, the most comprehensive exhibition to date of the Guyanese British artist's work, featuring nearly 50 pieces spanning three decades. On view through May 24.
- Greater Columbus Arts Council Announces Public Art Memorial -- GCAC is developing a permanent memorial for the Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children on the Columbus riverfront.
Toledo
- Toledo Opera Presents "The Elixir of Love" for Valentine's Day Weekend -- Donizetti's comic opera performs February 13 and 15 at the Valentine Theatre, closing Toledo Opera's 67th season.
Dayton
- Dayton Performing Arts Alliance Announces Programming Cuts for 2026-27 -- The DPAA will eliminate the Philharmonic's SuperPops and Rockin' Orchestra Series next season, citing long-term sustainability. Further details expected in March.
Elsewhere in Ohio
- "Beloved: Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison" Launches February 18 -- A yearlong statewide celebration kicks off at The Columbus Foundation with a conversation between Namwali Serpell and Hanif Abdurraqib. The program includes a free virtual book club reading all 11 Morrison novels, with events in Cleveland, Dayton, Lorain, and Cincinnati through February 2027.
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