Shared Human Experience: Exploring Darkness Through Light

Session details:

The age-old art of campfire storytelling embraces the notion that as humans we’re programmed to explore darkness through light. Drawn to the flames, we’re connected in a moment that encourages imagination, discovery, and the shared experience of a story. A story that gets told and retold, defining a memory that stays with us long after the fire goes out. It’s this belief that exploring darkness through light can craft an experience and a memory that has the power to redefine a place, a city, a region - for the better.

With the goal of creating a manifesto for a future city and bringing national awareness and global buzz to Cincinnati, AGAR joined a handful of creative leaders and the City of Cincinnati to design a one-of-a-kind, immersive event that would illuminate a path toward inclusion and possibility, leveraging the great equalizer: art. With this lofty goal in mind, BLINK was born, the nation’s largest immersive art festival. Just completing its fourth year in 2024, the event brought 2.2M+ people to the city core and helped generate over $126 million economic impact to the region. Positioned as a gift to the region, BLINK is a free, four-day public event, offering a one-of-a-kind memory for all. The festival continues to bring together an impressive array of international, regional, and local artists to craft original art forms. Activations include large-scale projection mapping, street murals, interactive light sculptures, and a variety of musical acts, in total spanning more than 40 city blocks. 

Join BLINK co-founder Josh Heuser of AGAR, as he shares how they carefully balanced art and business to create a new shared experience that brought light to Cincinnati and helped redefine the identity of a region.