Cincinnati Arts Association

05/05/2026

Hey there, cool cats! Step into our rockabilly rewind and relive the night that had everyone swingin’ – our 2026 Dancing For the Stars event!
The spotlight shined bright and the dance floor was jumpin’ as we crowned our 2026 Dancing for the Stars champions!
A swingin’ round of applause for our dazzling winners:
Fundraising Champion: Mona F**d
Dance Champions: Meeka Owens & Alyenendrov Tsorokean
From the first step to the final twirl, our sensational celebrity dancers brought the house down with their charisma, grit, and groove. Their show-stopping moves and heartfelt fundraising efforts helped us raise an incredible $104,000—all in support of life-changing education programs that reach over 75,000 Cincinnatians a year!
👏 Let’s hear it for the whole all-star cast who lit up the night:
Alex Beach (2nd Place Dance Champion), Nicholas Dunigan, Mona F**d (Fundraising Champion), Felisa Insignares (3rd Place Fundraising Champion), Meeka Owens (Dance Champion), and Robert Warfel (2nd Place Fundraising Champion & 3rd Place Dance Champion).
💎 And a special standing ovation to our top fundraiser, Mona F**d, who knocked it outta the park with over $17,000 raised!
Hats off to our sensational pro dancers—James Branham, Bonita Brockert, Desiree Mainous, Jozsef Parragh, Alyenendrov Tsorokean, and Melissa Vaughn—and a star turn by 2026 Overture Awards Vocal Winner, Will Wittekind!
📸 Don’t be a square—check out the fabulous photos from this unforgettable evening!

05/01/2026

04/28/2026

What a joy to have Bobbie B. Fairfax School come to the Aronoff Center and experience TREE: A World in Itself. So many smiles!

04/27/2026

⏰ LAST DAY TO BID ⏰
The Dancing for the Stars Online Auction closes AT MIDNIGHT! This is your final chance to score amazing items and experiences while supporting arts education across Cincinnati.
Take one last look and place your bids before time runs out 👉 https://buff.ly/q486e4x

There's Something for Everyone!
✨ Beauty and the Beast Viewing Suite for 8 guests on Thursday, Feb. 17th.
✨ Joe Burrow Signed Football
✨ WOW Windowboxes for a Year
✨ Bourbon Trails & Bluegrass Tales Custom Bourbon Experience

04/23/2026

Join us in wishing our nearly 700 volunteers a Happy !
Throughout each season, our team of dedicated volunteers are here with smiling faces, ready to welcome you to our theaters and usher in amazing arts to our region! We’re honored to “share the stage” with them and “shine a light” on them!
CAA Volunteers, here is a round of applause to you!

04/20/2026

🥃 Featured Finds: Bourbon Lovers, Take Note
Just a friendly nudge as we pass the halfway mark. The Dancing for the Stars Online Auction is still going strong, but there is only one week left to get your bids in.

This year’s auction includes a standout collection of bourbons that is truly something special. From sought‑after bottles to standout selections you will not find just anywhere, these items are already turning heads and drawing bids. Bid today - https://buff.ly/q1hoJXT

Ultra-rare E. H. Taylor Distiller's Council Bourbon
Four Roses Bourbon Gift Basket
Horse Soldier Limited Edition Gift Set
New Riff Basket and Tour

Pickup only. 21+ Must show ID at pickup

04/17/2026

Created specifically for children on the autism spectrum, TREE: A World in Itself is a gentle, immersive theater experience designed to be calming, interactive, and responsive to each child. Coming to the Aronoff Center on April 26.
The performance surrounds audiences with soft light, soothing music, and moments of silence, as five performers adapt in real time to meet individual needs. With a highly intimate setting and personalized interactions, this experience is intentionally small to support a positive environment for all. Tickets & More Info - https://buff.ly/t9giPhz

🎟️ EXTREMELY limited tickets available due to very limited capacity.
For children ages 4 and up, accompanied by an adult (siblings or friends welcome with a paid ticket).

04/13/2026

✨ The 2026 Dancing for the Stars Auction Is LIVE—Place Your Bids Now! ✨
The wait is over, and the moment has arrived. The Dancing for the Stars Online Auction is officially OPEN! Now through April 27, you can score fabulous prizes, discover unique one‑of‑a‑kind items, bid on VIP experiences, and so much more. Bid Today - https://buff.ly/q1hoJXT

Items Like...
Private Viewing Suite for you and 7 guests to SIX
Exclusive gift basket and tour from New Riff Distillery
SIGNED Football by Joe Burrow
Broadway Prestige Vacation in New York City

Every bid supports the Cincinnati Arts Association and helps bring arts education and community engagement programs to more than 65,000 people across our region each year.

04/10/2026

Meet Your Dancers! Batch #2!🕺
Over the next few weeks, we'll be shining the spotlight on our incredible contestants for the 2026 Dancing for the Stars!

✨ Meet Meeka Owens!
Born and raised in Avondale, Meeka Owens is a three‑term Cincinnati City Council member whose leadership centers on community voice and inclusion. A lifelong organizer and dancer, Meeka believes the arts, like democracy, thrive when everyone has a seat at the table. This year, she is bringing that energy to the ballroom as she trains alongside pro partner Alyenendrov Tsorokean. Fun fact: she is also a black belt in karate!

✨ Meet Robert Warfel!
With more than 25 years of experience in public safety and law enforcement leadership, Robert Warfel is known for building strong, community‑focused safety initiatives. He believes collaboration and shared experiences are key to resilient communities, which is why he is stepping onto the dance floor with pro partner Desiree Mainous to support the arts.

04/02/2026

Meet Your Dancers!
Over the next few weeks, we'll be shining the spotlight on our incredible contestants for the 2026 Dancing for the Stars!

🌟 Alex Beach is a 14‑year Fidelity Investments associate whose passion for the arts runs in the family — from his grandmother’s round dancing to his great‑grandmother’s work as an art director in the 1950s. Inspired after attending the event the past two years (and hoping to beat his friend Zack Thornton’s 2024 score 👀), Alex is diving into training with pro dancer Bonita Brockert.

🌟 Felisa Insignares is the founder of ELEVATI – Elevated Essentials and owner of Cincinnati’s award‑winning Designer Items & More Boutique. A proud Latina entrepreneur and former P&G PR leader, she’s passionate about empowering women, supporting small businesses, and uplifting cultural and artistic communities. Felisa is hitting the stage this year with her pro partner James Branham — dancing with the belief that “Juntos Brillamos Más.”

Dancing for the Stars will be rocking the Music Hall Ballroom on April 25. Support your dancer but buying a table for the event or donating! Every ticket sold will help support your dancer and benefit CAA's Arts and Education programs. https://buff.ly/En9BOqQ

04/01/2026

🎉🖼️ WHAT. A. NIGHT! 🖼️🎉
The Weston Works Art Challenge exhibition opened with an incredible celebration on March 28, with over 200 guests joining us to kick off this year’s showcase of creativity, community, and radical reuse!
From sculptures and paintings to inventive mixed‑media builds, artists of all ages transformed repurposed materials—including upcycled materials from the Alice F. and Harris K. Weston Art Gallery and community partner Mill Creek Alliance —into something extraordinary. 🌟♻️
Thank you to everyone who came out, cheered on the artists, and proved once again how powerful creative reuse can be. Cincinnati showed up BIG! 💙
✨ Looking for more ways to rethink and reuse? Our friends at Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub have endless inspiration.
🖼️ Exhibition runs through April 12.
Don't miss this vibrant, sustainability‑powered celebration of art and imagination!
Let’s keep turning old into unforgettable. ♻️✨