What's Happening in Cincinnati, OH…

Cincinnati's iconic Memorial Hall, located next to the Music Hall in the Over-the-Rhine district, is set to be renovated.

Like many such efforts, it promises to be expensive. Now, a group is forming to work on the project, and Cincinnati artist John A. Ruthven has donated one of his paintings to help get things going. The work depicts two cardinals, a male and female, in front of the building.

Renovation plans include expanding the stage and the backstage areas, enlarging and improving the bathrooms, upgrading both the electrical and mechanical systems, and installing air conditioning in the performance space.

The first 100 people to become members of the new group, known as Friends of Memorial Hall, and who donate at either the $1,000 or $5,000 level, will receive a ‘thank you’ in the form of a limited-edition lithograph of the painting, signed by the artist.

Ruthven, who was born in Cincinnati and still lives in Georgetown, Ohio, is renowned for his wildlife paintings, some of which are on display at the Smithsonian and museums throughout the world. In 2000, he designed two porkers for the city's “Big Pig Gig”, a public art project that featured pigs of all shapes, colors, sizes, and styles placed throughout the downtown area.

The Friends group could work with a banner printing company to create a banner for the building's main door, announcing the planned renovations.