Keep Cincinnati Beautiful Inc

Our Arts Program brings color and vibrancy to Cincinnati neighborhoods, demonstrating commitment to and care for overlooked spaces. We saw a decrease of 26% blight and 18% crime in the areas we served in 2024. We believe that through collaboration art is a catalyst for community transformation. Working in partnership with neighborhoods, non-profits, local companies, and other artists, our team alongside volunteers artistically improve and reimagine neglected spaces. Eyesores in a community like vacant buildings, crumbling retaining walls, abandoned alleys, and vandalized traffic boxes are transformed into community assets through site specific, dynamic works of art. Collectively our work aims to reduce blight, crime, and litter, while increasing economic development and access to public art. Our multifaceted artistic approach to neighborhood improvement and engagement serve as positive interventions to promote equity and improve the quality of life for all residents of Cincinnati.

Over the past 20 years, KCB has provided free educational opportunities to a variety of groups with the goal of cultivating community stewardship and the connection between people, passion, and place. In 2024 we reached 1083 students through 36 departmental events. Our current education initiatives feature a hands-on approach to learning, allowing students to get out of the classroom and learn new skills. We hope these good stewards become future leaders in their communities who work alongside the city and community partners like KCB to envision and actualize a greener Cincinnati. Our Tree the CRC initiative supports the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan to increase equity of the urban tree canopy focusing on Cincinnati Recreation Centers and playgrounds in areas of the city that are currently under the 40% the Green Cincinnati Plan seeks to maintain. This year nearly 200 students earned community service hours toward their graduation seals participating in the program. In the pilot year of our new Roots to Boots initiative, a paid workforce development program that prepares young adults for careers in horticulture, landscaping, and greenspace management we saw the completion of over 1200 hours of in-field experience actualized. The goal of the program is that by offering hands-on, in-field experience, paired with skill-building and exposure this will lead to real career pathways and employers in the green economy for participants.