By Andy Furman
NKyTribune staff writer
Leslie Mooney has attended each and every BLINK – the internationally celebrated immersive light and art show.
“It’s an event that describes our region,” she told the Northern Kentucky Tribune. “And I understand how it impacts the region, as well.”
And what makes this year’s edition – the fifth – so special for Mooney, well, it will be her first as Executive Director of BLINK.
“I served as Executive Director for the Clifton Cultural Arts Center,” she said, “but the BLINK position was just too much for me to pass up.”
It was a marriage made in heaven – Mooney and BLINK – and the Cincinnati region.
Mooney was at Fountain Square Monday morning announcing BLINK’s return to both Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, October 8 through the 11th.
Monday also was also designated the official opening of the Call to Artists – inviting local creators as well as those worldwide to submit their ideas to join the 2026 edition of BLINK.
BLINK plans to cast its evening shadow over more than 30 Cincinnati city blocks as well as in Northern Kentucky. Newport will not be involved with BLINK this year, Mooney says, since the Fourth Street Bridge closure.
“As for Covington, BLINK will span across the Madison Avenue corridor. We’ll be adding new murals in Covington,” Mooney said, “about 10-to-12 permanent, to leave behind.”
Perhaps Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Preval summed up BLINK best on the Fountain Square stage, “It’s an event that brings us together, driven by wonder – and it’s free.”
An event that is a massive undertaking, Mooney says
.
“We’ve been meeting for the 2026 edition over a year, with city leaders, the fire and police departments, as well as our staff.”
She says the BLINK expense is projection equipment.
“That runs in the millions,” Mooney says. “But most of the cost is defrayed by our sponsors. We use all Panasonic projectors, and work with a company named 4Wall – they do big events like the Super Bowl.”
BLINK is illuminated by Arts Wave. They transform the region with large-scale projection mapping, light-based art installation, and murals that attract more than a million people to the region.
“BLINK has always been about pushing creative boundaries and bringing people together through awe and wonder,” Mooney said. “As we open the Call to Artists for this year, we’re looking to collaborate with visionaries locally and globally who want to help us tell bold, unexpected, and meaningful stories through light, art and immersive experiences. Our goals are to continue building sorting that reflects the heart if our region and resonates on a global scale.”
In 2024 BLINK attracted 944 total submissions from artists in 65 countries – to date over 800 submissions worldwide have been received.
An official BLINK opening is set for Thursday, October 8, with a Turn on the Lights Contest, according to Mooney.
“TQL Stadium will have live music that evening to make our BLINK ’26 opening official.”
Launched in 2017, BLINK is the largest public art, light and culture event of its kind in the United States. The four-day event turns the Northern Kentucky and 30-Cincinnati city blocks into a massive open-air gallery using:
• Architectural projection mapping on historic buildings
• Large-scale murals brought to life with light and motion
• Interactive light-based sculptures and live performances
BLINK was founded as an expansion of Lumenosity – a popular projection-mapping event held in Washington Park between 2013 and 2015. Driven by a core group of local Cincinnati arts advocates and creators – including the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, the Haile Foundation and AGAR – the inaugural festival drew approximately one million visitors.
By 2019 – its second iteration, the festival expanded into Covington, bringing both states over 100 installations.
It generated an economic impact of $896.7 million.
And it created a never-ending love affair for Leslie Mooney that continues today.