“OPEN on Fountain Square” celebrates city’s changemakers and innovators

Greater Cincinnati is a community built by changemakers: the individuals, institutions and innovators who boldly pursue new opportunities to help the city grow and thrive.

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During BLINK, the nation’s largest public art and light event, Fifth Third will transform Cincinnati’s historic Fountain Square into a unique and innovative art and light installation that celebrates the community’s entrepreneurial spirit – and challenges visitors to think differently about its future.

Produced by Fifth Third and B!G Art, OPEN on Fountain Square is a celebration of the transformation Fifth Third has helped to fuel in the Greater Cincinnati region and a tribute to the next generation of changemakers that are looking for their own opportunities to drive the community forward.​ In addition to art created by Fifth Third and B!G Art, the installation will include imagery and videos submitted by artists from across the community.

“At Fifth Third, we know that the individuals and organizations we support all have the potential to make an impact,” said Melissa Stevens, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Fifth Third. “Throughout our nearly 167-year history, we've been opening doors of opportunity for changemakers who want to make our city a better place to live, work and play through partnership and innovation.”

BLINK is a four-day, 30-block public outdoor art experience that draws 2 million people to experience the city. Fifth Third has been a proud partner and supporter of the event since 2019, creating innovative art installations on Fountain Square in the heart of Downtown Cincinnati.

“OPEN on Fountain Square will celebrate the intersection of innovation and artistry that makes Cincinnati so special. We are proud to bring this unique and innovative installation to the heart of downtown, where so many of our employees live, work and play,” said Tim Elsbrock, president of Fifth Third’s Greater Cincinnati region.

This is Fifth Third’s second partnership with B!G Art, an interactive public art collective. Fifth Third and B!G Art also produced ElectriFi on Fountain Square in 2022. With decades of experience in live entertainment and public presentation, B!G Art specializes in large scale, interactive art installations.

“We’re always impressed by the imagination and hands-on creativity that Fifth Third brings when we work together. You just don’t expect to see that level of artistic passion from a bank,” said Paul Magnuson, chief imagineer at B!G Art. “Opening doors of opportunity is a creative concept that immediately resonated with our team. Our favorite projects are ones that find new ways to bring artists and audiences together.

“We are excited to partner with Fifth Third again to bring this concept to life,” Magnuson said. “Festivals like BLINK are so important, because they remove the economic barriers to experiencing art. That accessibility benefits both the artists and the public.”

OPEN on Fountain Square will include:

• The Arch: A 27-foot-tall archway with more than 1.2 million LED pixels, creating a canvas of more than 3,000 square feet of video. Visitors will experience custom animations and videos, including local artwork and images, that will challenge their perceptions of what it means to live, work and play in Cincinnati. The Arch will be located near the southern border of Fountain Square at Fifth Street.
• The Gates: Winding arrangements of 60 7-foot-by-3-foot LED bar gateways with programmable lighting will give visitors a sense of guided exploration through Fountain Square. The gates will complement the programming of the arch and are a physical representation of pathways to new opportunities.
• The Doors: More than a dozen interactive doors will line Fountain Square, each opening to an LED canvas showcasing ever-changing digital images, playful animations and video footage, including local artwork. The doors symbolize an opportunity to take a first step toward a new future, which can lead to learning something new, meeting new people and places, and finding success.
• The Tunnel: In partnership with 3CDC and Cincinnati artist Dan Shields, the installation also features an overhead net with fluorescent green and blue yarn woven between trees to create an organic, tunnel-like structure illuminated by black lights for a vibrant effect above the container bar on the western border of Fountain Square at Vine Street.

The installation will be open and available to the public throughout the BLINK event, which runs Oct. 17-20. Fountain Square is located at Fifth and Vine streets in downtown Cincinnati. For more information, visit www.blinkcincinnati.com.

About Fifth Third

Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech-driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies^® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ^® Global Select Market under the symbol "FITB." Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Deposit and credit products provided by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

About B!G Art:

We are built for one purpose – to create inspiring experiences. We design, build and promote interactive, and immersive, works of wonder so we can inspire the next. From fire-shooting portals to code-talking cubes from another dimension, we live for interactive and immersive art installations. Advancements in technology have allowed us to realize creative dreams we never thought possible, and in that spirit, we embrace the technology of yesterday, today, and tomorrow to create large-scale, tour-ready, turnkey installations and experiences.

We are passionate about what we do and are committed to delivering inspiring encounters. Whether you choose something from our current catalogue, or connect with us for a custom commission, we pride ourselves on delivering creative, robust, safe, and reliable installations and experiences.

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