Manifest Gallery

Specialties

World-​class gallery exhibits of contemporary art of all types and styles, full-​color exhibit catalogs, the International Drawing Annual, International Painting Annual, and International Photography Annual publications, the Manifest Artist Residency, and educational drawing programs for students, professionals, and the creative public.

Manifest stands for the quality presentation, experience, and documentation of the visual arts, engaging students, professionals, and the public from around the world through accessible world-​class exhibits, studio programs, and publications.

Manifest’s Four Areas of Programming

Manifest Gallery, exhibition

Manifest Drawing Center, education

Manifest Press, documentation

Manifest Artist Residency, support

History

Established in 2004.

Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center was founded and continues to be operated by Cincinnati area college professors and students. It is a 501©(3) non-​profit arts organization headquartered in the historic urban neighborhood of East Walnut Hills. The elegant street level exhibition space is minutes away from downtown Cincinnati and within easy walking distance of a diversely populated historic neighborhood. The galleries are free and open to the public five hours a day, five days a week, presenting works by students and professionals from around the world.

Manifest is supported by grants and public donations and has the goal to support student professionalism, integrate the arts into the urban residential community and raise the bar on artistic standards. The mission also includes the exploration of the relationship between art and design, as well as the ongoing support and display of drawing in all its various forms.

Meet the Manager

Jason F.

Manager

Manifest’s programs, books, projects, and educational offerings are supported by a team of three part-​time staff (all trained artists), several volunteers (recent art graduates or current students) and contracted teaching artists. This dynamic team is assembled and maintained under the direction of Manifest’s founding director, Jason Franz.

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Franz is a graduate (MFA) of the UC School of Art, and (BFA) the Art Academy of Cincinnati. As an artist and professor he is the recipient of numerous awards. Franz merges a passionate and motivated sense for quality developed in his over ten years on staff at the Cincinnati Art Museum and his twenty-​five years as a practicing artist, with his intuitive techniques of fine art and design education developed over fourteen years teaching at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, UC, and Xavier. His philosophical approach to the pedagogy of creativity, community, and art exhibition helps fuel the mission of Manifest.