Are You a Hidden East Side Artist?

Four quick questions to find your place in the community art scene.

How would you describe your art experience?

• Total beginner — I draw stick figures — Perfect. The Anderson Art Collaborative says no experience is needed. Just show up.
• I doodle but nothing serious — That creative instinct is exactly what community murals thrive on.
• I have a hobby or practice — Your skills would be a real asset on a 46-foot canvas.
• I'm a working or trained artist — The collaborative has connected 60+ East Side artists — you might already know someone here.

How connected do you feel to Anderson Township?

• Deeply — I've lived here for years — Then you already know which landmarks deserve a spot on that mural.
• Pretty connected — it's my community — Community art is one of the fastest ways to deepen those roots.
• Still getting to know the area — Painting a mural is a great way to meet people and learn the neighborhood at the same time.
• Just passing through — Even visitors have left their mark on community murals. That's kind of the point.

Do you have a free block of time this weekend?

• Saturday morning is wide open — Show up 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday at the Metro station behind Vantage Apartments on Five Mile Road.
• Sunday afternoon works for me — Sunday's session runs 1–4 p.m. — a perfect Sunday reset.
• I could squeeze in a couple hours — Even two hours on a mural this size makes a real difference.
• This weekend is packed — Watch the Anderson Art Collaborative for future events — this won't be their last project.

What do you think Anderson Township needs more of?

• Public art and creative spaces — You're aligned with the collaborative's founding mission: filling the arts gap on the East Side.
• Community gathering events — Co-founder Nancy Fuller describes the mural project as exactly that — a gathering space.
• Recognition for local talent — The collaborative has spotlighted 60+ East Side artists since 2020. This mural is the latest chapter.
• Things to do for families — This is a free, all-ages event. Bring the kids — it's hands-on and no experience required.

The Anderson Art Collaborative didn't set out to be a public art institution. Co-founders Nancy Fuller and Cindy Gajus launched the nonprofit in 2020 with a simpler goal: shine a light on artists who were already living and working on Cincinnati's East Side but had no platform to share their work.

What they found surprised even them. Since launching, the group has connected with more than 60 local artists — painters, designers, muralists — just within the eastern neighborhoods of Cincinnati. 'Anderson has great people, great sports, great government, but arts [were] missing here,' said Sarah Ashley Cox, the artist helping design the Five Mile Road mural. 'That's been the main drive of our group.'

It's not intimidating when you're surrounded by people that love art, and they can show you the way to make it easier and make you feel like — hmm, this is not so difficult, I can be part of this.Cindy Gajus, Co-founder, Anderson Art Collaborative

Anderson Township's Arts Scene: Then vs. Now

Before 2020

• 0 Public murals No organized community art infrastructure
• No formal network for East Side artists
• Artists working in isolation without community showcase
• No dedicated nonprofit for local arts spotlight

After Anderson Art Collaborative

• 60+ Artists connected East Side network built from scratch
• Mural at Wandering Monsters Brewing Company
• 160-tile mosaic off Beechmont Avenue
• 46-foot Metro station mural underway

The Collaborative's Growing Legacy

• 2020 — Anderson Art Collaborative founded by Nancy Fuller and Cindy Gajus
• Early years — 60+ East Side artists discovered and connected through the network
• Recent — Mural designs installed on garage doors at Wandering Monsters Brewing Company
• Recent — Community mosaic completed off Beechmont Ave — 160 tiles designed by residents
• March 2025 — Collaborative members featured at WCPO's Let's Talk Anderson Township event
• This weekend — 46-foot Metro station mural — open to ALL community members, no experience required

The Metro station mural is already partially complete — the frame is in place. This weekend's community painting sessions are about filling in the story: Anderson Township landmarks, the Cincinnati skyline, and the textures of neighborhood life that only locals would recognize.

The site is at the Metro station on the back side of the Vantage Apartments off Five Mile Road. It's a spot most commuters walk past without a second glance. After this weekend, that changes.

You may have already seen the collaborative's fingerprints around the neighborhood. The designs on the garage doors at Wandering Monsters Brewing Company? That's them. The mosaic of 160 individually designed resident tiles off Beechmont Avenue? Also them. The Five Mile Road mural is their most ambitious project yet — and the most open to public participation.

The Mural By The Numbers

• 46 — Feet Wide
• 160 — Tiles in Past Mosaic
• 4 — Hours Saturday
• 3 — Hours Sunday
• 60 — Local Artists Connected
• 0 — Experience Required

What Is the Anderson Art Collaborative, Exactly?

The Anderson Art Collaborative is a nonprofit co-founded in 2020 by Nancy Fuller and Cindy Gajus. Their mission: discover, connect, and spotlight artists living and working on Cincinnati's East Side who lack a platform to share their work.

Since launching, the group has identified more than 60 local artists through community events and word of mouth. Their projects run the gamut — from small commissioned pieces to large public installations. The Wandering Monsters Brewing Company garage door designs are among their most visible works, along with a 160-tile community mosaic off Beechmont Avenue.

The collaborative also partnered with Metro (the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority) for the Five Mile Road mural project — a sign that East Side arts infrastructure is gaining institutional recognition. Fuller describes the Metro station site as a future 'gathering space' for the community, not just a transit stop.

How to Join the Mural This Weekend

1. Pick your day — Saturday runs 10am to 2pm. Sunday is 1pm to 4pm. Both are free and open to everyone — no registration needed.
2. Head to Five Mile Road — The Metro station is on the back side of the Vantage Apartments in Anderson Township. Look for the 46-foot mural frame — you won't miss it.
3. Just show up — No supplies to bring. No skills required. Artist Sarah Ashley Cox and the collaborative team will guide anyone who shows up.
4. Leave your mark — Every brushstroke on this mural is part of Anderson Township history. The finished piece will feature local landmarks and the Cincinnati skyline.

Everything You Need to Show Up

• Location: Five Mile Road Metro Station — behind Vantage Apartments, Anderson Township, Ohio
• Saturday Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — drop in anytime, no appointment needed
• Sunday Hours: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. — perfect Sunday afternoon activity for all ages
• More East Side Stories: WCPO's Alex Null covers the East Side. Tip or story idea? Reach out at alex@wcpo.com

Sources & References

• Primary source: local-news — Alex Null
• Anderson Art Collaborative — Nonprofit founding mission, artist network size, and prior community art projects including Beechmont mosaic and Wandering Monsters Brewing murals
• WCPO 9 / Alex Null — Reporting on the Five Mile Road mural event, Metro partnership details, event times and location
• Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (Metro) — Partnership with Anderson Art Collaborative for Metro station mural installation at Five Mile Road