JRA, part of RWS Global, served as the lead planning, experience design and project management team for the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame, which recently opened to the public in Cincinnati, Ohio, following two years of planning, design and construction. During a star-studded opening event, it welcomed more than 5,000 visitors alongside music industry icons and their families.
JRA also worked with Trivium Interactive, who provided the interactive digital media, and Abernathy Lighting Design, an EOS Lightmedia Studio, who worked on the lighting for the project.
The Hamilton County, Ohio Commission President, Alicia Reece, founded the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame, which was unanimously approved by the Board of Commissioners in 2021. It honours Black artists, composers, and industry professionals in the Cincinnati area. This engaging, interactive and multi-layered attraction is fully accessible to the public.
Experience the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame
Experiences at the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame include:
- Interactive Podium Kiosks: Two signature artists from Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and Southwest Ohio are featured in each of the thirteen interactive, illuminated kiosks that are dotted along the visitor walkways. Pushing a button allows visitors to hear a 30-second sample from each musician, and for those with hearing impairments, a haptic panel vibrates the same music. The kiosk’s graphics also include Braille translations.
- Meet the Stars! Through a reader rail and a nearby large screen, visitors may learn about the music, stories, and cultural accomplishments of the 12 most recent Walk of Fame honorees. The inlaid terrazzo markers with images of each of the inductees match the panel and media content. There is a QR code here that directs people to a website where they can submit their own favourites for consideration as future inductees.
- Beat Maker: Visitors are invited to participate in an eight-person interactive drum machine that plays funk, hip-hop, and blues music. When successful, visitors are rewarded with a vibrant light display at the nearby fountain. Voice narration and instructions are provided by prominent music producer and Walk of Fame inductee Hi-Tek.
- Interactive Media Consoles: To encourage visitors to dance, each of the four Interactive Media Consoles has a changing playlist of six songs from Walk of Fame musicians and a digital media display.
- Augmented Reality Band Interactive: Visitors may jam with Parliament Funkadelic icon William “Bootsy” Collins or dance with “Snap!: I’ve Got the Power” singer Penny Ford using virtual green screen technology.
- Dance Party and Nighttime Takeover: Visitors can also get their groove on while enjoying music, scenic lighting, and interactive media consoles at the Interactive Dance Party, which is located on the top level of the Walk of Fame. This location serves as a showcase for the Nighttime Takeover, a nighttime event that brings the entire property to life with music, digital media, and colourful motion lights.
Bringing the vision to life
“We were honored when Commission President Reece approached us to design the experience for the Walk of Fame, and we were inspired by her vision for the project,” says Tony Schmidt, JRA director, studio.
“We knew immediately that this would not only be a tourism driver for the region, but a way of honoring the unsung heroes of music and the contributions they have made to the industry and to music culture as a whole. It was a truly collaborative effort on an aggressive deadline that stretched our team creatively, and we’re thrilled at the overwhelmingly positive response.”
“I told JRA to ‘bring me Disneyland,’” adds Reece, “and they delivered. Incorporating cutting-edge technology was extremely important to me, and between the interactive kiosks, the lighting effects, the green screen media and the overall aesthetics, JRA and the other creative collaborators have more than fulfilled that brief.
“It was an important part of my vision that the Walk of Fame be fully accessible as an experience that grandparents, parents and children can enjoy together. The Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame has succeeded on all of these fronts, while shining a spotlight on some of the greatest musicians and voices in music history with their origins in the region.
“Together, we’ve turned a gravel lot into one of the world’s greatest outdoor interactive Black music tourism attractions, and for that I am immensely grateful.”
A star-studded event
2023 Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame inductees include chart-topping group The Deele, featuring prolific music producers Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds; Louise Shropshire, who composed the civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome”; the “Godfather of Soul” James Brown, who spent 15 years making music at Cincinnati’s famed King Records studio; and Philippé Wynne, lead singer of 1970s group, The Spinners.
At the Induction Ceremony, Commissioner Reece received a surprise star on the Walk of Fame in honour of her vision for its founding and her commitment to its creation. Past inductees Bootsy Collins, Penny Ford, Midnight Star, as well as music industry leaders 24 Carat Black, Kathy Wade, and Shirley Murdock, were also present at the ceremony. The Ohio Players, a renowned R&B group, gave a special celebratory performance to mark the ceremony’s conclusion.
JRA recently led the design of Adventure Port, a new themed area at Kings Island in Ohio. Adventure Port is now open and is home to two new anchor rides, Sol Spin and Cargo Loco, as well as the Adventure Express roller coaster, Enrique’s restaurant and the Mercado Patio Bar.
All images courtesy of JRA, part of RWS Global
