WVXU: Do murals impact a city's economics, quality of life?
UC researchers embark on study of how public art impacts vitality and commerce
Urban design researcher Hyesun Jeong was interviewed by WVXU regarding a new research project that will look at how murals impact vitality and commerce in five US cities, including Cincinnati.
Hyesun Jeong, assistant professor in UC’s School of Design. Photo/provided.
Jeong, an assistant professor in DAAP's School of Design, received a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts (DEA) to expand on her prior research of murals in downtown Cincinnati.
“We tend to just neglect the impact of art and focus more on the buildings and forms," she states, explaining that prior research found increased foot traffic where public art is located such as in Over-the-Rhine which has 55 murals.
According to the article, officials tout the impact of large arts events like four-day mural and light festival BLINK — which they say drew an estimated 2 million people and created $126 million in economic impact in 2022.
Jeong will use geolocation data and field studies to determine how all types of public art influences cities. Public art can be murals, statues, museums and the like.
Photo of mural in Covington, Kentucky/Lisa Britton/UC Marketing + Brand
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.
Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?
November 10, 2025
The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease
November 10, 2025
An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.