Inspiring Arts Group
elevating the mind, awakening the heart, restoring the spirit
Inspiring Arts Group is a newly formed arts organization with a diverse mix of experience and talent in the creative and performing arts led by Beth Kenniv, Jeff Smith, James Kenniv and Dave Thompson.
Inspiring Arts Group desires to create relevant, artistic, wholesome yet challenging pieces of art that recapture beauty, reveal truth, and reclaim the essence of the performing arts through great melodies, orchestration, and powerful story.
Our Story…
Inspiring Arts Group was birthed through the development of its first musical production, HORIZONS OF GOLD. In early 2012, Beth had a story idea for a musical but didn’t move forward until both James and Jeff separately had asked her to write with them. In April, the story took off and the context and characters came with little effort. Beth wrote all summer and she, Jeff and James started composing music in September, but the lyrics were a missing piece. Then, after years of not seeing each other, Beth was reconnected with long-time friend and Lyricist, Dave. The collaboration was interesting – with full time jobs and busy families. They wrote all the lyrics and music in just 8 weeks, much of it via email and phone. During this process, Inspiring Arts Group was formed. HORIZONS OF GOLD ran its first workshop performance at Mars Hill Academy in March of 2013, where Beth served as musical theatre director.
About Us…
Art reflects our culture, values and our lifestyle but… it also shapes it. It’s our desire to create beautiful art through which truth is revealed – art that influences and affects the culture; art that elevates the mind, awakens the heart, and restores the spirit.
We each bring over 25 years of experience in our individual fields to our collaborative effort…
Beth Kenniv, playwright/director – works as a music educator, theatre director and choir conductor
James Kenniv, composer – operates music studio, writes, arranges, records and teaches music
Jeff Smith, composer – writes, produces music for a variety of clients such Kings Island and Disney
Dave Thompson, lyricist – writes and records music while operating a home construction business
Inspiring Arts Group is led and directed by our core team of founding members but functions as an inclusive community of artists and volunteers who desire to work together to accomplish our common goals.
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 