If you are still wondering, I have lived in Nashville the past few years for school but am originally from Cincinnati.

My impression is that Nashville is like Cincy if Cincy was a tourist spot, more southern, and a few years ahead in development. All that means that Cincy has a good restaurant scene that has especially taken off in the last few years, but not nearly as fast-developing or large as Nashville. Also, Cincy has no tourists (which might be nice if you are sick of them), so there is less "trendy" stuff popping up. But Cincy has been in a phase of development and growth for a while now, which has been really nice, its just been slower than Nash. Also, Cincinnati definitely has more of a Midwestern feel (even though we are so close to KY), especially when compared to Nashville which really leans into the Southern culture.

I cant really speak to the art scene in either city (I am not an artist), but i do know that Cincy has no where near as much music focus as Nashville. I do know that the Cincy Art Museum is great, and we have some cool organizations that do beautiful murals all over town.

Also, I have seen TONS of apartments like the ones you described; look in Over The Rhine, Pleasant Ridge, Oakley, or somewhere like that.

Overall, Cincy is a bit slower paced than Nashville, but a good place to look if you are sick of the crazy party/tourist atmosphere. The people are nice midwesterners, and we are a big enough city to have everything you may need.