New work areas for artists and updated classrooms are coming to Ingenuity Labs, home of Ingenuity Cleveland, thanks to a $300,000 grant from the State of Ohio.
Emily Appelbaum, the former executive director of Ingenuity Cleveland, is currently a consultant managing the grant, which comes from the state’s Department of Development. She said the funds will support changes to the building’s heating and lighting systems. It will also include upgrades to fourth-floor classrooms and the addition of 10 work pods to welcome more artists.
Appelbaum called the Ingenuity Labs facility, 5401 Hamilton Ave., a “massive and incredible old industrial space.”
“We have been making very modest and incremental improvements in that space’s operations,” Appelbaum said. “This really represents one of our first large-scale investments.”
Improvements in energy efficiency and sustainability will include addressing air and water leaks around the building and changing out the current fluorescent lighting for more energy efficient sources.
“Overall, this is going to be a pretty big leap forward for the facility,” Appelbaum said.
More artist incubators and updated classrooms
The Ingenuity Labs facility currently holds 25 artist pods, or “incubators.” Money from the state grant will fund the addition of 10 more pods for Ingenuity to welcome new artists. Artists can rent pods on a sliding scale.
“We’re looking additionally at some new classroom space that we’ll be able to bring online as well for youth educational programming,” Appelbaum added.
Suggested Reading
Ingenuity’s Spark program provides educational and community outreach.
“It is rare to be able to transition a facility at this size and scale into something that is usable for the community,” Appelbaum said.
“This is something that is really able to give back to the community…and to the larger creative community in Cleveland.”
Ingenuity Labs hosts its Ingenuity Bal fundraiser on Saturday, May 9. The theme is “daydreamery,” where fantasy becomes reality through artistic innovation. Learn more here.
