April 5, 200619 yr Maybe the proposed theater in Detroit-Shoreway can be incorporated into the film fest eventually too. I unfortunately always seem to have a million things going on whenever the fest is here and I never make it to a film. Here's to next year... Abandoned old theaters always depress me. And the one in Little Italy seems like such a great location. I like the idea of taking old theaters and making them mixed-use, like the Ground Floor Theater. Because unless you have multiple screens, I would guess it's almost impossible to make a go of it as a movie theater. And most theater groups have a lot of downtime between shows when no performances are going on. So maybe if some of these old theaters housed a theater or improv group, and when it's not being used for that, it could have comedy, concerts, second-run movies, art shows in the lobby, etc. I know the old theater in Kent does a mixture of uses. Sorry, this is off-topic and could probably be a thread of its own.
April 12, 200619 yr Short Takes: Ingenuity fest seeks drummers Wednesday, April 12, 2006 ARTS Ingenuity fest seeks drummers Drumming up drummers: Ingenuity, Cleveland's arts and technology festival, is looking for drummers to take part in its Thursday, July 13, opening event. Called "Symphony for 1,000 Drums" and created by internationally known composer and Northeast Ohio resident Halim El-Dabh, the piece honors diversity by calling for a range of drumming styles, from ethnic to rock to martial. The huge work will be performed at Public Square; afterward, performers will form a procession. Those interested in participating can e-mail Grant Marquit at [email protected].
April 12, 200619 yr Was it me or was last years festival not promoted enough. I would like to see this thing blow up. We could advertise in surrounding cities for this thing.
April 15, 200619 yr I enjoyed Ingenuity last year. By the way, on a related note, Cleveland needs to stop thinging that everything needs to go thru the preordinated "ambassadors" such as Suzie Frasier ... there should be room for everyone.
April 18, 200619 yr I also enjoyed Ingenuity last year. theopening ceremony was nice. I would like to have seen a larger crowd.
April 18, 200619 yr "By the way, on a related note, Cleveland needs to stop thinging that everything needs to go thru the preordinated "ambassadors" such as Suzie Frasier ... there should be room for everyone." Do you have personal experience with the Ingenuity festival? clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
May 9, 200619 yr Author Was it me or was last years festival not promoted enough. I would like to see this thing blow up. We could advertise in surrounding cities for this thing. from working the event last year i felt we had a nice turnout for the first time around. i agree it needs more promotion, but there were people from other cities like Philly, Detroit, NYC there to see it that i spoke with.
May 9, 200619 yr From a performing arts mailing list that I'm on: Last Call for First Call 2007 Ingenuity Festival Hosts Showcase to Unite Northeast Ohio’s Technology Organizations and Arts Enthusiasts WHAT: In an effort to unite two of Northeast Ohio’s most vibrant business communities -- technology and art – the Ingenuity Festival presents the Ingenuity Technology Showcase. The Showcase is the first in a series of events designed to foster collaborative efforts between the two groups. Artists are invited to join local companies and organizations, including BrainMaster Technologies, NASA Glenn, Hyland Software, the Cleveland Functional Electronic Stimulation Center, Kent State University’s Liquid Crystal Institute and the Cleveland Advanced Platform Technology Center, for an evening of presentations focusing on the dynamic works taking place in the region’s technology sector. Following the presentations, artists will have the opportunity to speak with the technology organizations’ representatives to discuss how their art form could intersect with these technologies to create an art/tech installation to be featured at future Ingenuity Festivals. Co-hosted by NorTech, the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture, Council of Small Enterprises’ Arts Network, Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland, and Ingenuity Festival, attending artists will also learn about efforts being made to increase the power of their organization’s mailing list; provide health insurance and other benefits to artists; employ artists to help develop a technology economy and present to the world a unified image of the arts of Northeast Ohio. WHEN: Thursday, May 11 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. WHERE: Cleveland State University Classroom UC 1 University Center 2121 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115 REGISTRATION: Reservations are required. To register contact Mark Liang, technology showcase coordinator, at (216) 589-9444 or [email protected]. BACKGROUND: The Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology, a 501©(3) non-profit organization, showcases the talents of Northeast Ohio’s art and technology communities through unique collaborations, as well as vibrant single elements and exhibits. The Festival director is James Levin. For more information visit www.IngenuityCleveland.com. CONTACT: Mark Liang, technology showcase coordinator, at (216) 589-9444 or [email protected]. Becky Cummings Community Outreach Coordinator & Girl Friday Ingenuity: Cleveland's Festival of Art, Culture & Technology office. 216.589.9444 Central Arts Medical Building. Suite 103 2475 East 22nd Street Cleveland, Ohio. 44115 www.ingenuitycleveland.com
May 11, 200619 yr Looks like the new website is (finally) up and running. They just don't have any real content or schedules to speak of yet, but it looks like it will be coming soon! http://www.ingenuitycleveland.com/index.asp
May 16, 200619 yr I kinda wish they'd actually put some content up on this site. Two months out, this thing really should be up and running. People from out of town especially are going to be looking at this site and making plans based on what they see. I wrote an email asking about the progress and no response as of yet. Tick Tock. Tick Tock.
June 6, 200619 yr The finally posted some new info for Ingenuity on their website, but it is coming together verrrrry slowly. Last year, the website was up and running probably two months before the actual event. We're one month out and the content on the website is paltry. No schedule of events. I hope they pull it together more in the last month before the event. Anyway, here's what they posted... 6.3.2006 - 2006 Fact Sheet 2006 Fact Sheet Description: It�s back! The Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology returns to Cleveland�s distinct streets, alleys, cubbyholes and walkways in July. A Festival preview will take place at Downtown Cleveland�s historic May Co. department store building July 7 as the Ingenuity Festival welcomes internationally acclaimed Case Professor Lawrence Krauss and his intriguing seminar, based on his book of the same title, �The Physics of Star Trek.� The Ingenuity Festival, an event that attracted more than 70,000 individuals to Downtown Cleveland in its first year of 2005, officially opens Thursday, July 13, on Public Square with the dramatic �Symphony for 1,000 Drums� written by world renowned composer Halim El-Dabh. Hundreds of drummers will participate in the piece that conveys the themes of balance, beauty, healing, justice and love. Throughout the Festival, guests will be able to take in the works of more than 90 organizations and 1,000 individuals representing the best of Northeast Ohio�s performing artists, visual artists, musicians and technology professionals. Many performances will focus on the intersection of art and technology. Organizations and individuals confirmed to perform include Verb Ballets; the Cleveland Opera; Red {an orchestra}; Karamu House; Dancing Wheels; video artist and film maker Kasumi; acclaimed director Damien Gray; Ernie Krivda; hip-hop, classical music fusionist DJ Spooky; and NASA/MorrisonDance. Dates/Hours: Preview Event Friday, July 7 11 p.m. Case Professor Lawrence Krauss presents �The Physics of Star Trek� at the May Co. building Ingenuity Festival Village Thursday, July 13 4 p.m. � 12 a.m. Friday, July 14 2 p.m. � 1 a.m. Saturday, July 15 12 p.m. � 1 a.m. Sunday, July 16 12 p.m. � 10 p.m. Admission: General Admission $10.00 Admission to the Festival Village for one day; Children 12 and under FREE Weekend All-Access Pass $25.00 Admission to the Festival Village, July 13 �16 Location: Downtown Cleveland The 2006 Ingenuity Festival District is located in the lower Prospect Avenue area from Ontario Avenue to East 9th Street, and includes East 4th Street from Prospect Avenue to Euclid Avenue. Performances and exhibits will take place at traditional venues, clubs and restaurants, as well as in unique areas such as alleys, vacant storefronts and department stores that will be transformed into theaters and performance spaces. Background: The Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology, a 501©(3) non-profit organization, showcases the talents of Northeast Ohio�s art and technology communities through unique collaborations, as well as vibrant single elements and exhibits. The Festival director is James Levin. For more information visit www.IngenuityCleveland.com. Contact: Jim Brazytis, Liggett Stashower, 216/373-8374, [email protected] 6.3.2006 - Call for entries The second annual Ingenuity architecture exhibit Divining the Detail II: the content of context Friday 7 July � Monday 31 July 2006 Opening Reception: Thursday, 13 July 2006, 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Kent State University�s Urban Design Center Gallery 820 Prospect Avenue, Second Floor Cleveland, Ohio 44115 Divining the Detail II: the content of context focuses on the detail - the place where the art and technology of architecture meet. Sponsored by Ingenuity, the Cleveland festival of art and technology, this juried architectural exhibition is open to any architect, architectural intern, student, engineer, or designer living or working in Northeast Ohio. The intent of the exhibit is to provide area design professionals and others with an opportunity to participate in the Ingenuity festival in a meaningful way and to demonstrate how architecture can be the embodiment of "creativity, innovation, culture and technology." The work submitted should reflect a person's own work - not document historic works by others. At the same time, archeological documentation and hypothetical restoration details are acceptable. Because individuals create architecture and design details, this exhibition will highlight the creative contributions of individuals. Architecture, engineering and design firms are encouraged to support and recognize these contributions by sponsoring their designers' participation in the creation of an entry. Firm affiliations will be noted along side the designer�s/designers' name(s). This means that each firm may enter multiple submittals, each highlighting the team members involved in detailing a project. No twentieth century work. The content of details will be juxtaposed with their context - images or photographs of the buildings or objects from which the details come. Submittals: Scaled drawing, low relief model/drawing, 11" x 17" x (optional, not to exceed) 1" and an image of the building/object from which the detail comes 11" x 17" Digital jpeg images of each at 72 dpi. Media: Open, color and various rendering techniques are encouraged. Mount drawings on 3/8� white foamcore. All work will be available for pick-up the first week of August. Entry Fee: $28.00 Please make check payable to the Ingenuity Festival, earmarked for Divining the Details II (Fee will be used to mount the show & for the opening reception)
June 10, 200619 yr Here's a link to their newly released schedule: http://www.ingenuitycleveland.com/userfiles/File/Master%20Schedule.ml.6.7.pdf
July 12, 200618 yr http://www.ingenuitycleveland.com/ Its getting lots of play on current.tv witch has got to be the best tv station ever.
July 13, 200618 yr do not miss this event. IMO hands down the best in Cleveland -well along with the film festival-- although ingenuity gets an extremely diverse and interesting crowd. I am not a festival person but this is really awesome. I wish I could go everyday. Downtown is really clean and looks good brimming with all kinds of people. Oddly very family friendly too, but without loosing its edge. P.S the busses *&*#ed up which stinks. Also you can see most of the exibits w/o a ticket. GO!
July 14, 200618 yr Last night was great. From the 1000 Drums to Hip Hop Apotheosis. Also, unlike last year, you need to purchase a ticket to get in. ($10 for the Day amd $25 for the rest of the weekend.) This was not advertised very well and many people have been caught off guard. I will have photos from yesterday up a little later.
July 14, 200618 yr ^I was surprised. I was walking by and wanted to take a look. ..not gonna pay $10 just to stroll thru the place.
July 14, 200618 yr ^Exactly - if people get the chance to check out the area, THEN they might pay for special events, etc. But to force people to pay $10 for the unknown? Not sure if that's such a good idea :| clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
July 14, 200618 yr I totally agree. There has to be a better way to do it and still raise a little money. May be make it free the first day and during the day on Friday, then charge on Sat/Sun but at a lower cost. There is a work around - the secret code you need to give the volunteers at the gate is........ I'm going to : the bar, the restaruant, the hotel, or any specific business in the area. They will let you in then. You will be able to go to any of the public areas, but will not be able to go into the special performance area like Amistad(sp?) Chapel or the May company stage. Also forgot to mention, kids 12 and under are free.
July 14, 200618 yr Guys, I just have to say -- $10 is not much to ask for a festival that is costing $1 million to mount. Trust me, the performances and exhibits are worth much more than that. You will not be disappointed. Get a schedule and go at a time when there's stuff you want to see. I was there last night; it's so much better this year than last! (not that last year was bad.) A more intimate festival village, more exhibits and performances. Just being there sent chills down my spine and made me feel so proud of Cleveland.
July 14, 200618 yr PD article: Sky clear, square jam-packed for start of Ingenuity festival Friday, July 14, 2006 Carolyn Jack Plain Dealer Arts Reporter Fortune smiled on Ingenuity for the second year in a row. After days of downpours, the Cleveland art and technology festival opened its 2006 event under cloudless skies Thursday evening with a huge drumming performance in a packed Public Square. Ingenuity, which made its debut in September 2005, will run four days this year, through Sunday night. Percussionists of all kinds filled the area below the Soldiers and Sailors Monument Thursday, pounding exuberantly through Halim El-Dabh's specially created festival piece, "Symphony for 1000 Drums," while the slight, 85-year-old composer, dressed in a pale-yellow silk tunic, stood on a podium above them to conduct. At the end of the piece, cheers from the large crowd gave way to the explosive energy of the Shaw High School marching band and dancers. They streamed like a team of pied pipers through the square, bringing the crowd along with them as they paraded down Ontario Street to the festival site on lower Prospect Avenue. Their show was followed by speeches and a performance by Ernie Krivda and the Orchestral Omni Bus. Asked how he thought things were going, festival Executive Director James Levin smiled broadly. "It's going great," he said. Those attending agreed. "I think it's a successful start to an annual celebration that's defining Cleveland as a progressive community," said Tom Schorgl, president of the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture. The drum symphony was "very interesting," said Jack Reilly, a visitor from Oxford, Ohio. "I've seen drum things before, but never that many." Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora jokingly claimed credit for the weather during his welcoming speech. Later, he said of the opener, "That kickoff was good. As the weekend continues, I think you'll see more and more people." When the opening ceremonies ended, festival-goers spread out among the attractions on Prospect between East Ninth Street and Ontario and along East Fourth Street. Children stared raptly at performers in silvery robot costumes like C-3PO's in "Star Wars," while their elders enjoyed music from a variety of bands, wacky and serious visual art and an array of booths featuring crafts and food. Brenda Simmons of Mansfield came downtown for Cleveland Harborfest, but when she couldn't get in, she came over to Ingenuity. Simmons, who sells African art and oils, said she liked what she saw - especially the $10 admission price, display possibilities and nearby parking - and was going to see about exhibiting her wares at next year's festival. "It's got a lot of people. That's what you need," she said. "This is nice." For Ingenuity tickets, directions, event schedules and more, call 216-589-9444 or go to www.ingenuitycleveland.com.
July 14, 200618 yr And another: Inspired collaborations Ingenuity takes art and technology to mind-blowing heights Friday, July 14, 2006 Carolyn Jack Plain Dealer Arts Reporter Art and science meet at a frontier the likes of which you've never seen live before. That frontier, with all its weird, hilarious, moving, glowing, mind-blowing fun, runs through Cleveland this weekend at Ingenuity Festival of Art and Science, an event combining the most original work of Northeast Ohio brains with the laid-back good times of a family street festival. Whether you like cold drinks and sizzling bands or cool art and hot new technologies, Ingenuity has the latest of everything. From noon today through Sunday night, you'll see great art, performances, demonstrations of new scientific wonders and fascinating combinations of all three. Here are some of the highlights: Theater Put Terrence Spivey in charge of curating theater offerings for a festival, and what does the artistic director of Karamu Performing Arts Theatre do? He gets personally involved. Spivey will direct the intriguingly titled "Hip-Hop Aesop" during Ingenuity at 5 p.m. Saturday on the Family Stage. Written by J.E. Franklin, author of 1971's Drama Desk Award-winning "Black Girl," and with music by composer Sheryl Pattilo, it sets 10 of the famous fables to an urban beat. Spivey also has included Karamu's "Julius X," which crosses up the lives of Julius Caesar and Malcolm X on the streets of 1960s Harlem. Written by Al Letson and directed by Cleveland actor E.B. Wright, it will be seen (in its second production anywhere) at 8:30 p.m. Sunday on the May Co. Stage. Other theater offerings at Ingenuity include the world premiere of "Lost Prospect," by Mike Geither and his Cleveland State University writing students and directed by Damien Gray; the world premiere of "Shelter" by Ryan Lott and the ASH Ensemble; and Great Lakes Theater Festival's production of George Bernard Shaw's whimsical "The Dark Lady of the Sonnets." -- Tony Brown Dance When Sarah Morrison was young, she dreamed of becoming an astronaut. That didn't happen. But the sense of wonder and awe she experienced while watching NASA space launches on television was rekindled when she accepted an invitation to collaborate with NASA on a work for the Ingenuity festival. "The dance lifted off when I read about Pamela Melroy becoming an astronaut," Morrison said. "She was the third female pilot. She had studied tap. Watching the video footage, I saw her doing chaine turns in zero gravity." "Rendezvous," the orbital ballet choreographed by Morrison and integrating NASA video footage, begins with three members of MorrisonDance portraying children who go to sleep at a pajama party and dream of traveling into space. Waking up as astronauts, they buckle their seat belts, blast off in rocking chairs and emulate spacewalking. Morrison rises in a NASA man-lift and floats in a harness. Her colleagues climb a geodome and create the illusion of hanging weightlessly in space. While some performers wear white NASA bunny suits to create planetary imagery, the astronauts are costumed in painted body stockings. "We would never be able to dance in space suits," Morrison said. "Rendezvous" will premiere at 7:30 tonight and repeat at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the May Co. Stage. -- Wilma Salisbury Classical music A good deal of classical music is created by ingenious composers, so don't they deserve a place at a festival called Ingenuity? This year's bash includes a fair sprinkling of classical events -- or, at least, events presented by classical musicians. Here are some potential highlights, most on the WCLV Classical Music Stage at the United Church of Christ. Cleveland composer H. Leslie Adams will be saluted during a program of his music at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, performed by apprentice artists of Lyric Opera Cleveland. At 3 p.m. Sunday, Spencer Myer, fourth-prize winner at the 2005 Cleveland International Piano Competition, is going completely classical with Haydn's Variations in F minor, Schumann's "Davidsbundler" and Busoni's 10 Variations on a Prelude by Chopin. Opera Cleveland's program at 8 tonight will feature show tunes, as well as operatic fare. The Cavani String Quartet is giving two programs: "Team Up With Music," a demonstration of quartet skills in music from Beethoven to the Beach Boys (1 p.m. Saturday, The Plain Dealer/Cleveland.com Family Stage); and "Cavani Kaleidoscope," more ensemble versatility (7 p.m. Saturday, United Church of Christ). Red (an orchestra) will show that classical musicians can flex their muscles. "Red Rocks!" is a program of music by Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, the Beach Boys, the Beatles and Steppenwolf at 9:30 tonight at the May Co. Stage & Exhibit Corridor. -- Donald Rosenberg Film Hip-hop music shakes hands with video technology when experimental film and video artist Kasumi presents two performances and two video installations during Ingenuity. Kasumi is a faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Art. "Subliminal Strings, aka Kasumi vs. DJ Spooky." 11 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday at the May Co. Stage. Kasumi improvises as she blends video clips with live footage of performers onstage. Her creations will be shown on large screens. "Gruve Lab Groove" by Kasumi and NASA. Today-Sunday, ongoing, May Co. Stage. Kasumi and Jay Horowitz, computer scientist at NASA Glenn Research Center, will collaborate on various 3-D clips. Gruve Lab is a virtual reality facility at NASA Glenn that is used to visualize scientific data and for training. A large 3-D screen at Ingenuity will show work done at NASA Glenn, along with Kasumi's 3-D videos and art pieces. "Baby Ingenuity." Today-Sunday, ongoing, American Greetings Family Village. Kasumi worked with Ian Zeigler, a 2006 graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art, in making this video installation. Zeigler made 3-D models of alphabet blocks, and Kasumi animated them to baroque music to create a baby-friendly video. Families and children up to 3 years old can relax in this quiet space. -- Julie E. Washington Visual arts "Fossil Fools," a series of performances, installations and video screenings led by Cleveland artist Kristen Baumlier, will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today. Highlights include a performance at 10:15 a.m. by Baumlier and the "Crude Oil Dancers" about the past, present and future of petroleum. An "Info-Circus," open from noon to 5 p.m. today, will feature interactive works and information about alternative energy sources. Seth Chwast, son of area therapists Rob and Debra Chwast, is an autistic man in his early 20s who has taken to painting in recent years. "Creativity Symposium: A Panel Discussion About the Creativity, Communication and the Art of Seth Chwast" will be at 5 p.m. today at the Visual Arts Center. Meanwhile, Seth will be creating large-scale paintings on-site. BrainMaster Technologies, a brain-wave monitoring and analysis company, will record his brain waves as he paints, and the results will be projected on nearby screens. -- Dan Tranberg Best of the rest Technology plays a big role in many Ingenuity events. Others are more traditional. Here's a sampling: "Ripon." An art installation and video game that tests players' survival instincts in an immersive, post-Apocalyptic world, created by artist and Cleveland Institute of Art drawing department chairman Troy Richards. Multimedia movement pieces. SAFMOD's "An Evolution of Light" incorporates movement, sound, vivid light effect and scenic design. Dancevert's "Confluence" is a piece based on wind energies, co-created by video artist Kasumi, fabric sculptor Carol Adams and NASA. Dancing Wheels' "Echo of Fallen Angel" will use electronic technology created by Neil Spaienza of the University of Akron to produce sound and light from the wheel movements made by the wheelchair dancers. Cutting-edge music. Ryan Lott and the ASH Ensemble's multimedia work, "Shelter," uses video, dance, live saxophone and electronic music. A piece called "Music for Quartz Crystal Bowls and Enhanced World Flutes" will be performed by Life in Balance, a duo specializing in sacred instruments and collaborations with such groups as Rusted Root and Dharma Bums. Family events. Look for traditional dance, art, theater and music of all kinds, as well as cutting-edge technology. The festival offers a wide range of children's events, from a zoo show, animals and remote-control robots to performances, crafts and a record-your-own-CD workshop at the Ingenuity's American Greetings Family Village.
July 14, 200618 yr There is a work around - the secret code you need to give the volunteers at the gate is........ I'm going to : the bar, the restaruant, the hotel, or any specific business in the area. I tried this last night, and it didn't work. We were with people watching the opening on the square, then went over to prospect and flannerys. remembered that we had left stuff behind, came back 30 minutes later, and couldn't get back through to flannerys. wtf? so today to go to house of blues for lunch i have to buy a ticket? it's not a problem for me (i have a weekend ticket), but others aren't interested in paying $10 each day to grab a bite to eat. should have kept it like last year and at least allowed people to walk through the street, charging only for specific entry into events.
July 14, 200618 yr "Guys, I just have to say -- $10 is not much to ask for a festival that is costing $1 million to mount." I don't think anyone is saying the price is too high, although it's a bit steep if I only have my lunch hour to spend there (I'll still make it over there). Even if you do grab a schedule, it's not like "Interactive Exhibit" tells you anything about what you'll be seeing. The website's descriptions help a little, but I'd like to see a little more so I can make the most of my time. "so today to go to house of blues for lunch i have to buy a ticket? it's not a problem for me (i have a weekend ticket), but others aren't interested in paying $10 each day to grab a bite to eat" Bingo. I think they should work on having the streets accessible, and collecting tickets/fees at controlled points within the festival itself. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
July 14, 200618 yr Well it turns out that admission was free today until 2pm, which was a nice treat. There weren't a lot of exhibits/events going on but there was a lot of foot traffic. I'll have some pics later. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
July 15, 200618 yr I will have photos from yesterday up a little later. By "later," I obviously meant today. I did not go yesterday (I knew it was going to crappy out last night) but will most likely go today and then take the kids tomorrow. Maybe we should have a meetup. Here are the promised pics. If you want to see all 42 I took go here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/muscatello/sets/72157594199826276/ If you want to see the iNGENUiTY Flickr Photo Pool or want to contribute your own pictures , go here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/ingenuitycleveland/pool/
July 15, 200618 yr Gorgeous photos, musky! You really captured the excitement of the night. Great photo of Mayor Jackson. I looked at your full set... my mom is in one of the crowd shots!
July 16, 200618 yr Ingenuity draws a bigger crowd Weather is perfect for Ingenuity fest Sunday, July 16, 2006 Terricha Bradley Plain Dealer Reporter The celebration of art and technology in Cleveland continued at the Ingenuity Festival on Saturday with a stronger turnout than on its opening day. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: [email protected], 216-999-4385.
July 17, 200618 yr Here is a snippet from Cleveland.com today as an intro to a photo spread -- this is a huge improvement on last year's attendance figures! "Despite the near-record heat, downtown Cleveland's Ingenuity Festival, a celebration of art, culture and technology, drew about 100,000 people, up from 75,000 who attended the festival's debut last year." I heard some of the same complaints from attendees this year as last year -- i.e., not enough technology and confusing to navigate. Those are valid complaints and I think you'll see improvements as the festival matures.
July 17, 200618 yr One thing that holds back the festival is that much of the interesting exhibits/shows are tucked away from the street. While the interior space of the May Co. building is totally cool, it kills the energy on Prospect ave by hiding away people and art. Maybe they need more street performers. Magicians walking around, jugglers from the St. Ignatius circus club, high school-age break dancers, etc. Ingenuity needs to add more life to the street by using some inexpensive options. I also think that they need to add some more interactive exhibits/games. I am not talking about throwing the dart at the balloon and winning some stuffed animal prize. There is a lot of potential to be tapped.
July 17, 200618 yr Gorgeous photos, musky! You really captured the excitement of the night. Great photo of Mayor Jackson. I looked at your full set... my mom is in one of the crowd shots! Thank you very much. Some day I will have a decent camera to take pictures with... probably not until after graduation though. Your mom :-o ... really? Cool - which one? Here are some more photos from iNGENUiTY. These are from Saturday late afternoon and evening. I ended up not going on Sunday - the kids did not want to go because it was to hot... babys. The full Flickr set from Saturday (all 54 pics) can be found here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/muscatello/sets/72157594201576037/show/
July 17, 200618 yr Author my main issues with the whole thing is that its a big ball of confusion walking around there, a lot of the stuff borders on gimmicks rather than art, and it needs more advertising. I thought this year i was gonna see a ton of improvements, but it was still kinda not so much better... however, those are some cool shots i must say
July 17, 200618 yr It would've been helpful if they would have announced what was going on/about to go on at the other stages once a performance finished up. After watching the Verb ballet, it was tough to figue out what was happening next because all these people would crowd around the kiosk and try to read the tiny print of the schedules. I gave up and just walking around. This is a different type of festival and people needed to oriented to take full advantage of the offerings. I left feeling as if I would have enjoyed it more if read the schedules and strategically planned out my night.
July 17, 200618 yr ^Yeah, that's what you have to do: plan. It's not an ideal situation, I agree, and it's difficult to plan well when the only descriptions of the performances are on the Internet -- not on the programs. This is something I hope to see the festival improve for next year. For my part, I had two very different experiences of the festival. Thursday night I found to be magical. The drum symphony, a couplde of good emerging bands, great weather, just the right number of people so that I could wander freely and discover all the different spaces. On Saturday night, I was depressed. It was sticky-hot, packed with people (so much so that you couldn't even see some performances), derivative bands were playing and I saw a very dark play, "Lost Prospect," that lasted 2.5 hours. It goes to show how much your experience of the festival can vary based on circumstances and what you choose to see.
July 17, 200618 yr I had a great time on Thursday night...the only night I was able to attend. I brought my puppy and we were easily the most popular site inside the gates! (just kidding) I loved the drums (I got chills) and enjoyed wandering in and out of the different venues, though I didn't stay at any one for long. I liked the mixture and the "hidden" element of some of the attractions. However, to address what Wimwar and some others have mentioned, perhaps there could be "town criers" or something who walk around before showtimes to announce that something is about to start across the way. "Hear ye! Hear ye! In 15 minutes, So and So and His Wonderful Band will be playing on the E. 4th Street Stage!" Adds a fun element and helps people figure out what's what.
July 17, 200618 yr yeah I agree. it was not as "magical" as last year. I was like gape jawed rube off a turnip truck last year. where as this year I was like where is the action? it seemed like there was less techno stuff this year. either way I still liked it and I am guessing they are are open to feedback. Given the attendence, I also think that this will draw international talent and make it more amazing in the future.
July 18, 200618 yr I was there 2 days: thursday night and saturday day and night. i don't think lower prospect works as well as lower euclid. however, 2 of the venues this year were amazing. 1) may co. building. unbelievable space and so many varied performances. the building itself is amazing and sad at the same time. i stared at the holes in floor/ceilings where the escalators used to be. there has to be a better use for this space. I especially like the way the exterior was lit up at night. this section of prospect had the most life in a long time. 2) E.5 alley. acoustics, atmosphere and entertainment here made this my favorite outdoor venue. I also think they should have explained pricing better. there were some discounts (if you had tall ships wrist band), but there still appeared to be confusion. and did anyone see what the GM hybrid bus did? i saw it parked there but everytime i went by it was closed. i had hoped there was some sort of demonstration on the technology or a band inside or something.
July 18, 200618 yr 1) may co. building. unbelievable space and so many varied performances. the building itself is amazing and sad at the same time. i stared at the holes in floor/ceilings where the escalators used to be. there has to be a better use for this space. I went down with my brother on Saturday and we both agreed it was for the best our mom wasn't there to see the store our grandmother worked in-she would have cried at seeing it in that state. I do feel there will come a time soon when the May Co. be fully brought back to life. There is too much development in the offing and development abhors a vacuum like what May Co. is today. 2) E.5 alley. acoustics, atmosphere and entertainment here made this my favorite outdoor venue. Ditto. there were some discounts (if you had tall ships wrist band), but there still appeared to be confusion. Confusion? I was in gleeful shock when the guy at the tent saw my Tall Ships wrist band and took half off the admission. And absolutely, that should have been a better publicized perk of this very big downtown weekend. Since I missed it last year, I don't have a frame of reference to compare the events or the difference in layout between having it on Euclid or Prospect. I was very pleased at the turnout and the atmosphere. I think they definitely need a better way to publicize individual events. Town Crier would be funny, but maybe as a robot or those guys on stilts or something befitting the art/tech mix theme of the event. I remember an interview with James Levin and Thomas Mulready before the first Ingenuity where they talked about one day extending this into a festival lasting a full week or maybe two. I say great, but not for a few years yet. I think they have to hone there skills at putting together a more cohesive event before attempting stretching it out over a week. Otherwise, it might just look like a bunch of people loitering and no energy. Also, as money begins to percolate into this event from more and more sources as its reputation grows, the diversity and dynamicism will blossom. P.S. Please, for the love of God, do better with the website. The first year's site was head and shoulders above version 2.0-sporadic updating, poor mapping of events, late launch (I was watching). This is the de facto front door to the arts and tech crowd and it needed definite work and better coordination.
July 18, 200618 yr On Saturday night, I was depressed. It was sticky-hot, packed with people (so much so that you couldn't even see some performances), derivative bands were playing and I saw a very dark play, "Lost Prospect," that lasted 2.5 hours. It goes to show how much your experience of the festival can vary based on circumstances and what you choose to see. Wow, I felt completely different about Saturday night. I thought the crowds added to the energy. And at least half of the bands were worth some attention. I skipped out of the Verb Ballet performance because I knew a dance about 9/11 would probably be a downer. I brought my puppy and we were easily the most popular site inside the gates! (just kidding). ...perhaps there could be "town criers" or something who walk around before showtimes to announce that something is about to start across the way. No your not. I couldn't even talk to you because of all the attention you, er, uh, Sadie was getting. In the performances I saw, there was always a presenter reminding people what was coming up next. Although, this was before the particualr performance, not after. 1) may co. building. unbelievable space and so many varied performances. the building itself is amazing and sad at the same time. i stared at the holes in floor/ceilings where the escalators used to be. there has to be a better use for this space. I especially like the way the exterior was lit up at night. this section of prospect had the most life in a long time. 2) E.5 alley. acoustics, atmosphere and entertainment here made this my favorite outdoor venue. I also think they should have explained pricing better. there were some discounts (if you had tall ships wrist band), but there still appeared to be confusion. Yes, the May Co. was amazing... ...and sad. I liked that this was chosen for some of the tech stuff over last years location, the BP building, which always closed too early. The East 5th Alley stage was super-duper cool. Somebody could hold events there throughout the year. There were 50% discounts for not only the Tall Ships folks, but also for anybody who was staying in a hotel downtown, people who lived or worked in within the festival area, and employees of any of the sponsers... which were many. I remember an interview with James Levin and Thomas Mulready before the first Ingenuity where they talked about one day extending this into a festival lasting a full week or maybe two. Also, as money begins to percolate into this event from more and more sources as its reputation grows, the diversity and dynamicism will blossom. This year was proposed to be significantly bigger, but much of the funding fell through a few months earlier. Although some funders pulled through at the last minute, it was not enough to pull off everything they wanted. I'm told a person was hired (don't recall the name) who is an expert at fund raising and that next years festival will be kick-ass... my words, not theirs. My absolute favorite event of the festival was DJ Spooky and Kasumi. In-fricking-credible stuff. The most surreal part of the festival would be seeing Howard Maier, executive director of NOACA, and his wife sitting next to me during the DJ Spooky and Kasumi show.
July 18, 200618 yr I was really pleased with my Ingenuity experience this time around. As has been noted a number of times already in this thread, there is just something magical about being downtown when it is swarming with people. It was absolutely amazing to park next to the malls (sidenote: HOW can people complain about the dirge of parking opportunities downtown when I was able to find street parking in the dead center of downtown at its busiest?), look at the Tall Ships, catch a snippet of the Movies on the Mall series and then wander into a crowd of 20- and 30-somethings watching a live performance on E. 4th. I agree with the forementioned complaints: it would be good to see more technical innovation presented at the festival. The logistics were problematic (ticket booths not staffed on the first evening of the festival, changes in the schedule that precluded me from seeing events and poor visibility for some of the interior exhibits). I think my biggest complaint after seeing two rounds of Ingenuity is that the festival seems to fade away on its closing day; the events get spotty and stages are being taken down while events are occuring in other venues. I would like to see something really big and explosive on that last day that brings the community together and leaves people excited for next year. All and all, though, I thought this event was a steal at $10/day. I was wowed by some of the acts and even witnessed an out-of-state friend of mine talking to one of their friends about Infinite Number of Sounds; how crazy is it that people living 6 hours from Cleveland had heard about this band and were really excited about them when Cleveland itself seems to give them a lower profile than they deserve? I think the most exciting aspect of the festival is its creative use of space; it really gets you thinking about what vibrancy we could lend downtown alleys, rooftops and unused commercial spaces with a little creativity. Even if only once a week during the summer, it would be great to see similar ongoing events in Cleveland's semi-hidden nooks. I will close by saying that, in a town that obviously values arts and culture but continues to be skeptical about its economic impact, look no further than Ingenuity. I had a friend who visited from out-of-state to attend the event (her second year of doing so). By my estimates, she spent approximately $450 over the course of six days (had she stayed in a hotel, this would have hovered around $1,000. She spent the vast majority of this money in the city proper and all of it in Cuyahoga County. And unlike us Clevelanders, she didn't complain about the parking or the event prices or anything else; she left with an even more positive view of the city and will be walking around Indianapolis with a shirt that says "New York may be the Big Apple, but Cleveland's a plum" (not our finest slogan ever, but hey, it's something). If we can continue to build the momentum around Cleveland's arts and culture scene, I really think there's no stopping our little community. Congrats and thanks to Ingenuity!
July 18, 200618 yr Nicely said, 8Shades! Cleveland truly does stand poised to redefine itself as an arts and culture mecca, as older industrial cities in Europe have done. We have everything it takes right here, we just have to publicize it and fund it a little better -- both of which we seem to be doing.
July 18, 200618 yr I liked Prospect as the venue for the festival. It has a much more intimate scale than Euclid, which seemed sparse even at peak attendence times. It would be even better if the parking lot at East 4th was built up, of course! Maybe in coming years if the festival continues to grow it will be able to fill out Euclid. I thought that the East 5th St. Stage had a great atmosphere, too. There are plenty of alley nooks in Gateway that could be used for something, as 8shades says.
July 18, 200618 yr where will this festival be in the future? the one reason it seems 'to work', is that there are so many abandoned/underused buildings on both lower euclid and lower prospect. would this festival work if it were only on the street? only had one vacant building? E.4 is a natural fit, but again, hopefully some of these storefronts become occupied all year long and not just 4 days. i mean, hopefully in the near future we won't have abandoned buildings downtown. from the music component, i think ingenuity could work in the same places, but so many of the tech/art exhibits seem best for abanonded buildings. once silver line is done, will buses be able to route off of Euclid? where will festival go next year? maybe ingenuity could also showcase other areas downtown with similar vacancies? raise awareness? any thoughts or insight?
July 19, 200618 yr From what I recall, those planning this year's festival were initially interested in hosting it in the Flats and in bringing in a pyro-artist from Germany to set the Cuyahoga River ablaze (again). I think that James Levin remains committed to drawing attention to areas downtown that a) have a great deal of potential, b) currently have vacancy issues and c) would be ideal venues for a festival. While the theme of the festival is obviously the integration and interaction of art and technology, there also seems to be a conscious effort to draw attention to physical space and how we can creatively address issues of underutilization. Both years of the festival utilized alleys and abandoned buildings to expose individuals to often overlooked spaces. And hopefully, everyone caught Lost Prospect this year (the 2.5 hr. play Blinker talked about). The progressive play led participants through a variety of alleyways and both filled and vacant spaces. It also offered a pretty scathing indictment regarding citizen complacency and out-migration from the city core. I think that regardless of where it ends up in the future, we can anticipate that the festival will continue to encourage people to examine the very real assets that Cleveland has and continues to ignore.
July 19, 200618 yr The Flats and CSU area/Quadrangle are other areas that have been discussed for future festivals. Personally, I'd like the festival to stay right where it is until lower Prospect and Euclid revive.
July 19, 200618 yr Author ^ i agree, it could definately get those areas more visable and also give the festival a distinct look, so when people think of Ingenuity, they think of lower euclid/prospect. that would strengthen it and then allow it to expand to other areas rather than to move around every year
July 21, 200618 yr I attended all but one day of the festival and let me tell you, it was the best 3 days I have ever spent in downtown Cleveland! What an awesome event which easily surpassed both quality and attendance on last year's debut! Looking forward to '07 no matter where they end up in the city!
July 21, 200618 yr Well it turns out that admission was free today until 2pm, which was a nice treat. There weren't a lot of exhibits/events going on but there was a lot of foot traffic. I'll have some pics later. I wished I had known they were going to do that, otherwise I would have gone. Free is a price I can afford! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
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