The Ignite! Emerging Leader Grant was inaugurated in 2020 to help an emerging arts professional undertake projects of their own direction, under the Ingenuity umbrella, with Ingenuity oversight. Emerging Leaders are able to hone their skills on key projects relevant to Ingenuity’s overall mission, expanding Ingenuity’s reach while building resumes and learning the ropes of arts management. Amanda’s Emerging Leader award supported the development of a peer-leadership framework within IngenuityLabs, and helped refine Ingenuity’s goals with respect to #VoicesofCLE – a city-wide art initiative to amplify voices from artists of color in the wake of 2020’s spring social justice and racial equity demonstrations – and the 48 Hour Virtual Music Festival, while allowing Amanda to test out her own capabilities and pursue key sub-projects of her own choosing.

Amanda serves as a programming coordinator and peer coach for Ingenuity’s Ignite program, helping newer Ignite! recipients plan their projects and navigate budgets, grantwriting, and other “business of being an artist.”