Meet the Director:

Susie Underwood Leads Ingenuity into a New Era

After 10 years of visionary leadership, Executive Director Emily Appelbaum is handing over the reins. Learn more from a recent recent interview with journalist and board member, Laura DeMarco:

Susie Underwood is no stranger to creative transformation.

Ingenuity Cleveland’s new interim executive director is an artist, educator and arts administrator with 20 years of experience in the nonprofit arts sector. She brings a rare blend of hands-on artistry and community leadership to the organization at a pivotal moment.



Developing her voice as an artist alongside engaging regularly with the public has deeply informed her perspective in both arenas. As an artist, Susie’s work is often participatory and immersive, taking the form of installations, performances or sculpture. As an educator and administrator, she is keenly aware of the challenges artists face and strives to provide ethical opportunities to support creative growth.

"I’m an artist that does a lot of different, weird stuff… Ingenuity is a place where you can really do that."

She brings a deep background in museum education, creative practice and community engagement to her role, including leadership experience at the Columbus Museum of Art, where she managed studio initiatives focused on artist-centered learning. She led studio programs for a year at the Cleveland Museum of Art and oversaw the Creative Fusion program at Metro West Community Development Organization. 

She has been involved with Ingenuity as an artist and collaborator since 2017.

Susie’s journey from the Columbus Museum of Art to Cleveland’s vibrant arts scene has been marked by a passion for making creativity accessible to all.

“Ingenuity is a place where you have a huge, diverse audience... to share your work. So that's really… satisfying as an artist to know you've got this giant, community crowd coming to experience it.”

Susie, who will lead Ingenuity through the next year, has a vision rooted in the belief that everyone should have the chance to discover their creative potential. She sees Ingenuity as a year-round incubator, not just a festival, where informal learning and non-linear thinking are encouraged.

“You need these informal learning opportunities for people to experiment, try crazy ideas, go off on their own path and really explore, to know what it means to be a human being in a creative way. “

As she steps into her new role, she is focused on stability and accessibility. Her immediate priorities include a smooth leadership transition, making the building more welcoming, and expanding opportunities for artists, families, students and the broader community.

“I certainly want to have a stable transition and keep Ingenuity strong and support all the Labs members and Ingeneers through the fest this year… And, I really want to fix our bathrooms,” she adds with a laugh.

But her ambitions go beyond bricks and mortar. Central to her leadership is a deep respect for Cleveland’s neighborhoods and the power of grassroots partnerships. She envisions Ingenuity as both a resource and a bridge, connecting artists, residents and organizations to spark creativity and opportunity across the city.

“I want to continue those kinds of partnerships with neighborhood grassroots organizations. Going out into the community is a great way to make connections. I think it should be a back and forth where we need to be out there collaborating, but we also need to make the space welcoming to the public.”

As Ingenuity moves forward under her leadership, Susie Underwood’s mix of big-picture creativity, hands-on experience, and community focus is set to help make Cleveland’s creative scene more open, welcoming, and energized.



"I don't think I could have done what Emily [Appelbaum, former Artistic Director of Ingenuity] did...she's amazing...but, I think now is the right time for me to make a positive impact."

SPACES

Brite Winter