PRESS RELEASE: Ingenuity honors CWRU’s Sears think[box] at fifth annual Bal Ingénieux, June 4

NEWS
For Immediate Release

Contact:
Annie Weiss, Ingenuity Cleveland
annie@ingenuitycleveland.org
216-589-9444

Ingenuity honors Case Western Reserve University’s Sears Thinkbox at fifth annual Bal Ingénieux, June 4

Cleveland, OH (May 9, 2016) – Ingenuity Cleveland will bestow its inaugural Innovator’s Award to Case Western Reserve University’s Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears Thinkbox at the fifth annual Bal Ingénieux—a celebration of the creative class—on June 4 at the Tenk Building in the Flats.

“Sears Thinkbox was chosen for this award because of the significant impact and contribution it has made to the creative community as well as Cleveland’s overall innovation landscape,” said Paula Grooms, Ingenuity’s Executive Director. This seven-story, 50,000-square-foot facility gives students, faculty, alumni and the general public the opportunity to tinker, prototype and invent. Officially opened to the public on October 1, 2015, it has since become a beehive of activity, seeing 5,000 visits a month.

“Our University always had big dreams for the Sears Thinkbox,” said Malcolm Cooke, Thinkbox’s Executive Director. “The reality, however, has surpassed our expectations. The stories of collaboration, creativity, and engagement among members of our internal AND external community are inspiring. We can’t wait to see what will happen next in that building!”

Bal Ingénieux will be held in partnership with Tenk West Bank and Market Restaurant at the Tenk Building (2111 Center St.) in the emerging Flats neighborhood. Bal Ingénieux is based on the famed Kokoon Arts Club parties of the early 20th century and, in the spirit of Kokoon, Ingenuity encourages attendees to come in costume, though it is not required.

Attendees interested in designing and fabricating their own costumes can sign up for any of Ingenuity’s costume workshops in partnership with Antidote Cleveland and Bounce Night Club. Every Wednesday during the month of May, Antidote will lead the workshops at Bounce (2814 Detroit Ave.) from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Workshops are $15 each or $50 for all four (which also includes Patron-level admission to Bal Ingénieux).

Local artists interested in set building and painting can attend Ingenuity’s free workshops Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons in May at the Tenk Building.

Visit www.ingenuitycleveland.com for details, to register for either workshop and to purchase Bal Ingénieux tickets, which range from $25 to $150.

About Ingenuity:
Ingenuity highlights the creativity and innovation that make Cleveland a vibrant place to live. We ignite the spark where the arts, science, and technology intersect. By animating Cleveland’s urban spaces with world-class experiences, Ingenuity provides a unique platform for exploring the boundaries across these sectors. We do this through our outreach programs, partnerships and events including our annual IngenuityFest.

Ingenuity is now entering its 12th season and is funded by the George Gund Foundation, Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, and the Ohio Arts Council as well as many other businesses, non-profits, and private individuals. The three-day IngenuityFest, which currently creates a combined economic impact of $4.5 million to Cleveland’s economy, will return in September 2016.

About the Sears Thinkbox at CWRU:
The Sears Thinkbox, an interdisciplinary, open space at Case Western Reserve University, focuses on changing the economic and social culture of the University and region by emphasizing cross-discipline and cross-institution collaborative endeavors that push creativity and innovation to their limits. Sears Thinkbox provides a project-based learning environment where students from all courses of study have an opportunity to understand how innovation and creativity can lead to economic and social advancement. This exposure encourages entrepreneurial thinking among our students, who will then be poised to become the leaders and innovators of the future. Simultaneously, Sears Thinkbox creates an entrepreneurial environment where these ideas can be nurtured, developed, funded, and commercialized.