Spark! Conference: Connecting Communities

SPARK! is a cultural program for people with memory loss and their care partners hosted by museums, nature centers, studios, and galleries.

The 4th Annual SPARK! Conference will provide a diverse offering of training focused on best practices for creative engagement through art, nature, and culture. The conference will feature nationally-recognized presenters, along with in-depth and hands-on sessions which will include brain health, theater, art-making, grant writing, building community partnerships, and many others. If you are a museum, nature center or medical professional looking for fresh and engaging activities to enhance programs for people with memory loss, this conference is for you!

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

An Afternoon with Anne Basting
Thursday, November 2, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Anne Basting (Ph.D.) is an educator, scholar, and artist whose work focuses on the potential for the arts and humanities to improve our quality of life as communities and individuals. For over 15 years, Basting has developed and researched methods for embedding the arts into long-term care, with a particular focus on people with cognitive disabilities like dementia. Named a 2016 MacArthur Fellow, Basting is also the recipient of a Rockefeller Fellowship, a Brookdale National Fellowship, and numerous major grants, including the MAP Fund and NEA Artworks.

Ageless Graffiti & Hip-Hop presented by Damon McLeese
Thursday, November 2, 3:15pm - 6:00pm
Damon McLeese is the Executive Director of Access Gallery in Denver, CO. He works at the intersection of creativity and disability, challenging societal assumptions about who can make art. He has taught photography to blind people and dance to deaf people. Join Damon and local dance troupe, Origins of Hip Hop, as they tell the heartwarming story of teaching people with dementia how to express themselves through art and dance.

Networking Social
Thursday, November 2, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Join conference presenters and attendees for a social event at the Milwaukee Jewish Museum!

Friday will feature a full day of sessions starting at 8:45am and will include lunch.

Conference information can be found at www.sparkprograms.org