Latest News
Among Ideal Friends Funding Success 2018
Posted: Thu, 22 Mar 2018 12:28
The Spark Arts for Children is delighted to announce our successful funding bid to expand Among Ideal Friends, a collaboration with five library services in the East Midlands- Leicester, Leicestershire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and Rutland. It will create and tour high quality, family theatre performances and workshop activities, inspired by books and stories for children aged 5 to 11 years. With this funding we can provide and produce more fantastic shows like Sylvia South and the Word Catcher which toured in 2017 as part of the programme. Read More »
The Spark Arts for Children celebrates funding success
Posted: Tue, 27 Jun 2017 12:00
The Spark Arts for Children has received an uplift in funding as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.
The Spark will continue to run its annual Festival and to offer children the opportunity to discover and enjoy the arts as audiences, as learners and creators of their own art, throughout the year in schools, libraries and community settings. Additional funding for Vital Spark will enable The Spark to lead the conversation of diversity in the arts for young people and produce vibrant and diverse new work for children and families. Read More »
Beaumont Leys receives Big Lottery Funding – Big Celebration for Community event
Posted: Wed, 15 Mar 2017 16:37
Thanks to funding from the Big Lottery – Big Celebration and support from Leicester City Council and Arts Council England, Artist in residence Jayne Williams has been working with the local community to curate a Big Celebration event. The event for residents past and present will take place in Beaumont Leys Library on Saturday 18 March and will be a coming together of community groups, friends, family and neighbours for a programme packed full of creativity. There'll be music, dance, spoken word, poetry, stories, rap, brass band, free food and art exhibitions.
Among Ideal Friends upcoming tour
Posted: Wed, 15 Mar 2017 16:01
We're now into our fourth season of Among Ideal Friends and in just a few weeks the captivating and enthralling dance performance piece Where the River Runs will embark on a library tour across the East Midlands.
Kicking off in Nottinghamshire and ending in Leicester, this is a dynamic and beautiful family friendly piece that is ideal for audiences aged 5+.
Plans are already shaping up for season five, so look out for more unforgettable live theatre experiences in your local library.
The Spark receives Arts Council England Strategic Touring funding
Posted: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 10:40
The Spark is delighted to announce Among Ideal Friends has been awarded Arts Council England Strategic Touring funding.Among Ideal Friends is a new theatre touring consortium developed by The Spark Arts for Children in partnership with Libraries in the East Midlands. The Spark will be touring theatre performances and workshops to Libraries in Leicester City, Leicestershire County in partnership with Rutland, Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County. Inspired by books and stories for children 5-11 years, the tour will give families and schools new opportunities to take part in arts and culture at venues on their doorstep. Read More »
Storychair takes root at St Barnabas Library
Posted: Sat, 30 Jan 2016 14:30
Mister Tootles Storychair was officially unveiled at St Barnabas Library on Saturday 30th January 2016.
Children are invited to climb into the magical tree and enter a secret, underground world. Once inside they can interact with sliding doors, pegs and boxes to reveal miniature worlds and release stories from the trees roots.
Mister Tootles Storychair is part of Imaginative Spaces, a project by The Spark Arts for Children working closely with Leicester Library Services, supported using public funding by Arts Council England.Click Here to find out more about the Storychair. Read More »
Spark Festival 2016 Guest Director
Posted: Mon, 29 Jun 2015 09:28
The Spark Arts for Children is delighted to announce the appointment of Tony Reekie as Guest Director of the 2016 Spark Festival.
Tony has worked in the performing arts sector for twenty five years and for the past twenty three has dedicated himself to the development of performing arts for children and young people in Scotland, with an aim to ensuring that every child has access to the highest possible quality work on a regular basis. Read More »
A WILD way to launch the brochure!
Posted: Fri, 10 Apr 2015 14:59
Many thanks to everyone who came to visit us and the Wild Things at the Highcross last week, we had a rumpus of a time! We loved meeting new and familiar faces, painting faces, and introducing you to Bamboozle's wild furry faces!
We handed out hundreds of brochures, so we look forward to seeing you all at the festival this Summer! Read More »
Our Super Spark Heroes!
Posted: Fri, 10 Apr 2015 14:17
The fantastic folk at Mellor Primary School dressed up as their favourite heroes for this year's 'Hero Day' and raised a whopping £370! We took a trip down to see them in their costumes, it was quite super!
You truly are our heroes - thank you! Read More »
A £5 donation could help us unlock £20,000
Posted: Wed, 25 Mar 2015 15:31
We have a great opportunity to do more of what we do best - but we need your help. Arts Council England has offered us a matching opportunity so that every £1.50 you donate is matched by £1. BUT time is running out – this offer from the Arts Council runs out in April. Please help us to unlock for than £20,000 of match funding by donating today. Read More »
