SPARKcon

SPARKcon grows every time a new person gets involved with a SPARK category, creating their own event, or joining in to help an exiting SPARK.

"SPARK" stands for each category, or grouping of activities, programmed over the 4-day weekend (i.e. fashionSPARK, musicSPARK, geekSPARK, etc.) and is organized by volunteers who create programming that best represents and uniquely displays their art form. Past events have included interactive game displays, glow zumba, on demand poetry, outdoor exhibitions, and pop up theater performances, and much, much, more.

Beyond an ever-changing 200+ events that showcase of creative disciplines, SPARKcon is unique in how the festival uses an open-source, "For the People, By the People," planning and organization model to intentionally connect, educate and empower emerging creative leaders.

The open source leadership structure allows any user (organizer, talent or audience) to create and add community value to creative experiences and expression.

SPARKcon has successfully:

+ Trained and empowered 680 + SPARKcon organizers to become new community leaders and entrepreneurs.

+ Launched artist run businesses, like Imagine Circus and Cirque de Vol Studios.

+ Showcased performances by and exhibited the work of more than 12,000 creative individuals.

+ Featured thousands of Wake County Students as artists and sent artists into 25+ schools.

+ Increased awareness, support and appreciate for creative talent in the Triangle.

+ Facilitated city design sessions to envision a new concept of an artistic centerpiece for Raleigh and helped design City Plaza to become a “flexible platform” for future artists.

+ Worked with citizens to envision a “Raleigh 360” vision of supporting local businesses and talent, eventually informing such efforts as Shop Local Raleigh.

+ Represented an innovative framework for a national model of grass-roots revitalization in venues across the country - including major efforts in Memphis and New Orleans.