SPARC: Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide
| SPARC : Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide is a community arts engagement program that places artists-in-residence at senior centers across the five boroughs of New York City. Participating artists receive a stipend and access to senior center workspace in exchange for the creation and delivery of arts programming for seniors. SPARC is a collaboration of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Department for the Aging and five of the City’s local arts councils. |  |
SPARC was developed as part of Age-friendly NYC, a citywide effort to make the City more livable for seniors. It previously ran in 2012 with support from the National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant program, after a run as a successful pilot program in 2009. The 2013 SPARC program is supported, in part, by public funds from the NYC Department for the Aging.
Read an overview of SPARC. |
Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide (SPARC) Presents Free Cultural Events this Summer
The New York City Departments of Cultural Affairs and Aging and borough arts councils announce public events for SPARC, a community arts engagement program that places artists-in-residence at senior centers across the five boroughs. From dance and music to theater, film and visual arts, SPARC artists and senior participants are presenting FREE public events featuring their creative projects this summer. To browse events, visit the NYCulture Calendar and select the “SPARC” category from the drop down menu.
Find a SPARC event near you.
NYC Arts Councils
SPARC is a partnership between the City of New York and five local arts councils that serve each borough. For details on each borough’s SPARC activities, visit the individual council pages:
In October 2012 Department for the Aging (DFTA) Commissioner Barrios-Paoli and Cultural Affairs Commissioner Levin announced that DFTA would provide $200,000 to support the 2013 SPARC program. During the 2012 program, 50 artists delivered more than 2,000 contact hours of arts programming to hundreds of senior participants at 44 senior centers.
Read the 2013 SPARC announcement.
SPARC News Archive
2013 Artist Placements Announced for SPARC: Seniors Partnering With Artists Citywide
The Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), the Department for the Aging (DFTA), and five local arts councils have announced the selection of fifty artists for SPARC residencies in 48 senior centers across the City. SPARC will provide participating artists with access to studio space and a stipend in exchange for the creation and delivery of arts programming for seniors. Each residency will also include a public program component with an open house, performance, exhibit or other cultural interaction open to the surrounding community. Artist proposals were evaluated by representatives of the arts councils, DCLA and DFTA. The residencies will run from January to June 2013.
See the list of artist placements.
SPARC: Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide Call for Artists is Now CLOSED
SPARC: Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide is a community arts engagement program that will place 50 artists-in-residence at senior centers across the five boroughs starting January 2013.
Calling All Artists for SPARC: Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide
New Application Deadline is Friday, November 9, 2012 at 5pm
The New York City Departments of Cultural Affairs and Aging announce the Call for Artists for SPARC: Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide, a community arts engagement program that will place 50 artists-in-residence at senior centers across the five boroughs starting January 2013. Through SPARC, artists of all disciplines develop projects with seniors in exchange for a stipend and access to workspace. Residencies culminate in free public events featuring the projects and the work of senior participants.
Artist Placements Announced for SPARC: Seniors Partnering With Artists Citywide
The Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), the Department for the Aging (DFTA), and the City’s five local arts councils have announced the selection of fifty artists for SPARC residencies in senior centers across the five boroughs. SPARC will provide participating artists with studio space and a stipend in exchange for the creation and delivery of arts programming for seniors. Each residency will also include a public program component with an open house, performance, exhibit or other cultural interaction open to the surrounding community. Artist proposals were evaluated by representatives of the arts councils, DCLA and DFTA. The deadline for applications was September 30, 2011 and the residencies will run from January to July 2012.
See the list of SPARC placements.
The City of New York Receives Our Town Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for Space for Art
The Department of Cultural Affairs was awarded a $200,000 grant in support of Space for Art, a partnership with the Department for the Aging that places artists-in-residence at senior centers across the five boroughs of New York City. Space for Art, which previously ran as a successful pilot, was developed as part of Age-friendly NYC, a citywide effort to make the City more livable for seniors. Plans for Space for Art will be announced this fall.
Read the release.
SPARC: Seniors Participating With Artists Citywide : CALL FOR ARTISTS
Artists are invited to apply to SPARC: Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide (formerly called Space for Art), a competitive residency program of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Department for the Aging and the City's local arts councils. Through SPARC, artists will provide programming at senior centers and surrounding communities across the five boroughs in exchange for access to work space and a stipend funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. The deadline to apply is September 30, 2011.
Read the media advisory.
Space for Art
In 2009, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Department for the Aging launched the pilot program for SPARC, Space for Art, to support Mayor Bloomberg’s Age-friendly NYC initiative.
Read the Space for Art press release.
For more information, send a message to sparc@culture.nyc.gov.
