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Spark Presents is Warwick District Council’s year-round programme of targeted support for the district’s creative community.
Born out of the annual Spark Symposium, the programme responds to how the local creative landscape has evolved. When Spark first launched, it filled a clear gap - creating space for artists, creatives, and organisations to connect, share ideas, and feel part of something bigger.
Today, the sector is more active and connected than ever. New networks, studios, showcases and collaborations are emerging across Warwick, Leamington, Kenilworth and Whitnash. Spark Presents reflects that shift.
Rather than delivering one large annual moment alone, Spark Presents uses limited public resources in a more focused and responsive way, supporting specific opportunities that add value, strengthen networks and create platforms for creative talent.
Spark Presents supports both emerging and established creatives. It works in partnership. It tests ideas. It creates platforms. And it remains open to new opportunities where the Council can play a catalytic role.
The Spark Symposium remains a key annual fixture - but Spark Presents is how that spirit continues throughout the year.
Recent activity has included:
Spark Presents: Artists’ Café
Informal peer networking and sector connection
Spark Present: Artists' Cafe was a pilot event that took place at the Royal Spa Centre on Friday 13 March 2026. It was a relaxed gathering for anyone involved in the arts across Warwick District. Spark Presents: Artists’ Cafe offered an easy way to meet others, share ideas, discover opportunities and feel part of a supportive creative community. There was no formal programme or structure. It is simply a welcoming space for creative people to talk, connect and support each other. Read more
Spark Presents: Filmmaker Showcase
Providing a platform for local filmmakers
Spark Presents: Filmmakers Showcase was a brand-new platform celebrating the creativity, craft and imagination of filmmakers from across Warwick District. On Monday 9 February 2026, the Royal Spa Centre Cinema was taken over by six extraordinary short films: documentaries rooted in local history, bold experiments in form, powerful dramas, and stories that push the boundaries of how we see the world. Each film has been created by an emerging or independent filmmaker with a unique voice and a strong connection to our creative community. Read more
Spark Presents: Rankin
Supporting emerging and established photographers
Warwick District Council’s Arts Section celebrated the success of a landmark event held at the Royal Spa Centre on Tuesday 29 April 2025. The event marked 170 years since photographic pioneer Henry Peach Robinson opened his Leamington studio in 1855. The event, hosted in partnership with Leamington Spa Photographic Society (LSPS), featured a captivating in-conversation with internationally renowned photographer, Rankin. Known for his portraits of everyone from everyday people in London’s Brick Lane to the late Queen Elizabeth II, Rankin’s presence made the evening truly memorable for all in attendance. Read more
Spark Presents: Scratch Night
A testing ground for new performative workOn Tuesday 11 November 2025 - at the Royal Pump Rooms, Scratch Night featured four sharings of work from a mix of local artists. After each sharing, there was a chance for the audience to chat with the artists about what they’ve seen. Offering feedback, thoughts, or just curiosity about the creative process. Read more
Spark Presents: Open Studios Exchange
Bringing national open studio models into local discussion
We welcomed Warwickshire Open Studios, and several other Open Studio initiatives from across the UK, to the Royal Spa Centre in December 2025 - for their round-table discussion about the Open Studios model, hear about their successes and the challenges they face, and explore how they’re planning for the future. The Spark Presents programme provided space and support for creative sector development. Read more
Spark Presents: Makers' Fair
Showcasing Local MakersThe Spark Presents Maker's Fair, produced and delivered in partnership with Art in the Park Leamington, was a one day art market that took place at the Royal Spa Centre on Friday 13 March 2025. It's a FREE platform for local makers and creatives to sell their work - and forms part of the wider Spark Symposium.