Know Before You Go
There is a conference hotel room block available through The Madison Concourse Hotel, an in-kind sponsor of the conference, with discounted hotel parking. This hotel is a short 5 minute drive from the Madison Youth Arts Center, where the conference is taking place. The Madison Concourse Hotel is located at 1 W Dayton St, Madison, Wisconsin.
Please note the hotel reservation deadline is October 16, 2026. To reserve your hotel room within the conference block, please use this link.The Madison Youth Arts Center (MYArts) is located at 1055 East Mifflin Street in Madison, Wisconsin. The conference will take place on throughout the fourth floor. Registration for the conference will take place on the fourth floor. A program will be provided to you explaining where to go for each session. Any AFA or MYArts staff member or volunteer can provide guidance or directions as well.
​
There is a parking garage attached to the Madison Youth Arts Center with accessible parking. The rate is $2 per hour, with a maximum of $12 per day, and $25 for a lost ticket. Anyone requiring accessible parking can present their accessible parking placard to the front desk to receive parking validation. Additionally, street parking is available in the surrounding area. For full information about parking at MYArts, please utilize this document.
Madison is a hub for arts, entertainment, and more! We recommend visiting Destination Madison to learn about all the events taking place throughout your stay. Here are some places we suggest:
​
Great Dane Pub & Brewing—This restaurant has a wide variety of food and drinks to choose from and has a location on the opposite side of the capitol square.
Draper Brothers Chophouse—This fine dining steakhouse, located on the capitol square, blends the traditions of the midwest with Italian flair.
State Street—Peruse the many boutique shops along state street, only a few blocks from The Madison Concourse Hotel.
JavaAbilities—Enjoy coffee, desserts, or meals at this friendly cafe located in Monona. This cafe serves high-quality food and drinks with a powerful mission.
About SPARK!
SPARK! is a creative engagement program for people with early to mid-stage memory loss and their care partners. Programs are designed to keep participants actively engaged in their communities by providing experiences that stimulate conversations, provide peer support and inspire creativity through creative engagement, workshops and programs. SPARK! programs are FREE for families to attend together in a comfortable environment led by specially trained staff and volunteers.
.jpg)
Attend the 2026 Conference
Arts for All Wisconsin invites you to the 2026 SPARK! Creative Engagement Conference, a two-day, in-person training event for existing SPARK! organizations and people interested in bringing SPARK! to their communities.
​
Conference sessions will address creative engagement, brain health, best practices, program logistics, activity ideas, and the process of establishing a new SPARK! program.
Lodging Details
We're grateful for the opportunity to partner with The Madison Concourse Hotel to provide luxurious rooms to our conference guests, located in the heart of downtown Madison. The Madison Concourse Hotel is conveniently located less than a 10 minute drive away from the Madison Youth Arts Center.
A networking mixer will take place at The Madison Concourse Hotel
To reserve your discounted rate, please use the link below
Conference Schedule
*Please note that this schedule is subject to change.*
Monday, November 9, 2026
10:00 am
SPARK! Alliance Meeting
12:00 pm
SPARK! Alliance Lunch
12:30 pm
Conference Registration Opens
1:00 pm
Welcome
Welcome from Arts for All Wisconsin and SPARK! Alliance.
1:30 pm
Opening Keynote Speaker
Dr. Nathaniel Chin, Medical Director for the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
2:15 pm
Break
2:30 pm
Break-Out Sessions
3:30 pm
Break
3:45 pm
Full Engagement Program
Program by Laughter on Call
4:45 pm
Group Reflection
5:30 pm
Networking Reception at the Concours Hotel
6:30 pm
SPARK! Alliance Dinner
Tuesday, November 9, 2026
11 am
Test 2 for 2
Test 2 description for 2
10:00 am
Test 1
Test 1 description for 2
Dr. Nathaniel Chin
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Nathaniel Chin is the creator and host of Dementia Matters. He is a geriatrician, memory clinic doctor, and medical director for the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. His father's diagnosis with early onset Alzheimer’s disease inspired him to pursue a career as a geriatrician and scientist.
%20copy.jpeg)
Dani Klein Modisett
Keynote Speaker
Dani Klein Modisett is the Founder/CEO of Laughter On Call. In 2018 she launched Laughter On Call to help caregivers all those in need of connection to create shared laughter. She has been a speaker at CALA, ICAA, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, UCLA, Dartmouth, Fuqua and Harvard Business School
Dr. Fabu Carter
Special Guest
Dr. Fabu Carter, poet and senior program manager for the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, will speak about the disproportionate impact of Alzheimer’s disease on the Black community and discuss initiatives aimed at combating the disease.
Beni Daiko Drumming
Special Performance
The Madison Japanese Taiko Group "Beni Daiko" is Madison's premiere mainland taiko drumming group. Founded in November 2012, the group now includes members from a variety of backgrounds. Beni means "deep red" in Japanese, representing Madison, and taiko (or daiko) means "drum."
Attendees can receive or renew their SPARK! certification
Learn how to establish a new SPARK! program or strengthen your current program
Gain insight from professionals about brain health and best practices
Learn about creative engagement, program logistics, and new activity ideas
Conference Highlights
