SPARK! Conference | Arts for All Wisconsin

Know Before You Go

The conference will include a key note speech from Dr. Nathaniel Chin, Medical Director for the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention, about the importance of building community for both the caregiver and the person living with dementia. There will be additional group presentations from other professionals that work with people living with dementia, including Deanna Rymaszewski from Agrace Hospice Care, Maria Mora Pinzon from the UW Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Heidi Neely from the Alzheimer's Association Wisconsin Chapter, and more.

Tuesday will host the majority of break out sessions, including creative engagement sessions with SPARK! Alliance members and additional professionals. The full conference agenda is available through this link.
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.

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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.