Shine for The Spark - Help us protect Children's Arts

We are pleased to announce our new fund-raising campaign - Shine For The Spark 2012. The Festival needs to raise £10,000 to protect its education programme which makes a difference to thousands of children in schools each year. We are calling for public donations to reach a target of £5,000 in an appeal which will see donations doubled by business contributions.

Public donations will be matched pound for pound. The Spark Festival is delighted that Next plc has started the ball rolling by making the first business donation to the appeal. Spark Director Ellen Bianchini said: “This is a great start to our appeal by a major Leicester company and we hope that more businesses will follow their lead. Public and business donations are becoming increasingly important as public sector funding is squeezed. The arts for children are particularly vulnerable – they are not statutory, not high profile, and not high on education priorities, yet we know that The Spark makes a big difference to the lives of thousands of children each year and boosts their learning. ”

What your donations will fund

Next year’s Spark will run from 28^th May – 10^th June, bringing leading international and national artists creating work for children to Leicester. Funding will support our accessible and inclusive schools programme, taking the music, dance and theatre into classrooms in some of Leicester‘s most deprived wards. It will also subsidise theatre visits and workshops for thousands of children, through contributing to transport costs for schools.

How to donate

Donations can be made online via the Big Give website: click here to donate

Alternatively, cheques can be made payable to The Spark Children's Arts Festival, and posted to The Spark Festival, LCB Depot, 31 Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1RE. Please complete and enclose a Gift Aid form, if applicable.

Donate via Just Text Giving

The Shine For The Spark appeal is now up and running and the festival has its very own JustTextGiving text number. Donations can be made by texting 70070 and key in SPAR10 followed by the amount e.g. SPAR10 £10.

Please note: donations can only be made in amounts of £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10. You will be contacted to ask if you wish to gift aid your donation.

Support us as you shop online

Thousands of stores will donate money to us when you shop with them online through Give as you Live. Sign up and discover how you can turn every Christmas purchase into a donation for us, at no cost to you.

• Raise money for us, at no cost to you
• Sign up to start shopping now or create a wish list
• Get great offers from your favourite brands

Please click the Shop For us button to find out more.

Raise money with Fundraising activities

You can help raise funds in whatever way you like. A sponsored run, a cake bake for school, or a Sparky Bonfire Party. See below for more ideas !

Schools are invited to choose 1 day as 'Sparkle Day' during the Autumn term. On that day everyone is invited to pay £1 to sparkle, glisten and glitter - teachers included! Make glossy hats, hair-bands, bandanas and crowns for the day - wear your most dazzling clothes – or paint your face and twinkle all day!

To let us know about your fund-raising plans, please email sparkle@sparkfestival.co.uk

(Pictured: some young friends of the Spark making sparkly cakes)