About Spark, the one day festival, sparking new ways to learn through digital innovation that Long Run Works co-created with MakerClub.

1. SPARK!
A one day festival of ideas,
sparking new ways to learn
through digital innovation.
An introduction for partners.
Created
by:
Supported
by:

2. Innovation in digital education moves
too fast for school timetables.
A PROBLEM WORTH
SOLVING.

3. It’s hardest on teachers who care but
face time and budget challenges.
TEACHERS ARE
BRILLIANT AND NEED
MORE SUPPORT.

4. It offers an awesome opportunity for
young people and society.
OUR CALL TO
ADVENTURE.

5. SPARK is a festival of ideas to find
new ways to unleash potential.
THE PURPOSE IS TO
SPARK ACTION.
IT’S DESIGNED FOR
DOERS.
IT’S FOR BUILDING
NEW IDEAS*
*£5k of support for the best idea
IT’S FOR PEOPLE
WHO CARE ABOUT
THE PROBLEM.
IT’S HARD, FUN AND
REWARDING.

6. So what is SPARK?
• A one-day festival of ideas, sparking new
ways to learn through digital innovation.
• PARADE OF MAKERS
• Families and school groups can take a
journey through the Parade of Makers,
where they will be able to 3D print, code
and make robots; build apps, websites
and games; turn everyday objects into
musical instruments and make flashing
art with electric paint.
• Makers include BlockBuilders,
MakerClub, Ready Salted Code,
Technology Will Save Us.
• 200 tickets will be free for families.
• 1st September 2015, the first day of Brighton Digital Festival
• The Clarendon Centre, Brighton, BN1 4GQ
• WORKSHOPS
• At the heart of SPARK are a series of
workshops that bring together teachers,
entrepreneurs, employers and young
people, to find new ways to teach new
skills. In 2014 workshops ran on
computational thinking, the skills gap,
maker communities and rewilding.
• Last year’s attendees included Barclays,
SKY, BBC, Brighton Uni and Brandwatch.
• Participation is by nomination/invitation.
• Check out our short film of last year’s pilot festival.

7. What does the the day look like?
Running order
09.30 – 10.00 Get coffee and get connecting
10.00 – 10.05 Welcome to SPARK Brighton
10.05 – 10.20 The Big Tech Summer Awards – 3D printing
medals for the most inspiring projects
10.30 – 12.30 Workshops - session 1: Vision, Mapping and
Identifying Solutions
10.30 – 12.30 Parade of Makers – session 1
13.00 – 13.50
Lunch
Coping with Coding panel debate - one year on
the curriculum, how are schools doing?
14.00 – 16.00 Workshops - session 2: Prioritising and
Developing roadmaps for Solutions
14.00 – 16.00 Parade of Makers – session 2
16.30 – 16.50 Workshops - group presentations
16.50 – 17.00 Closing remarks
17.30 Networking in Al Campo Lounge, London Road

8. THE AWARDS
To celebrate the culmination of MakerClub’s
first Big Tech Summer
Over 60 summer events in six week to get kids in
Brighton crafting, coding, making, designing,
building, fixing and inventing.

9. THE PANEL DEBATE:
One year on the curriculum, are
schools coping with coding?
“We’re not just trying to encourage people to
become developers. We’re trying to
encourage children to become creative”.
“If you teach computing and do it
right, you can help children
develop their learning in literacy
and numeracy,”
“At primary level, it helps children to
be articulate and think logically.”
“Whether we're fighting climate change or going
to space, everything is moved forward by
computers, and we don't have enough people
who can code”.
“Learning to code gives you a
completely new perspective
when you look at a computer.
Before, you think of it as an
appliance -- like a fridge --
accepting what it can do. After,
you know that you can code that
computer to do anything you
can imagine it doing. That's a
massive change ... and a
massive challenge!”
“Along with reading and
writing, the ability to
code is going to define
what an educated
person is”.
“Learning to code at a young
age opened my eyes to the
incredibly exciting world of
technology and
entrepreneurship”.
“Our national competitiveness depends upon
our ability to educate our children—and that
includes our girls—in this critical field”.

10. What do the workshops look like?
Making Makers
Mind the Gap
Serious Play Rewilding
Level Up
Computational
Thinking
How to inspire
the next
generation?
How to join the
dots between
school and work?
How to get more
gender diversity in
coding and making?
How to inspire
teachers to become
digital earners?
How to combine
the best of tech
and nature?
How to create
more inspired
problem solving?
Workshops are pop-up communities of 8-10 people - a mix of learners, businesses,
entrepreneurs and teachers - who are directed by co-chairs and supported by
facilitators. Their task is to come up with new ideas.

11. Why is it different?
Rewilding Brighton & Hove – a
coalition that continues to meet
with the aim of securing a city-wide
strategy and new brand support.
The festival is designed to bring new people
together to create ways making stuff happen.
MakerLab – a crowd funded digital
educational space on London Road in
Brighton, dedicated to learning
technology and exploring creativity.
Collide – a 17 week traineeship in
communications resulting in a pitch
showcase, for 10 unemployed 16 to
19 year olds starting Sept 2015.
• Check out our short film of last year’s pilot festival.
Three outcomes of SPARK 2014:

12. How did people feel about it in 2014?*
“Would you pass on to the other organisers what a brilliantly run
and pitched event I found this to be. Really privileged to be part of
it - a genuine learning experience”.
“Great to meet you yesterday and thanks for such great day
- so many interesting people and ideas. I thought the format
for the day was really inspired - there was a great pace and
range of interactions which meant that although it was tiring
there wasn't a loss of engagement at any point”.
“I'd love to be a part of an on-going process of collaboration and creative
thinking. How great to have this initiative so close to home.
Thanks again for putting on such a great event with Guy. I believe it had real
value and I look forward to seeing the outcomes from it.
Well done team, it was a really good event, thanks for letting me come along.”
“I emailed Simon to say how incredibly impressed I was with
the event. I need to meet with you all further to discuss
aspects arising from this. You were brilliant in hosting it with
such energy, commitment and focus. Such a privilege for me
to be involved. I really feel at home with you all and the work
you are doing. I’ll be in touch about meeting up and sorry I
could only commit the morning to this”.
“You held the day especially well - with a great
combination of humility and rigorous thinking.”
*unsolicited emails post event.
“Thanks for a great day yesterday - what a treat to be part
of something so inspiring and so local! You gathered a
really great bunch of people together and shaped a day
that stimulated some very interesting ideas - I don't think
I've had to think that hard in ages. Good luck with
unravelling it all!”

13. SPARK is a not for profit endeavour and we want to build a team of likeminded doers, from within
big business to local schools, who can help grow as many good ideas about digital education as
possible. If that’s you, get in touch: declan@makerclub.org or charlotte@longrun.works
We’d love to hear from you.
Come and join us help grow
the good in digital education.

14. How did people feel about it?
Beyond 2015: Our ambition is to help more
cities find local solutions by using SPARK.
We’re developing our
brand, model and
partnerships for scale.

15. SPARK!
MakerClub makes 3D printed
robotics to teach kids to
programme – makerclub.org
Long Run Works makes
stories that grow good ideas
– longrun.works
Created
by:
Supported
by: