Spark of Brilliance Moves Ahead

From Arts in Guelph - September/October, 2002

Thanks to a recent Trillium grant of $179,000 over three years, the innovative Spark of Brilliance program has been able to move ahead in several exciting ways. One of the first big steps has been the hiring of Spark of Brilliance founder Judith Rosenberg to take on the challenging role of Program Co-ordinator. Judith has been a driving force behind Spark of Brilliance ever since it was launched in 1999 as a community-based program to promote mental health through creativity. She is delighted and excited that she has been given the opportunity to continue her work and to build on what has already been accomplished.

The aim of Spark of Brilliance is to bring together individuals who are dealing with serious mental health issues, the families who support them, mental health professionals, and members of the community who can help foster creative expression. One of the most important ingredients of the program has been the series of workshops led by creative mentors who have offered their gifts and their expertise to help individuals discover a talent, an interest, an untapped resource -- in other words, to connect with one's creative spark. Judith Rosenberg praises the calibre of the creative mentors who have participated to date, and notes that the program is looking to recruit more artists, writers, musicians, photographers - creative people who are willing to be involved.

Plans for the next few months include an exciting series of creative workshops already lined up as well as a fashion show at the Cutten Club to be called Stitches of Brilliance, a Spark of Brilliance magazine, a web site, a CD with James Gordon and a theatre night in May 2003. Also, at 7 p.m. on October 1, 2002, Spark of Brilliance will host an Author's Night at The Bookshelf, with Scott Simmie and Julia Nunes, co-authors of Beyond Crazy. These same two authors helped introduce Spark of Brilliance to the Guelph community last November, talking to a capacity audience on the subject of their earlier book The Last Taboo.

Spark of Brilliance has enjoyed the support and active involvement of Homewood Health Centre, Canadian Mental Health Association, Community Mental Health Clinic, Guelph Arts Council, The Bookshelf, and most recently Guelph Youth Music Centre.

For more information on Spark of Brilliance or to book tickets for the October 1 Author's Night, call (519) 836-6220 x315.