SPARK

After visiting cities like Melbourne, Bilbao and London for over a year and a half, it is high time that Studio Roosegaarde's organic fireworks show can be seen in the Netherlands. SPARK is a poetic display of thousands of biodegradable sparks of light floating organically through the air. "More than traditional fireworks, SPARK has a hypnotic effect. It brings calm, like a campfire. And just like a campfire, it brings people together," says artist Daan Roosegaarde. "You can watch it for hours or stick around during your evening walk with the dog.”

Roosegaarde, don't we know that name from somewhere? Yes, we do! In 2018, artist Daan Roosegaarde amazed the city with his light artwork Waterlicht (Water Light), a virtual flood that showed the power of water. As one of the first projects of Leeuwarden-Fryslân 2018, the blue oasis put the Wilhelminaplein in a different light. It was the promise that the whole year would bring us: art, magic and cultural abundance. The municipality of Leeuwarden and Visit Leeuwarden have invited Studio Roosegaarde to sprinkle their magic over the city for the second time.

Studio Roosegaarde
As a design lab, designer Daan Roosegaarde and his team connect people and technology to improve landscapes and spark the imagination. Besides WaterLicht (Water Light), they worked on internationally renowned designs such as Smog Free Project; the world's first and largest air purifier that turns smog into jewels, the Space Waste Lab; visualising and upcycling space waste, Urban Sun; cleans public spaces of the corona virus and Seeing Stars; which brings the stars back to the streets of your city. SPARK is the fourth project of Studio Roosegaarde and Media.Monks' DreamScapes series in which a dream becomes reality to create a better world.

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The future is thundering, and in our direction, but Daan Roosegaarde is motivated to turn our fears into curiosity by designing realistic alternatives. Thus, we can see SPARK as an ecological alternative to (noise) polluting fireworks. Everyone is invited to partake in an eco-friendly future. SPARK celebrates the interconnectedness between people and nature, and it allows traditions to be preserved in a new way.

In addition, the art project is a sustainable alternative to events that seek to promote reflection and celebration, such as the Olympics, the 4th of July, New Year's Eve or other community celebrations. Combining design and technology, thousands of light sparks made of biodegradable materials will soon move silently across the Oldehoofsterkerkhof, floating on the ever-changing wind.

It is shimmering and shining in Leeuwarden. Indeed, this autumn is once again full of festivals and festive events, lighting up the dark-days calendar. Besides SPARK, we are looking forward to our fave autumn festivals, Explore the North and the Northern Film Festival. During Museum Night (Museumnacht), stories will emerge that can't bear the light of day and this year the most famous ice-skating tour of the world is really happening.