Light A Spark partners with local nonprofit organizations to offer fragile families access to shared cultural experiences. This work is vitally important because these shared cultural experiences are proven to counterbalance any adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, neglect or household dysfunction, which can impact a person’s lifelong health and well-being. Parents and children who can enjoy cultural outings together are able to deepen their sense of connection and build the resilience they need to face adversity with fortitude.
Many children in the Nashville community suffer from adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, neglect or household dysfunction, which can have a negative impact on their health and well-being over the course of their entire lives. One way to mitigate the impact of these adverse events is to counterbalance them with positive experiences. And because child health is inextricably linked to parent health, the most effective approach is to foster positive shared experiences for the family as a unit.
Light A Spark facilitates these shared family experiences, giving sole emphasis to shared cultural experiences. Giving fragile families full access to the transformative power of the cultural arts deepens their sense of connection and helps them build the resilience they need to face adversity with fortitude. The positive impact of these shared family experiences is lifelong and crosses all domains, from physical health to emotional and mental well-being. Together we have the power to light a spark in even the darkest of places.
Help us build brighter futures.
“Shared family experiences offer invaluable opportunities for connection and exploration. When caregivers are able to join their children on trips to cultural destinations, they have the opportunity to 'light a spark' of interest with their children that can be fostered for many years to come. Oftentimes, these are memories that families return to over and over. These awe-inspiring experiences can also foster a mindset shift to think or be in a way that was not possible before the experience.”
“These experiences allow families to step away from their normal routines and everyday stress, and provide them with an opportunity to simply enjoy each other. Parents are able to be more present with their children during these activities because the financial burden of providing the experience has been removed.”
Pamela Johnson
Pamela Johnson was an ECON president, and a strong and visionary leader. Her unique vision birthed what is now known as Light A Spark (formerly the Cultural Assistance Program), an initiative that bonded a number of Nashville’s community resource agencies with the city’s diverse array of cultural institutions. Through her leadership with some of the nation’s premier arts and cultural centers – among them Cheekwood, the Smithsonian, the Getty Museum, the Country Music Hall of Fame and OZ Arts – Pamela knew the power and potential of the arts to lift the soul and spirit of each person who experienced them. Her beautiful vision has enabled children and their families to share in these kinds of rich experiences that would otherwise have been unavailable to them.