SPARK Rotterdam

When we sent out a survey earlier this summer asking, “How has your time at SPARK been?”, we expected comments about logistics, location, or some well-sandwiched feedback points. Instead, we discovered something deeper. Their experience of improv wasn’t just about picking up a hobby or filling the blank spaces in one’s schedule — it was about community, belonging, presence, and fun. Our weekly classes, monthly shows, and regular activities had become spaces for genuine connection. It turned...

Let’s face it: what a hard time to be alive. When each day brings a new load of unfathomable, gut-wrenching news, it’s tempting to give in to hopelessness, to numb, to retreat, or to disconnect. Starting a “new hobby,” practicing something seemingly useless, or going to see live comedy and laughing in a room full of strangers (maybe even… enemies) might feel like a distraction - albeit a welcome one. But we would argue that it is precisely in times like these that play is most needed. The...

Here’s something we often hear or read: As you grow older, it gets harder to make new friends. Sure, you occasionally meet new people - colleagues you actually like, short-lived holiday buddies, party encounters -or even unsuccessful dates-turned-pals. But maybe you feel that gone are the days when you didn’t have to take out your agendas to plan your next hangout. That everyone just seems too busy. Perhaps you’ve made some big life moves but didn’t find the right people along the way. Maybe...