Sparks Happen When Curious Minds Connect
Our talks, presentations and film screenings foster dialogue and strengthen connections within our community.
Welcome to The Spark Presents
Our Mission
Our Partners
Our Mission
The Spark Presents is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public discourse through curated talks, film screenings, and community discussions that foster interactive learning experiences. By sharing diverse perspectives and encouraging open discussion, we contribute to a more informed and connected community.
Our Team
Our Partners
Our Mission
We have a crew of dedicated people working to bring you meaningful events each month from September to June, including community discussions, curated talks, and film screenings. Meet Dorian Winslow, Sam Petersson, Maria Reade, and Lisa Kelsey.
Our Partners
Our Partners
Our Partners
We're grateful for the ongoing support of Trinity-Pawling School for the use of Gardiner Theater, which hosts our community discussions, curated talks, and film screenings, as well as the local sponsors who provide essential funding and in-kind donations.
Saturday January 31st, "Music As Inspiration"
Gardiner Theater, Trinity-Pawling School, Starts at 12:30pm
Join us for an afternoon viewing of three documentary films that celebrate music's power to build community, amplify unheard voices and uplift the soul.
- The Only Girl in the Orchestra, 12:30 - 1:15 pm Academy Award-winning documentary short about trailblazing double bassist Orin O'Brien.
- The Last Repair Shop, 1:20 - 2:00pm A loving portrait of a gritty instrument repair shop that becomes a lifeline for local students in the city of Los Angeles.
- Snack break. We will provide light snacks and beverages.
- Landfill Harmonic, 2:30pm - 4:00pm The true story of a Paraguayan youth orchestra that transforms garbage into instruments, proving creativity can turn poverty into remarkable music and global recognition.
- 4pm, Special Guest: Chris Kelsey, musician and instrumental music teacher at Trinity-Pawling, will speak about his class project based on the film Landfill Harmonic.
Saturday, January 31st, 12:30 - 4:30pm, Gardiner Theater, Trinity-Pawling School
Sunday February 8th, Author Event
The Learning Commons Library, Trinity-Pawling School, 2:00pm
Join us on February 8th at 2pm in the Learning Commons Library at Trinity-Pawling School.
Maria Reade will interview the father and son writing team Josh and Jack Viertel about their acclaimed thriller The Glass Eel.
Set against the richly drawn backdrop of coastal Maine, the story centers on Jeanette King, whose discovery of her ex-husband’s stash of baby eels pulls her into an underworld of smugglers, political corruption, and ecological exploitation. As she investigates, Jeanette joins forces with a local cop and an Indigenous activist to expose not just the smugglers, but the deeper systems of ecological and political corruption at play.
Vivid and timely, The Glass Eel explores the fragile coastal ecosystem, the global rise in black-market elver trading, and the ongoing struggle for Indigenous sovereignty. This is a powerful debut with clever wit, heart and urgency.
Audio and hard cover copies of this book are available now at The Pawling Library. Josh and Jack will be selling and signing books after the talk. This is a free event.
Sunday, February 8th, The Learning Commons, Trinity-Pawling School. Enter through Cluett Hall.
Film Screening at The Pawling Public Library
. Free for All: The Public Library tells the story of the quiet revolutionaries who made a simple idea happen. From the pioneering women behind the “Free Library Movement” to today's librarians who service the public despite working in a contentious age of closures and book bans.
Brought to you by The Pawling Library in partnership with The Spark Presents.
January 16, 2026
Screening of "The Hundred Foot Journey"
This comedy-drama was produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, and directed by Lasse Hallström (known for Chocolat). Starring Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal and Charlotte Le Bon. Based on the bestselling book of the same title by Richard C. Morais.
We experience the film on the big screen and share the moment with family, friends and neighbors.
December 13, 2025
Patrick Bringley Talk
"All the Beauty in the World, The Metropolitan Musuem of Art and Me" is Patrick Bringley's New York Times bestselling book that recounts his ten years working as a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Following a personal loss, Bringley found solace within the museum's walls, where his daily encounters with art, coworkers, and visitors deeply influenced his outlook. Through his experiences, Bringley reveals how art can comfort, uplift, and offer fresh insights into grief, life, and meaning.
A video of the event is available when you click "Learn More" below.
November 2, 2025
"America's Changing Role In The World"
Award-winning journalist Soledad O'Brien engages in conversation with three experts in the field of foreign affairs. William Brangham, correspondent and producer for "PBS NewsHour" in Washington, DC; Scott Busby who served for 10 years as deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor at the U.S. Department of State; and John Torpey, Presidential Professor of Sociology and History at the Graduate Center, City University of New York.
A video of the event is available when you click "Learn More" below.
October 19, 2025
Tom Wessels Talk
Renowned ecologist Tom Wessels invites us to become detectives of the land, decoding the rich narratives that shape our natural surroundings. In this event, Tom Wessels interprets photos shared by audience members taken in our local woods.
June 1, 2025
"Join Or Die" Film & Discussion with Filmmaker
The award-winning documentary ‘Join or Die’ examines the decline of civic engagement in America. Following the film screening a discussion with the director Rebecca Davis takes place via Zoom.
April 27, 2025
"Transforming Food" Film Festival and Panel Discussion
A two-day film festival that explores how we grow, process, package, and deliver our food. Sam Petersson leads a panel discussion with local farmers, chefs, and food advocates.
March 8 and 9, 2025.
Edward Hopper and John Singer Sargent, Films and Discussion
Two days of documentary film screenings featuring two iconic artists, followed by talks led by Ned Reade, art teacher emeritus at Trinity-Pawling School.
February 8 and 9, 2025.
"Food and Country" Film Screening
Ruth Reichl, the former editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, stars in an award-winning documentary that highlights the challenges faced by farmers, fishermen, ranchers, chefs, and activists as they strive to produce nutritious food in America.
October 20, 2024
"Solving the problem of Plastic" Moderated by Soledad O'Brien
Journalist Soledad O’Brien moderates a community discussion featuring Eve Schaub, author of Year of No Garbage, and Meghan Olson from Ecovative. As the world’s leading mycelium technology company, Ecovative is reshaping industries by replacing plastics and animal products with sustainable plant-based alternatives.
April 21, 2024