Hello, I'm so excited for today's episode of Film for Impact. Today we are talking to Lauren Sparkman Founder and Head of Ventures for Sparkland Studios. I met Lauren years ago when we worked on the award - winning film Rasheeda's Freedom Day in partnership with The Harrison Center for the Arts. From there, a beautiful friendship has sparked! Today we get to have an amazing conversation about how she found her path as a business creative as well as the amazing things that are going on at Sparkland Studios! 0:00 -Start 2:49 - Intro and Lauren's bio 4:25 - When did the spark happen that set you on your path? 5:52 - Did you know what role you wanted to play in the creative process? 7:27 - What are some of the roles you've been in over the years? 12:46 - When in your journey did you find you wanted to pursue sustainability as a creative and what does it mean to you? 17:00 - What does Sparkland Studios do to help creatives build a creative eco - system? 20:32 - Lauren and I remember about our first brunch date! 24:00 - We talk about our partnership with the award- winning film Rasheeda's Freedom Day 30:15 - What is the next big thing you are excited about with Sparkland? 34:50 - How you can find out more about Sparkland Studios Lauren's Bio Producer. Investor. Student of animation history. Obsessive professional wrestling fan. Lauren Sparkman doesn’t fit neatly into a box. She does, however, have a history with a certain famous oval. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Lauren’s childhood unfolded against the backdrop of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—one of the most storied sports venues in the world. From an early age, she took an active interest in the Hulman & Company family business, gaining insight into industries such as motorsports, hospitality, broadcast media, and manufacturing. Along the way, she cultivated a deep appreciation for the value of responsible stewardship, strong partnerships, and powerful storytelling. Through both her role in Hulman & Company and in various personal projects, Lauren has built a dynamic and multifaceted skill set. She has worked as a producer on sporting events and broadcasts, helped build startup ventures, collaborated with arts and cultural organizations, and advised on economic and real estate development projects. In 2018, she launched Citizenry Press: an arts-oriented development studio that combined her love of storytelling with her passion for supporting legacy-minded creatives. Citizenry Press developed exhibits, produced films, and collaborated on publishing projects. In many ways, it laid the groundwork for Sparkland. As Sparkland’s Head of Ventures, Lauren leverages her social, financial, and creative capital to support and sustain enterprises and projects led by visionary creatives in a variety of industries. Her work takes her around the globe, as Sparkland’s roster of partners span the world. Still, Lauren remains strongly rooted in her hometown of Indianapolis. She serves on the boards of several local arts, cultural, and civic organizations, and, along with her husband, Jared, oversees an impact investing fund focused on elevating Central Indiana entrepreneurs. Both philanthropically and commercially, Lauren is driven by a desire to help artists and entrepreneurs build sustainable careers that lead to lasting legacies. When not pursuing this goal, she is likely either traveling, spending time with her husband and their son, Leo, or sharpening her foreign language skills on Duolingo–something she has done every day for 1,150 consecutive days…and counting.
