An intern interjects: A look at Spark from our newest newbie

Hi there. I’m Natalie. I’m 20, I’m still a university student and I’m an intern here at Creative Spark. For my first blog article, I want to talk about the working environment I’ve found myself in, as I’ve found it inspiring to be learning from professionals who value a creative environment as a way of generating creative work.

The first thing you notice is the noise. Office hours at Spark Towers are soundtracked by everything from bouncing ping pong balls, celebratory bell rings (for winning new business), the padding paws of the office dog and the Sonos-powered playlist of the studio’s favourite music on shuffle. All the classics are played,* from Radiohead to Jurassic 5. We even, now and again, get Adele, a guilty pleasure I’m completely in favour of.

Nestled in the heart of Manchester, the Creative Spark office is quintessential NQ: wooden floors, exposed brick walls and large windows that, on rare occasion, let the lacklustre Northern sun pour in. It’s home to both a motivated, imaginative team and Max, our Cairn Terrier, Studio Supervisor and empty-chair-hunter extraordinaire. I now wholeheartedly vouch that a dog in an office makes everyone’s day happier.

A rustic 9ft table doubles as both a meeting space and a spot for a takeaway feast, while a bright open space, with communal desks, allows easy communication and collaboration between teams. It also makes the process of snack sharing (most commonly Skips and strawberry pencils), all too easy.

The studio operates with creativity at the root of all its work. I’ve found it interesting how the flexible surroundings and refreshing atmosphere contribute to open, interested minds. It has me hooked to say the least, and it definitely works. I’m looking forward to seeing more.

*Through speakers, although spontaneous singing and a tiny guitar do sometimes feature.