IGNITE! 5K Recap

Showing Up for Community, Movement, and the Arts

On a crisp Saturday morning, December 6, Arts Ignite gathered at the Prospect Park Nethermead for the IGNITE! 5K Race, a community-centered fundraising event rooted in movement, creativity, and connection. Participants included Arts Ignite staff, Teaching Artists, supporters, and first-time runners — some seasoned athletes, others stepping into a challenge they had never taken on before. What united everyone was a shared commitment to Arts Ignite’s mission and a willingness to show up.

For Marie Klepacz, Senior Program Manager at Arts Ignite and race leader, the day represented the intersection of two passions: equitable education and movement. While she does not describe herself as “built to run,” Marie shared that running became a way to build strength, process demanding days, and reconnect with creativity.

“Running became my space to feel strong and to process the long days of teaching,” she shared.

That perspective closely aligns with Arts Ignite’s belief that creativity takes many forms.

“Any rhythmic movement can be an art,” Marie reflects. “Running, to me, is a form of dance.”

Despite frigid temperatures, spirits were high throughout the morning. Fifteen Arts Ignite runners gathered beneath a bright blue IGNITE! sign, easily recognizable among the crowd. There were runners who had completed marathons and runners who had never gone more than a mile. Friends caught up along the course, supporters cheered from the sidelines, and photographer Shawn Salley captured moments of joy, determination, and accomplishment. At the finish line, volunteers greeted runners with bagels, apples, and hot cocoa, offering warmth and celebration after the final stretch.

For Marie, the most powerful part of the day wasn’t the run itself — it was the community that formed around it.

“The joy of the day came from the people who showed up.”

In many ways, that sentiment reflects the heart of Arts Ignite’s work. Teaching Artists show up with passion. Young people show up with courage. Staff show up with care and dedication. Supporters show up with generosity and belief in the power of the arts.

As Arts Ignite looks ahead to a new year of programming and impact, the IGNITE! 5K serves as a reminder that meaningful change begins when people show up — for themselves, for one another, and for their communities.

“When you show up,” Marie says, “it always makes an impact.”

Thank you to everyone who joined us, supported the race, and helped make the IGNITE! 5K a meaningful and memorable celebration of community, creativity, and purpose.

Photo credit: Shawn Salley