Diantha Dow Schull talks with arts and health professionals on the emerging research and practices of social prescribing for the arts (SPA) in the U.S. and other countries.
Author: caradmin
Creative Aging Around the Globe with Maura O’Malley (Audio + Transcript)
In the audio interview below, Maura discusses: 1.) the innovative ways in which arts and cultural leaders in Europe and Asia are serving their older adult communities and combating social isolation 2.) their interests in Lifetime Arts’ capacity building efforts and advocacy around ageism, and 3.) the emerging opportunities that international engagements are creating for Lifetime Arts and cultural institutions across the world.
Point of View: Why Creative Aging? It’s More Than Personal—It’s Societal.
“Point of View: Why Creative Aging? It’s More Than Personal—It’s Societal,” is an article written by Maura O’Malley, Lifetime Arts CEO and Co-founder and published by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). In the article, Maura shares how navigating the senior care system for her creative aunt in her eighties expanded her interest in educational arts programming for older adults, and decades later, how Lifetime Arts was born through this research-backed movement. Additionally, she shares the importance of creative aging implementation in museums and how this sector can get involved.
Dismantling Ageism Key to a Healthy Society (Audio + Transcript)
What does ageism have to do with creative aging? Everything.
Careful Planning, Continuous Refinement, Innovative Solutions for Online Programming in San Juan, PR
In September and October 2020, Museo de Historia, Antropología, y Arte in San Juan delivered a new, fully-online visual arts program, La Vida es un Arte 2.0, (Life is an Art Form 2.0) during strict COVID-19 quarantine and lockdown measures. The program drew in raves from 40 participants who learned how to draw with materials found in the home during 4 two-hour sessions last fall. Through careful planning and continuous refinement, the hands-on museum staff worked through the challenges of remote delivery format, internet access stability, technical support, and delivering an engaging culminating event online. Their innovative thinking led to a unique culminating event that showcased participant work in a 3-D, augmented reality display.
Learn more about this program in our latest case study, “Careful Planning and Continuous Refinement: Online Programming Success for Museo de Historia, Antropología, y Arte.”
The Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico is part of the 2019-2020 Seeding Vitality Arts (SVA) in Museums Initiative cohort funded by Aroha Philanthropies with training and technical assistance provided by Lifetime Arts.
Art Made By Older Adults Looks Like ART
Creative Aging Participants Create Memorable and Impressive Artwork. Period.
“Mural Memories” at The Field Library in Peekskill, NY
Bringing older adults together with experienced, mature local artists, “Mural Memories” at The Field Library in Peekskill, NY engaged participants in creating a large public mural entitled “Scrambled Flowers” a re-envisioning of Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers,” in celebration of Peekskill’s Dutch background.
Students each painted 12″X12″ canvases when combined, resulted in a 5′ X 7′ permanent mural which was installed on the exterior of the Field Library. I loved many things about this project:
- “Mature local artists” working side-by-side with the participants
- The methodology: teaching painting skills to build toward a communal product
- The thematic connection: bringing in local history and sense of place
- The permanent installation: celebrating the work and creativity of older adults in the public space
Write Out!: A Senior Memoir Writing Course at The LOFT LGBT Center, White Plains, NY
We’re used to hearing coming out stories from young people, but hearing these stories told from the point of view of people who came out as older adults is doubly poignant.
The Q &A session that followed led to many in the audience expressing regrets that they hadn’t taken this class and would be sure to do so should the opportunity arise. The anthology produced featured a sampling of the stories told at the culminating event.
Selected Examples of Student Work from Other Creative Aging Programs
Audio Extra
Listen to Johnson City Public Library participant, Richard Hood’s thoughts about his surprising experience in this bird sculpture workshop, and how registering for this creative aging workshop changed his life for the better at a critical moment. Richard’s letter is read by Ed Friedman.
Creative Aging During COVID-19
When COVID-19 forced lockdown orders this past spring, professionals working in creative aging and arts education mobilized to discuss the pandemic’s impact on older adults and on the arts community. These groups covered topics such as alleviating social isolation for older adults, teaching artist employment, organizational capacity, innovative programming, online access and technology support, and funding. The following are but a few highlights of these efforts.
Organizing to Supporting the Teaching Artists Who Engage Older Adults
In March, the Teaching Artists Guild (TAG) joined with the Association of Teaching Artists (ATA), the National Guild for Community Arts Education, Creative Generation, NYC Arts in Education Roundtable and the Teaching Artists of the Mid-Atlantic to present a webinar for teaching artists bracing for the impact of COVID-19 on the United States. This webinar is available on TAG’s website, as is a master list of resources from panelists and participants who attended the webinar.
In April, Lifetime Arts produced and launched, Creative Aging 101, a free, one-hour abridged version of our creative aging training in order to support anyone in the field working to combat social isolation in older adults through arts education during lockdown. This mini-course features “Adapting Creative Aging Course Design for Remote Program Delivery” (PDF) a set of guidelines designed to help teaching artists and programmers adapt their curricula for remote delivery. Learn more about this offering and Lifetime Arts’ response from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) blog post: “Social Distancing Doesn’t Need to Equal Social Isolation.” Lifetime Arts also aimed to curate resources that didn’t overlap with the ones already being posted elsewhere.
Throughout the pandemic, the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s Creative Aging Network has actively supported teaching artists, cultural workers, and arts organizations who continue to foster positive aging and social connection for older adults. The Network’s Facebook group serves as an interactive space for creative aging practitioners to share resources, upcoming virtual workshops, presentations and programs, and inspiring stories of successful remote arts learning and social engagement. The Guild has also rebranded their Community Conversations series as virtual co-learning events designed to explore discipline-based topics from dance, music, and theatre programming to arts and K-12 school partnerships to teaching artistry.
This summer, Aroha Philanthropies offered a series of six virtual conversations for members of their Seeding Vitality Arts (SVA) initiative cohort. During these events Lifetime Arts’ provided recommendations and best practices for planning and delivering successful creative aging programs online.
Aroha had also invited their SVA in Museums cohort to apply for support for programming that would accommodate safe protocols. One of the museums who received a grant was Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte in Puerto Rico. Their virtual program, “La Vida es un Arte 2.0,” kicked off in September, and was taught by museum educator, Lisa Ortega-Pol.
Other grantees, like Union County Heritage Museum in Mississippi, held in-person pottery workshops with strict health and safety protocols in place. Their workshop was split up into two separate groups, and class size was reduced to 10 participants. During workshops, participants were socially distanced in their own workspaces, and wore masks.
In August, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) hosted the 2020 Mid-Atlantic Teaching Artist Virtual Retreat to arts education professionals from across the Mid-Atlantic region to build and strengthen a regional network of highly qualified teaching artists. Access a public playlist of the session recordings on YouTube.
Find Out More About Creative Aging Training + Salons
Managing A Quick Pivot to Online Programming
Coro Solera, directed by San Francisco Community Music Center (CMC) faculty members, Martha Rodriguez-Salazar and Jennifer Peringer, is one of the 14 choirs in CMC’s Older Adult Choir Program. Credit: Sylvia Sherman
In an effort to highlight the work being done by a selection of teaching artists and programming organizations across the country, Lifetime Arts launched “Connect Through Creativity Now.” The stories in this series illustrate the hard work and ingenuity that has kept older adults connected and creating during this time of social isolation.
While we have focused on those in the field employing the traditional creative aging model (sequential, skill-based learning featuring social-engagement techniques and components), we also acknowledge others working outside the traditional model, who have offered older adults opportunities to create and share. Teaching artists and organizations serving older adults are invited to share their stories with us.
Browse Connect Through Creativity Now Stories
Selected Efforts Outside the U.S.
Below is a limited selection of the many innovative organizations who continue to support social engagement through arts education and advocacy outside the U.S. (If you would like to share information your agency’s activities, please submit via our feedback form.)
Luminate — Scotland
‘Founded in 2012 with partners Creative Scotland, the Baring Foundation, and Age Scotland, Luminate is Scotland’s creative aging organization.’ In 2018, Luminate implemented a year-round program to develop creative activities with, by and for older people. To continue arts programming during the pandemic, they created Luminate@Home, an online programming opportunity for older adults led by professional artists, and feature different artforms including crafts, poetry, music and dance.
Creative Age — Canada
‘Creative Age was founded by Kathy Smith of London, Ontario, by bringing together a group of talented and creative adults 55+ to form a catalyst network with a mission to improve the quality of life of older adults in the London metro area. For the past 10 years, their facilitators, volunteers and associates have worked with older adults in public libraries, seniors centers, social housing, retirement homes and care homes.’ Since COVID-19, Creative Age has discontinued present and future in-person programs, but are working on promoting computer literacy and virtual activities to older adults in a new and defined program that will benefit a new generation of seniors, caregivers, service providers and community partners.
Age & Opportunity — Ireland
‘Founded in 1988, Age & Opportunity is the leading national development organization in Ireland dedicated to improving the quality of life for older adults ages 50-100+. Since COVID-19, Age & Opportunity has provided resources and virtual creative opportunities for older adults, from poetry sessions to dance classes. They also run Bealtaine, Ireland’s national festival which uniquely celebrates the arts and creativity as we age.’ Bealtaine will be virtual this year.
Creative Aging International – Ireland
Creative Aging International, co-founded by Dominic Campbell and Bea Kelleher, ‘works creatively with companies, organizations and individuals worldwide developing innovative programs tailored to place and bringing together best practice for thought leadership. Their work transforms for the better how people view and approach aging – as individuals, as artists, as companies, as governments and as societies.’ Learn more about their approach to the pandemic and their Dawn Chorus project.
Arts and Minds — England
‘Arts and Minds is dedicated to helping people living with mental challenges through the arts. They offer arts courses throughout Cambridgeshire. Arts and Minds have continued to offer creative workshops during COVID-19, including “Virtual Creative Cafe,” an 8-week program of online creative activities, and “Creative Care: Invitation to Create,” where artists share invitations each week for older adults to explore the spaces they are in new ways using only the simplest of materials and everyday objects.’
British Society of Gerontology Creative Aging SIG — England
‘Established in 1971, The British Society of Gerontology (BSG) provides a multidisciplinary forum for researchers and other individuals interested in the situations of older people, and in how knowledge about aging and later life can be enhanced and improved. The BSG’s Ageing Issues Blog has attracted many contributors on the topics of aging and social engagement during COVID-19. The President of BSG, Thomas Scharf, weighed in on aging and COVID-19 on a Lancet Voice podcast.’ (Scroll down to access ‘Old Age and COVID-19’.)
::
Please use our Submission form to share information about what is going on in your community. Thank you.
As Programming Goes, So Does Training (Online)
Below are links to free, online creative aging training recordings, as well as highlights of upcoming training opportunities in the U.S.
The pandemic has not only impaired the ability to offer in-person programming to older adults, but it has impacted capacity-building efforts related to professional development and training.
From “Blended” to All Online (All the Time)
Traditionally, creative aging training is best delivered in person where teaching artists, community educators, and programmers can participate in immersive, experiential lessons and mock workshops.
Annie Montgomery, Director of Education at Lifetime Arts, has redesigned training delivery to incorporate synchronous online sessions, supported by asynchronous learning via digital materials and reference. Two of Lifetime Arts’ current statewide, cross-sector initiatives: a partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA), and the Creative Aging in Wyoming Public Libraries Initiative in partnership with the Wyoming Arts Council and Wyoming State Library, will employ this approach.
Recent Training Recordings Available to All
“Creative Aging 101,” is an abridged version of Lifetime Arts’ in-person curriculum designed as a primer for anyone looking for an introduction to creative aging programming delivery. Adapting Creative Aging Course Design for Remote Program Delivery” (PDF), is a set of guidelines designed to help teaching artists and programmers adapt their curricula for remote delivery.
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
From August to September, the National Assembly of States Arts Agencies (NASAA) hosted the 2020 Mid-Atlantic Teaching Artists Virtual Retreat, a virtual series of online conferences that brought together arts education professionals from across the Mid-Atlantic region to build and strengthen a regional network of highly qualified teaching artists. Lifetime Arts’ Julie Kline delivered the session, “Creative Aging During COVID-19.” (All presentations are available to watch in the video playlist above.)
Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge
In September, the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge hosted the 2020 Louisiana Arts Summit in partnership with the Louisiana Division of the Arts, which offered teaching artists, arts organizations, educators, and community members opportunities for discussion, networking, and professional development. Annie Montgomery and Julie Kline delivered another virtual session on the topic of creative aging programming during COVID-19.
Fall 2020 Training Opportunities
New York City
From October through December, the Association of Teaching Artists (ATA) is seeking Brooklyn-based teaching artists to facilitate a series of virtual creative salons for teaching artists. Each session will focus on facilitating a creative exercise/process for participants around the theme of “2020.”
State of Maryland
In November, as part of Maryland State Department of Education’s Micro-Credentials for Creative Classrooms courses, Lifetime Arts will facilitate a professional development series in creative aging for up to 25 independent, community-based teaching artists. This three-day remote training will give teaching artists the opportunity to learn about the history, supporting research, and exemplary programming happening in the creative aging field, experience a demonstration of andragogical approaches, learn about the best practices for both in-person and remote programming, with a focus on online delivery, and more.
National Guild for Community Arts Education
From December 2020 through January 2021, the National Guild for Community Arts Education will present Rootwork: Grounding Community Arts Education Beyond the Pandemic, a virtual online learning series designed specifically for cultural workers on creating programming informed by, and supportive of, the many, varied lived experiences of our communities in the unique context of this moment. The series will feature the session, “Combating Ageism in a Socially Distanced World,” presented by Montgomery and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet, Mary Moore Easter.
Please use our Submission form to share information about what is going on in your community. Thank you.
Case Studies Offer a Crash Course in Creative Aging
One of the surest (and fastest) ways understand exactly what creative aging programming is all about is to review short cases highlighting exemplary programs offered by organizations that serve older adults.
Lifetime Arts is proud to share this first series of brief case studies, developed expressly for The Creative Aging Resource, featuring the distinguished work some of our partners and colleagues across the United States. These cases have been vetted by the organizations and institutions they feature.
Listen
Annie Montgomery, Julie Kline, Nathan Majoros, and David Woehr of Lifetime Arts discuss with host Joe McCarthy the ways in which profiled organizations met challenges with innovative solutions and built towards sustainability.
Browse Exemplary Programs Across Sectors:
Arts Organizations & Community Educators
Dances for a Variable Population (NY)
Minnesota Opera (MN)
Rumriver Art Center (MN)
School One (RI)
Museums
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (MA)
LACMA (CA)
The Louisiana Museum Foundation (LA)
MOCA Tucson (AZ)
Public Library Systems
Brooklyn Public Library (NY)
Johnson City Public Library (TN)
Peru Free Library (NY)
Senior Centers
Case Development Process, Insights, and Themes
Developing a case study taxonomy
One of the first challenges we faced when developing this series was creating a taxonomy that would complement and align with the others we are using to classify and tag resources site wide. “We scheduled several meetings to shape the categories, and agreed on the lanes of focus. Once we started writing the narratives, we refined the categories even further,” said Annie Montgomery, Lifetime Arts’ Director of Education who led the process.
From Challenges to Solutions, and Ultimately, Insights
The most focusing aspect of the project came out of the “Challenges” and “Solutions” content. Montgomery said, “Once we created a list of common challenges, the organizational stories came to the surface quickly.” Education Associate, Julie Kline, added, “The challenges the organizations faced only spurred them to be more creative with their programming, and more expansive in their reach to the older adults in their community. The Challenges/Solutions approach acknowledges that there will always be challenges when creating new programs; it’s really a question of how you approach the challenges that arise.”
Partnerships Help Resolve Challenges and Expand Impact
Partnerships emerged as one of the common solutions threading its way through several of these cases.
Johnson City Public Library (JCPL) solved their space issues by connecting with not one but several key community partners. “The Fullness of Time: Exploring the Arts and the Gifts of Aging at Johnson City Public Library,” describes how the library system tapped several community partners including: East Tennessee State University (ETSU); the University’s fine arts galleries; the International Storytelling Center; and the Blue Moon Theatre.
Connections between JCPL and ETSU’s faculty, some of whom were highly-qualified teaching artists, cut down significantly on costs and inefficiencies. ETSU’s design faculty also designed an ADDY award-winning campaign for the program.
Integrating Creative Aging into Mission
Working on a different, much larger scale, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) developed solutions that worked their creative aging programming into their overall mission. Both Kline and Montgomery were particularly enthusiastic about how LACMA’s journey translated into a case study. “I think LACMA is very interesting as they went through the intensive process of creating a ‘Theory of Change and Logic Model,’” said Montgomery. “This process was integral to building a solid infrastructure for sustainability and positioning within the museum’s mission.”
Lessons Learned
All of these cases show that even in the best of circumstances (and pre-COVID-19), adjustments will likely need to be made and flexibility is paramount in executing an organization’s programming.
We hope that these and other cases featured in the Creative Aging Resource will provide a roadmap for others considering bringing creative aging programming to their communities.
Want to Share Your Own Creative Aging Work with the Field?
Please use the Submission form to submit information about your own creative aging work. Thank you.