Since 2009 researchers Miriam Bernard and Michelle Rickett have been involved in a set of related projects under the title “Ages and Stages.” This is a collaboration with researchers at Keele University and theater specialists at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK, that examines the ways in which older people are involved in theatre and the impact that theatre has on their lives.
This report, one of several about the ongoing research, is a detailed case study of how participation by older people in the Victoria/New Victoria Theatre affected their lives.
The findings affirm “the continuing need to challenge stereotypes that the capacity for creativity and participation in later life are unavoidably and inevitably declining; show how participation in active and voluntary activities shapes meanings associated with key life transitions; and emphasize the positive role that theatre can play as a medium for inclusion of both older and younger people.”
Pam Schweitzer’s Reminiscence Theatre: Making Theatre from Memories is a guide to working with older adults to translate personal memories into interactive theatre. It draws on several decades of work in performance art, intergenerational projects, and methods for sharing memories and experiences between generations and cultures. Her primary message is the value of real life stories as the basis for theatre.The book includes Schweitzer’s observations about the benefits of participatory theatre, including overcoming social isolation, increasing self-confidence and building new relationships.
Teaching Artist are key to delivering creative aging programs. In this video, you will hear stories from older adult students about how their artmaking and learning experiences impact all aspects of their life.
In this blog post, Rosenberg talks in-depth about the Meet Me at MoMA program, an interactive gallery tour for people with dementia and their care partners, part of their Access Programs. The ninety-minute sessions allow MoMA’s educators to lead the individuals in the group in sharing their thoughts and interpretations of artworks from MoMA’s collection or special exhibitions.
In this blog post, Rosenberg introduces PrimeTime at MoMA, an outreach and programming initiative aimed to increase participation of New York City residents ages 65 and up. She also shares positive feedback from participants who attended the program, and who she knows personally through MoMA’s Access Programs.
From the blog post:
“MoMA’s commitment to access for all is embedded in the history of the institution itself, beginning with one of the Museum’s earliest innovations in art education: the establishment of the War Veterans Art Center for soldiers returning from the Second World War. It has been an honor and a pleasure to build upon this tradition in my work on Access Programs at MoMA for the last 20 years.”
