News
NASAA Creative Aging Survey Highlights
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) just published highlights of a survey designed to gauge the interest in and need for creative aging programs among state and jurisdictional arts agencies (SAAs). NASAA’s survey yielded a 98% response rate, and 78% of respondents rated the need for creative aging programs as “very high” or “high” in their states. The survey findings are part of NASAA’s effort to explore how SAAs can “foster an abundance of creative aging opportunities” across the country and will inform future strategies. Stay tuned for more information.
Graduation Speech from Next Avenue
Next Avenue recently debuted the first episode of “Welcome Graduates,” a video series offering a different and inspiring take on the milestone of graduation from work to life. The video features a rousing congratulatory speech to those who are “graduating” to retirement, given by Twin Cities poet, teacher and dancer Mary Moore Easter.
“You will never be too old to create, and your growing ability will be the thing that reveals it to you.” – Mary Moore Easter
Getting Through to Creative Agers
A recent article on the American Alliance of Museums blog highlights key steps to connect with creative agers. Aroha’s Senior Fellow for Museums and Creative Aging outlines four simple ways to engage with older adults in creative aging programs:
- Keep your message simple and compelling.
- Provide an experience with some depth.
- Build a sense of community.
- Encourage experimentation (and failure).
Visit the blog post to learn more.
NY Times Highlights Ageism in Marketing
A September 23 New York Times article examines how “older people are ignored and distorted in ageist marketing.” More than a third of the United States population is older than 50, but this age group turns up in only 15 percent of media images, according to research from AARP. “What we needed was imagery showing mature adults leading full lives,” Rebecca Swift, the global head of creative insights for Getty Images, said in a statement.
Puerto Rico Supports People of "Accumulated Youth"
Seeding Vitality Arts in Museums grantee Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte of the Universidad de Puerto Rico recently shared the unexpected joys of launching a creative aging program in an American Alliance of Museums blog post. Lisa Ortega-Pol, Museum Educator, described the planning process for their Vitality Arts series and shared the excitement from older adults who could not join the fully-booked program.
“You’re booked? Well, I’ll be! What other activities will you have for people like me, you know, of accumulated youth?” asked one interested community member.
Learn more about this inspiring Seeding Vitality Arts program by reading the blog post.
Study Highlights Lifelong Benefits of Choral Singing
A new study from Chorus America, Chorus Impact Study: Singing for a Lifetime, shares new information on the impact choral singing has on individuals and communities, especially singers ages 65+.
The data shows that older singers enjoy a better overall quality of life than the general public and engage in a broader range of activities than the general public of the same age. Nearly 20% experienced improvements in some health conditions due to singing, and older singers also report being in better mental health than the general public of the same age.
Visit chorusamerica.org to review the full written report.
Community Choirs Benefit Older Adults
Grantmakers in the Arts recently highlighted the results of a research study featuring Community Music Center’s Community of Voices (COV) program. COV is a cross-sector approach to developing a high-quality, culturally responsive, older-adult choir program designed to help reduce loneliness and increase interest in life for older adults in the San Francisco Bay area. The article includes a link to the program’s manual for creating similar choirs. Aroha Philanthropies supported COV for several years.
To learn more about the results of this innovative approach meeting the needs of older adults, check out this article.
Photo Credit: Linda Cicero
Seeding Vitality Arts Evaluation Report
Aroha’s Seeding Vitality Arts (SVA) grantees have been gathering data on participant outcomes pursuant to an evaluation process designed by Touchstone Center for Collaborative Inquiry. High-impact outcomes were reported in post-program surveys of 1,662 participants in the SVA U.S. and SVA MN programs during 2017 and 2018.
View the full report here.
Building a Creative Aging Movement
Aroha Philanthropies and the National Guild for Community Arts Education announced the launch of “Building a Creative Aging Movement.” This multi-pronged, two-year initiative is designed to advance the emerging field of creative aging, which seeks to promote well-being and advance equity and inclusion through engaging the creativity of adults ages 55+. This visionary effort, which is supported by Aroha’s philanthropic investment of nearly $500,000 over two years, aims to foster well-funded, comprehensive creative aging programs through training and networking opportunities, leadership development and advocacy.
As part of that initiative, the Guild announced the opening of a third round of its training and capacity-building program, “Catalyzing Creative Aging.” Twenty Guild members will be selected to receive support in developing individualized action plans to establish and sustain their programs and will be eligible to apply for seed funding. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, August 6, 2019.
Learn more about “Building a Creative Aging Movement” by visiting the Guild’s website and viewing the full press release.
Friendship Blossoms through Vitality Arts
Designed to inspire creativity for ages 55 and better, Aroha’s Seeding Vitality Arts® initiative has funded 10 “Interlace: Art to Wear” classes during the span of two years at the Textile Center.
BarbAnn Pappas and Robin Wingo met at one Aroha’s Seeding Vitality Arts® programs at the Textile Center and developed a fast friendship. “We probably would have never met without the ‘Art to Wear’ class,” says Robin. BarbAnn adds: “Robin and I realized we have a common understanding for techniques, and the class was so wonderful because from the very beginning everyone in the class got to experience each other’s creative process week after week.”
BarbAnn, Robin and 14 other Textile Center travelers joined Karl Reichert, Executive Director, on a Moroccan excursion in May of 2019. More details regarding the Morocco trip can be found here.
Photo Credit: Textile Center
