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America’s 65+ population will more than double to 86.7 million by 2050 (U.S. Census Bureau). As Baby Boomers enter retirement, they seek to live not only longer but more active, meaningful lives. The National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) recent Creativity and Aging study demonstrated that participatory arts programs can produce significant health benefits for older adults.
With the coming of the' elder-boom' and new research indicating that arts participation is good for the general health and wellness of older adults, the National Guild has embarked on the Creative Aging Initiative. This multi-year initiative provides information and training to foster start-up and development of participatory arts programs for older adults.The goals of this initiative are to increase the capacity of community arts education providers to serve older adults, provide models of high quality creative aging programs in the field and raise public awareness about the benefits of creative aging programs.
Learn about:
Download Application Guidelines
This pilot program will provide in-depth technical assistance and seed grants of $7,500 to eight National Guild members to enable them to design, implement and evaluate sustainable creative aging programs (participatory, skill-based arts education programs for adults age 60 and above) using best practices detailed in the Guild's latest publication, Creativity Matters: The Arts and Aging Toolkit. Technical assistance will focus on capacity-building with particular attention to outcome-based evaluation measuring changes in the health of participants.
Only community arts education organizations that are Full Members in good standing of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts may apply (see guidelines for details). Interested non-member organizations should submit a membership application and first-year dues payments at least one week prior to submitting an application. Visit www.nationalguild.org for membership information. Programs must be accessible to people with disabilities and older adults.
The National Guild scheduled a conference call on September 4, 2008 to answer questions about the Creative Aging Program.
Download a recording of the information session (6.3 meg mp3 file)
Johanna Misey Boyer Creative Aging Program National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts (301) 589-0331 johanna@jmb-arts.com
Access Interactive Web Version
Developed in partnership with the National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA) and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Creativity Matters: The Arts and Aging Toolkit is a first-of-its kind resource for arts, healthcare and/or aging services organizations that are developing and expanding participatory arts programs for older adults. Such programs have been shown to improve participants' health and strengthen engagement.
Authored by Johanna Misey Boyer, the Toolkit describes
The Toolkit's publication exemplifies a combined commitment--on the part of NCCA, the National Guild, and NJPAC--to lifelong learning in the arts. In November, 2006, NJPAC and NCCA held the first-ever national conference on creative aging. The proceedings were compiled into a conference report from which much of the information in Creativity Matters has been derived. Additionally, three dozen interviews with leading practitioners and an extensive literature review have been conducted.
Our partnership with NCCA has opened doors in the elder services industry, shedding light on the many thousands of senior centers and retirement communities that we hope will create arts programs for their constituents with the help of Creativity Matters.
The Toolkit is available to members for $30; the non-member price is $35. Click here to purchase, or call the National Guild office at (212) 268-3337 ext. 16.
A review copy is available to press upon request. Please contact Heather Stickeler, marketing and communications manager, at (212) 268-3337 ext. 10. Download press release.
The Toolkit is made possible with support from MetLife Foundation, NAMM: The International Products Music Association, the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, and Roche.
Creativity Matters is designed as a self-contained learning tool, but by offering training we can deepen the understanding, commitment and skill of practitioners in the field.
The Guild's next Creative Aging Training will be held at the 71st Conference for Community Arts Education in Philadelphia, November 1. Presented by the National Center of Creative Aging, this highly interactive series of workshops is designed to help your organization engage older adults in professionally led, participatory arts programs.
The National Guild has a long and successful track record of producing such trainings. Our first Creative Aging Institute was held on October 26, 2005, in Pittsburgh. Sessions included:
See the 2005 Institute program and read presenters' bios (PDF)
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The National Guild is grateful to the MetLife Foundation and NAMM Foundation for their generous sponsorship of The Creative Initiative.
