Age Friendly Arts & Culture Symposium
Date and time
Location
Museum London
421 Ridout Street North London, ON N6A 5H4 CanadaDescription
*Event postponed*
A collaborative community project: Museum London, Age Friendly London Network and the London Creative Age Network with funding from the Ontario Seniors Community Grant Program
Save the Date - register early!
March 23rd 2020
In the morning we‘ll gather at Museum London to learn more about the Age Friendly Cities movement, the Age Friendly London Network and AFLN Working Groups.
Afternoon symposium presenters will explore and consider the important role of arts/cultural organizations, funders, corporate sponsors and service providers to keep older adults engaged in lifelong learning and community arts outreach programs.
Symposium Program and Presenters
Land Acknowledgement:
10:00am Morning Greetings: Robin Armistead City of London, Manager of Culture and Municipal Policy
Brian Meehan, Executive Director, Museum London
10:15am to 10:35am Age Friendly London Network Presentation A
Michelle Dellamora, City of London Manager of Policy and Community Initiatives
10:35am to 11am Age Friendly London Networking - Working Groups
11am to 12 noon Discussion
or
11:00am to 12noon: What is Age Friendly Arts and Culture?
Kathy Smith and Jim Schaefer
London and Area Creative Age Network
12noon to 12:45 pm: LUNCH - 2nd floor Lorraine Shuttleworth Gallery
1:00pm to 2:00pm: Presentation C - The Nostalgic Theatre, Centre at the Forks
or
1:00pm to 2:00pm: Afternoon Research Presentation D Boardroom
Direct[Message]: Digital Arts Access to Engagement for the Aging Community
This session is geared towards older adults, art administrators, service providers, and researchers.
Direct[Message] is a 3-year project funded by Canada Council for the Arts. The project team includes researchers, artists, and engineers from the following organizations across Hamilton, London, and Guelph: Centre [3] for Artistic and Social Practice; McMaster University; Re•Vision: The Centre for Art and Social Justice at the University of Guelph; VibraFusionLab; and Cinematronics.
The team is researching and developing ways to make it easier for the aging community to access and participate in the arts and creative mediums. Direct[Message] plans to develop and test a new digital technology/application that seniors with different abilities can use to participate in arts programming from their homes and communities. The project will use live video streaming technology to connect socially isolated seniors with art programming such as artist talks, exhibition openings, art classes, and performances.
Colina Maxwell (Project Lead), Dr. Tara La Rose (Principal Investigator), Dr. Rana El Kadi (Research Lead), and TJ Charlton (Project Manager) will talk about the project and the role of the arts in promoting health/vitality and decreasing social isolation. David Bobier (Artist & System Developer) will discuss new technologies that make art accessible to people who are hard of hearing or d/Deaf, who have low vision or are blind, and people who use walkers, wheelchairs, and canes. He will provide a live demonstration of vibrotactile devices, which allow people of all abilities to experience music through vibration.
This session will provide an opportunity for audience members and presenters to share insights and knowledge about older adults’ needs and barriers to accessing the arts.
NOTE: The venue is walker and wheelchair accessible. American Sign Language interpretation is available upon request. Please contact the London And Area Creative Age Network for any accessibility requests.
2:00pm to 3:00pm: Afternoon Community Based and Community Engaged Arts and Aging
Presentation E, Creative Studio
Jen Tindall - Introduction to Creative Aging Programs and Community Engaged Arts
Penny Wearne, Coordinator Creative Age Art Studio in Thames Centre Ontario will review the steps taken to establish a creative arts community hub for older adults using cross-sector community engagement strategies developed and led by seniors at the area municipal seniors centre.
Outreach Project - London Middlesex Community Housing (LMCH)
2:00pm to 3:00pm: I Honoured Him Until the End, Presentation F Theatre Auditorium
Indigenous Storytelling of Caregiving for a Loved One with Memory Loss - Agnes Mickleson, Danielle Alcock and Annette Sullivan.
This presentation focuses on the importance of art through storytelling. In partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society of London-Middlesex, Agnes Mickleson, the instructor for the Artful Minds Program will share stories about the positive impact for seniors with memory loss. Additionally, two Indigenous women will discuss how art emerged as a part of their caregiving journeys. Danielle is Anishanaabe kwe and a member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, and is a caregiver for her Dad. Danielle completed her PhD and her research focused on the experiences of Indigenous caregivers. She will provide insight about 1)improving cultural safety for Indigenous families impacted by memory loss especially within long term care homes, 2)barriers Indigenous families face in their journeys, 3)resources and recommendations for change. Annette is a dedicated community member of the Muskrat Métis of the St. Clair region and was a caregiver for her father until he returned to the spirit world. Annette is a professional artist whose boldly colourful images in the Woodland genre offer viewers awareness on issues of reconciliation and historical trauma.
3:00pm to 4:30pm: Round Table Discussion Presentation H - Centre at the Forks/Theatre
- On-site Events and Programs
- Outreach and Engagement Programs
- Marketing and Networking
- Funding and Resource Development
- Possibilities and Collaborations
Moderated by Jen Tindall - Community Arts Programmer Extraordinaire and owner of Art Your Service: Meaningful Programs, Workshops, Webinars and Events for adults 55+ and former Artistic Associate Harbourfront Centre Toronto.
Kate Dupuis Kate Ph.D., C.Psych.is the Schlegel Innovation Leader in Arts and Aging at the Centre for Elder Research at Sheridan College. She is passionate about identifying the benefits of arts programming for older adults and their care partners, and in determining potential barriers (e.g., sensory and cognitive decline, transportation) to active participation in the arts. Kate is a registered Clinical Neuropsychologist and a professor in the Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies at Sheridan College. Her specialties include project development and co-ordination, stakeholder management, and working on collaborative teams.
Andrea Hibbert, Executive Director, London Arts Council Andrea has been immersed in arts and culture her entire career. Whether as a funder, administrator, educator, consultant, advocate or patron, she has always understood the vital role of the arts in city and community building. Andrea was appointed Executive Director to the London Arts Council in 2003.
Mario Circelli, Founder and Chair Forest City London Music Awards and London Music Hall of Fame. Manager of Digital Creative Arts Centre - promoting intergenerational digital arts collaborations and performing arts education. Circelli’s music program for seniors with disabilities connects the DCA Centre with Community Living London by bringing in guests to play different instruments, different genres and songs everyone knows.
Vonnie Snyder, artist/instructor. Board member of Oxford Creative Connections, and member of Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre as well as Tillsonburg Station Arts. After a professional career in mental health and dementia support services Vonnie started to exhibit her art in galleries throughout Oxford County – Elmhurst, Annandale NHS, Woodstock Hospital, South Gate Centre and also Art With Panache Gallery in London. She participates in the Oxford Studio Tour and Oxford Creates. Her creations have found new homes throughout Oxford County, other parts of Ontario, Labrador and Florida.
Michelle Dellamora - City of London. Manager, Policy & Strategic Issues, Neighbourhood & Community Initiatives at City of London, Canada
Dharshi Lacey, Director of Diversity and Governance, PILLAR Non-Profit Network. Born in Sri Lanka, Dharshi Lacey holds a B.A. in Business and Economics. She has over 20 years experience working in the London community in the nonprofit sector.
Dharshi is a Certified Inter-Cultural Competency Trainer for the Cross-Cultural Learner Centre. She has worked as a Diversity Consultant for Pillar Nonprofit Network, assisting the Pillar Board as well as other nonprofit boards to assess their organizations, cultural competency and develop action plans to develop more inclusive practices within their board recruitment, board policy, strategic planning and Executive Director accountabilities. She has sat on multiple nonprofit boards herself and currently sits as past Chair of the Board of Violence Against Women Services, Elgin County. At the London Intercommunity Health Centre, Dharshi held the role of Team Lead for Ethno Cultural Programs.
Organized by
Kathy Smith is the Co-ordinator of the the London and Area Creative Age Network.