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Arts and Creative Charter for Older People

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 What is the Arts and Creative Charter for Older People?

The Arts and Creative Charter for Older People is a set of eight commitments to older arts participants, audiences and artists in Ireland. It aims to increase and enrich their experience of and confidence in arts organisations in Ireland. The Charter was developed over three years as an alignment and collaboration between arts policymakers, practitioners and the public.

We invite arts organisations to sign up to The Charter.

You can find the Arts & Creative Charter here.

How does it work?

By setting out eight commitments in relation to older people, we encourage arts organisations to consider accessibility, participation, dialogue, communication, diversity, policy and programming with and for older people.

See here for more information on the background to The Charter.

In late 2021 The Charter was tested through public consultation. As part of this we asked people what the arts mean to them. Watch our video below for a flavour of what people said.

Seven organisations are piloting the Charter over 12-months in 2023/2024: Axis Arts Centre (Dublin), The Glucksman (Cork), An Grianán (Donegal), Wexford Arts Centre (Wexford), IMMA (Dublin), IFI (Dublin) and Town Hall Theatre (Galway). They will assess how the Charter works within their organisations and test its impact on older people’s confidence in and experiences of the arts. Following the pilot, Age & Opportunity will roll out the Charter among arts organisations nationwide.

How can I get involved?

This initiative is part of our arts audience and organisational development work, and is geared towards arts organisations who are working or wish to work with older people in Ireland. If you would like to keep updated on this work, subscribe to our newsletter at the link in the footer.

Contact

For information or support, speak to our Arts team.
 01 805 7713
 arts@ageandopportunity.ie

ORGANISATION & ART PRACTICE DEVELOPMENT : To support and inform arts organisations who work with or wish to work with older people and to raise the standard of arts practice more generally in the area of the arts and older people.

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: This strand is intended to encourage and facilitate more older people to participate in the arts, and to enhance the experience of audiences.

Arts Initiatives:

Bealtaine Festival

A month long festival in May featuring performances, exhibitions, discussions, workshops and readings by artists, and community groups, working in different art forms all over Ireland. Find out more here.

The Gathering

An event bringing together our local and national Bealtaine Festival partners for a day of networking, inspiration, discussion and feedback on the festival. Find out more.

Cultural Companions

Creates local networks of like-minded people interested in arts and culture who can accompany each other to cultural events. Find out more.

Focus Groups

We are working with a number of groups to ensure our work is collaborative and inclusive. Find out more here.

Artists’ Professional Development Training

Providing continuing professional development and training for artists’. Find out more.

Artists' Residencies

This opportunity creates access to the arts for older people in care settings as well as supporting artists working in care settings. Find out more here.

Supporting Networks and Best Practice

This initiative aims to support organisations and artists who work with older people and to promote best practice. Find out more.

Access

We are working to ensure our events and initiatives, and those outside the organisation, are as accessible as possible. Find out more.

Azure

Azure explores how people with dementia-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s, and the people who care for them, can have a deeper involvement in cultural institutions and can participate in cultural activities. Find out more.

Creative Exchanges

Training course for participants to plan and facilitate arts activities for older people in care settings. Find out more here.

Creative supports for Care Homes

We are developing creative supports for care settings in order to ensure easier access to the arts for the residents and visitors of those settings. Find out more.

Arts and Creative Charter for Older People

Our charter aims to raise the standard of arts practice in relation to older people and to create confidence in relation to participating in the arts. Find out more.

Research

We are working to ensure our programmes and initiatives are informed and driven by best practice Find out more.

Arts Initiatives:

Access

We are working to ensure our events and initiatives, and those outside the organisation, are as accessible as possible. Find out more.

Bealtaine Festival

A month long festival in May featuring performances, exhibitions, discussions, workshops and readings by artists, and community groups, working in different art forms all over Ireland. Find out more here.

Artists' Residencies

This opportunity creates access to the arts for older people in care settings as well as supporting artists working in care settings. Find out more here.

Creative Exchanges

Training Course for participants to plan and facilitate arts activities for older people in care settings. Find out more here

Cultural Companions

Creates local networks of like-minded people interested in arts and culture who can accompany each other to cultural events. Find out more.

Azure

Azure explores how people with dementia-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s, and the people who care for them, can have a deeper involvement in cultural institutions and can participate in cultural activities. Find out more.

The Gathering

An event bringing together our local and national Bealtaine Festival partners for a day of networking, inspiration, discussion and feedback on the festival. Find out more here. Find out more.

Focus Groups

We are working with a number of groups to ensure our work is collaborative and inclusive. Find out more here.

Artists’ Professional Development Training

Providing continuing professional development and training for artists’. Find out more.

Supporting Networks and Best Practice

This initiative aims to support organisations and artists who work with older people and to promote best practice. Find out more.

Creative supports for Care Homes

We are developing creative supports for care settings in order to ensure easier access to the arts for the residents and visitors of those settings. Find out more.

Arts and Creative Charter for Older People

Our charter aims to raise the standard of arts practice in relation to older people and to create confidence in relation to participating in the arts. Find out more.

Research

We are working to ensure our programmes and initiatives are informed and driven by best practice Find out more.

We believe that, whether you are 8 or 80 years old, we all should have access and opportunities to attend and participate in the arts and to realise our creative potential. Fresh thinking, bold experimentation and creativity are all fundamental to delivering a high quality of life for older people.

Research shows that arts programmes involving music, visual arts and drama, among other activities, have a profound influence on the quality of life of older people, with positive impacts on health, psychological well-being, confidence and autonomy as well as other benefits such as:

  • happiness
  • mental wellbeing
  • reduced stress
  • improved cognition
  • sense of identity and personhood
  • increased self-esteem and confidence
  • reduced boredom.

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Principal Funders:

Link to HSE website Link to Sport Ireland website Link to Arts Council website

Our Principal Funders:

Link to HSE websiteLink to Sport Ireland websiteLink to Arts Council website