Creative Aging in Our Communities:
The Public Libraries Project
- From Fordham's Ravazzin Center on Aging: 2010 NYPL Creative Aging Project, Post Program Survey.
Libraries, the most universal and most democratic of America's cultural institutions, are "age neutral" and so appeal to older adults who are reluctant to go to senior centers. Increasingly important as community centers for learning and cultural access, libraries are ideally positioned to evolve as centers for creative aging.
Now in its third year, CREATIVE AGING IN OUR COMMUNITIES: THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT is based on a vision for mobilizing the trusted, neutral, information-rich public space of the library to deliver arts education for and with older adults. That vision includes building effective collaborations between teaching artists and librarians and building the capacity of different library systems to carry out and sustain creative aging programs. Our work to date affirms this vision. Teaching artists and librarians find that they share a vision for positive aging and bring complementary strengths to designing and implementing meaningful programs for older adults.
This nationally recognized program provides incentive grants, access to great teaching artists and on-going technical assistance for public libraries. Led by professional teaching artists, libraries implement skill-building workshop series which foster mastery and promote meaningful social engagement—two key ingredients for positive aging. These FREE programs (in all arts disciplines) help improve the quality of life for participants. At each library, culminating events celebrate the achievements of every participant.
Since 2008, with generous support from the Helen Andrus Benedict Foundation and the Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Lifetime Arts partners with Westchester Library System, New York Public Library and beginning this year - Brooklyn Public Library.
2011 - 12 The Libraries Project Expands to 30 NYC Libraries
Our 2010 Creative Aging in Our Communities: the New York Public Library Project pilot was a tremendous success – and so now with the generous support of the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, hundreds more older adult New Yorkers will have access to free instructional arts programs in their neighborhood libraries. In partnership with New York Public Library (NYPL), Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) and NYC's great teaching artists - this expanded project will serve at least 500 older adults in Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx and Brooklyn.
