Summer Creative Aging Training Roundup

New York City Creative Aging Initiative logoLifetime Arts conducted training events in May to support the arts organizations, teaching artists, and senior center staff offering Creative Aging programming in NYC as part of the NYC Creative Aging Initiative, made possible through the generous support of the New York Community Trust, and offered in partnership with the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging at Hunter College and LiveOn NY.

Creative Aging Residencies: Preparing for the Culminating Event (and Beyond)
NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NY 

This is a headshot of Lifetime Arts Trainer, Lauren Jost. She has short brown hair and glasses. She is smiling.
Lauren Jost, Lifetime Arts Trainer

On May 17, this free training event, moderated by Master Teaching Artist, Lauren Jost, provided arts organizations the opportunity to discuss lessons learned during their current Creative Aging programs, experience social engagement techniques connected to the art-making learning process, review helpful program marketing ideas and strategies which may be applied to culminating events, and explore ways to continue to develop and strengthen relationships with senior center partners and older adult participants.

Creative Aging Residencies: Reflecting on Partnerships & Preparing for the Culminating Event
Central Library, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

This is a headshot of Lifetme Arts Trainer, Vincent Mraz. He has dark brown hair and brown glasses. He is smiling.
Vincent Mraz, Lifetime Arts Trainer

On May 28, this free networking salon, moderated by teaching artist, Vincent Mraz, provided teaching artists, senior center, and arts organization staff members the opportunity to; reflect on artist residencies and celebrate all that has been accomplished; gain helpful strategies to successfully market the program’s culminating event that connects the senior center to the community and increases the visibility of the participating older adults; and identify possible ways to improve future programming.

Cohort of arts organizations across the U.S. and Lifetime Arts staff in Minnesota.
Pictured left to right: Lindsay Lewis, Program Manager, Aroha Philanthropies; Lisa Williams, Librarian, Johnson City Public Library; Diana Champa, Director of Literary Engagement, School One; Eric Dosedel and David Scheie, Founder of Touchstone Center; Solveig Anderson, Education Outreach Director, Paramount Center for the Arts; Adam Decker, Senior Director of Health and Fitness, Intergrace Fairhaven; Christina Castro-Tauser, Teaching Artist, Taller Puertorriqueño; Nathan Majoros, Deputy Director, Lifetime Arts; and David Feinstein, Literacy Educator, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.

Seeding Vitality Arts US June Reconvening
The Marquette Hotel, MN

On June 5 and 6, Lifetime Arts participated in this year’s second reconvening of Aroha Philanthropies’ Seeding Vitality Arts US initiative cohort. Lifetime Arts facilitated dialogue and work sessions to ensure that attendees had plenty of time to connect and share knowledge. Attendees reflected on the last two year’s of implementation of Vitality Arts programs, shared their successes and challenges, and developed plans to sustain their programming.

Additionally, the convening was an opportunity to brainstorm ideas for how this cohort can work together to lift the visibility of Creative Aging programs across the country.

Coming up:

Minnesota Teaching Artist Training in Creative Aging 3
Minneapolis Institute of Art, MN

On July 29 and 30, Aroha Philanthropies and the Minnesota States Arts Board will offer the third in a series of teaching artist trainings in Creative Aging programming to Minnesota teaching artists in all artistic disciplines. 

A diverse group of Minnesota teaching artists experienced in Creative Aging will lead the training which will be facilitated by Lifetime Arts.

This event will equip teaching artists with the skills to design successful, effective sequential arts education programs for older adults. The training will include an exploration of ageism, a hands-on deconstruction of a quality, skill-building Creative Aging workshop, and tactics for including social engagement into curricula across artistic disciplines. Additionally, participants will talk about how to network and find job opportunities in the field. 

Photo credit: Annie Montgomery, Director of Education, Lifetime Arts