Delaware Division of the Arts

“ACCESS CREATIVE AGING”

As part of the “Access Creative Aging” initiative, the Delaware Division of the Arts, in partnership with the Delaware Division of Libraries and the Delaware Institute of the Arts in Education, will advance arts education for up to 300 older adults in approximately 10 public libraries across the state. 

Project goal

This project will focus on including a diverse population of participants from both underserved and rural communities. It will build on the outreach efforts and contacts already established by local public libraries in these communities.

Professional development and program implementation support

In May 2021, Lifetime Arts will train Delaware teaching artists and librarians in best practices in planning, designing, promoting, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining successful creative aging programming. We will also provide coaching and program implementation support beginning in June.

TRAINING DATES & DETAILS

Creative Aging Foundations Training for Library Programmers

May 10-12 from 10am-12pm ET

This 6-hour training will take a cohort of library programmers through the Lifetime Arts Creative Aging Foundations course. We will cover:

  • Current research on arts and aging
  • Inherent biases about aging
  • Best practices in the field
  • What’s different about adult learning
  • How to apply K-12 arts ed expertise to 55+
  • How to develop responsive programming that is inclusive, diverse, and equitable
  • The planning, implementation, and sustainability of successful programming
  • Developing impactful cross-sector and community partnerships
  • How to deliver both in-person and remote programming

Creative Aging Design and Development for Teaching Artists

May 17-19 from 10am-12pm ET

This course, aimed at 25-person cohorts of teaching artists, will introduce the history, supporting research, and exemplary programming happening across this growing field.

In addition to covering the topics included in Creative Aging Foundations (shown above), our teaching artist training will also feature the examination and demonstration of andragogical approaches to the development of skill-based, sequential instructional lessons for older adults. In addition, this course will focus on the importance of embedding intentional social engagement activities into programming and curricula. Participants will explore the subject of ageism and its impact on creative aging programming design and delivery. Teaching artists will be introduced to best practices in both in-person and remote programming.

Registration

This training series will be announced by the project partners who will also manage registration. Registered trainees will be enrolled as users in the Lifetime Arts Portal, where they will access training materials, Zoom links, pre-reading, resources, and trainer bios.

Project Contacts

MADE POSSIBLE BY

This activity is made possible by a grant provided by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies in partnership with E.A. Michelson Philanthropy.