“CREATIVE AGING COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE”
As part of the “Creative Aging Communities of Practice” initiative, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts will develop a deep and collaborative network of creative aging service providers and teaching artists and increase the opportunities for social engagement and arts education within New Jersey’s older adult communities.
Project goal
This project will focus on bringing senior-focused art programs and practitioners together, aligning understanding of best practices, and providing training for teaching artists and service providers.
Professional development and program implementation support
In June 2021, Lifetime Arts will train New Jersey teaching artists, arts and senior serving organizations in best practices in planning, designing, promoting, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining successful creative aging programming. Lifetime Arts will also train teaching artists and senior service providers as part of the project’s Creative Aging Learning Lab (CALLab), a cohort-based,12-month professional development program beginning August 2021.
TRAINING DATES & DETAILS
“Creative Aging During COVID and Beyond” Workshop for Teaching Artists
June 12, 2021 from 12:30pm-1:30pm ET
This 1-hour workshop will focus on how teaching artists can provide meaningful lessons, workshops, and residencies within their community’s aging population for now and the future. Teaching artists will be introduced to the field of creative aging, including the history, supporting research, and exemplary programming happening across this growing field. Additionally, participants will explore andragogical approaches that inform the design of skill-based, sequential instructional lessons for older adults, as well as the importance of embedding intentional social engagement activities into curricula. This workshop will also address best practices for implementing in-person and remote programs.
This workshop is part of reCONNECT, a virtual statewide arts education conference hosted by The Arts Professional Learning Institute (APLI) and New Jersey Arts Education Collective.
Creative Aging Design and Development for Teaching Artists and Arts Organizations
June 28-30, 2021 2pm-4pm ET
This course will introduce a cohort of teaching artists and arts organizations to the history, supporting research, and exemplary programming happening across this growing field.
In addition to covering the topics included in Creative Aging Foundations (shown below), this 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.
Creative Aging Foundations Training for Senior Serving Organizations
October 18-20, 2021 from 2pm-4pm ET
This 6-hour training will take a cohort of senior serving organizations 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
Introductions to Creative Aging for Librarians Webinar
June 8, 2022 from 3pm-4pm ET
In this 1-hour interactive webinar, librarians, and library staff from across New Jersey will learn how creative aging programs can engage older adult patrons and draw new members of the community to their programs and library branches.
Lifetime Arts trainers will introduce the creative aging arts education model and the research that supports its benefits for older adults. Additionally, tips and strategies for working with professional teaching artists and implementing responsive programming — both via in-person and remote delivery — will be shared. Participants will understand the first steps they can take to begin planning creative aging opportunities for older adults at their libraries.
Registration
These 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
- Ellen Valencia, Creative Aging Project Manager, New Jersey State Council on the Arts
- Julie Kline, Education Associate, Lifetime Arts
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.
