“I appreciated the enthusiasm of the presenters and the possibility of inspiring my community.” On April 4 and 5, in continuation of a statewide training being conducted by Lifetime Arts, Education Director, Annie Montgomery, and teaching artist, Julie Kline, traveled to northern Wisconsin to deliver two full-day professional development workshops on Creative Aging programming for public librarians …
School of Drag, a Creative Aging program collaboration between the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tucson, AZ (MOCA) and Fluxx Productions, is a 10-week workshop series that invites 55+ LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual, non-binary, pansexual, etc.) community members to explore art, narrative and performance which culminates into a showcase featuring performers …
This week long training program draws people from around the country and focuses on the role of the arts in healthcare and creative aging, providing theoretical and didactic approaches to implementing and sustaining high-quality arts programming in a variety of settings serving older adults across the aging spectrum. Lifetime Arts is a regular presenter at …
Now in its second grant cycle, the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s Catalyzing Creative Aging Initiative is helping arts organizations across the U.S. to better serve older adult learners. For example, since last fall, enrollment has rapidly increased and continues to do so at Pasadena Conservatory of Music. In fact, the “summer camp” programs being offered …
In an effort to meet the growing, nationwide demand for our professional development services, we held a train-the-trainer event at our headquarters in New Rochelle, NY on March 25, 26 and 28. For this series, we invited our already established master teaching artists on our roster of trainers, Antonia Perez and Julie Kline, and identified …
Written almost 20 years ago, and a finalist for the 2001 Pulitzer Prize, Kenneth Lonergan’s, The Waverly Gallery, is very much a “memory” play. It depicts a multigenerational family of non-religious, Jewish, NYC intellectuals. The focus of the play, and the family’s energies, is the rapid cognitive decline of the 80- something grandmother, Gladys, a …
On February 25 and 26, Lifetime Arts traveled to Minneapolis to take part in a re-convening of the Minnesota organizations who were awarded funding through Aroha Philanthropies’ Seeding Vitality Arts Initiative in 2018 and who have been invited to continue their programs in 2019. The event celebrated the accomplishments of 2018 and reflected on any challenges the …
A graduate of Brown University with a Master’s in Music Performance from NYU, Lifetime Arts Roster teaching artist, Lisa Spraragen is a classical and flamenco guitarist and dancer. This past year she taught three Creative Aging programs for us as a part of the Catalyzing Creativity in New York City initiative made possible by the Fan Fox …
Recently, I was on the train with a young actor, Julia, who related a story. Her father, who is around 60 years old, came into New York to see her perform and on a subsequent evening, the two went to a Billy Joel concert. After the concert Julia’s father said, “You know if I had …
On Thursday, January 31, Lifetime Arts presented to over 70 social workers, senior center program coordinators, directors, arts therapists, advocates, and other senior staff interested in bringing high quality arts programs to the older adult constituency at Live On’s 29th Annual Conference and Vendor Expo. The Creative Aging Lifelong Learning Model (registration-based, sequential art workshop …
I’ve become hyper-aware of the plethora of articles being published on the electronic and print media with titles such as, “The Best Places to Retire,” “The Ten Best Places to Age,” and “Places Where Your Retirement Dollars Will Go Further.” Most of these stories feature places with warm climates (Florida and rest of the Sun …
Born in Minneapolis, MN, Peyton’s earliest memories as a child were making art and being creative. This continued into high school where he discovered graffiti art from the film Style Wars in 1984. This consumed his art interest. A portfolio of traditional art and graffiti influenced works helped earn acceptance into the School of the …
This fall Lifetime Arts has delivered of live Creative Aging training sessions in New York City, around the state, and across the country. Community Centers In October, Lifetime Arts made two separate trips to the YMCA of Greater Syracuse. On the first trip, the team oriented the executive director and key program leaders to the …
As a result of three major Creative Aging initiatives running programs this fall as a result of our training and technical support — The Catalyzing Creativity initiative in New York City, funded by the Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; Catalyzing Creative Aging, a project in partnership with the National Guild for Community Arts Education; …
October 2018 On October 25, our Executive Director, Ed Friedman, delivered the opening Keynote Address, “Creative Aging in Community Settings” at the Brookdale Foundation Group’s 2018 Annual Conference held at the Marriott Hotel in Teaneck, New Jersey. The conference was attended by over 200 people representing organizations from 35 states. The Group’s major initiatives are: …
As mentioned earlier this fall, Lifetime Arts, Inc. is proudly teaming up with the Teaching Artist Project (TAP) Cohort, a division of Community-Word Project (CWP). TAP is a comprehensive training and internship hosted by CWP and designed to prepare artists to bring their craft into K-12 classrooms. The TAP Cohort is a network of arts organizations …
The Westchester Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services sponsors the Westchester County Senior Hall of Fame, celebrating outstanding older adults in this New York state county for their achievements and contributions to their communities and beyond. Since 1983 over 1,100 seniors have been inducted into this prestigious group at the awards luncheon that hosts over 500 …
Earlier this year I surmised in this column that things may be changing for older actors (especially female) who seem historically to have fewer and fewer opportunities as they age. I wrote about a quartet of older actors starring in the popular film Book Club. Of course these were all “A” list actors and box …
Mr. DeBlieck’s teaching credits include faculty lecturer at the University of Hawaii (1995-1997), where he taught courses in modern dance technique and advanced Labanotation, Augsburg College (2005-2015) where he taught Creative Drama, Introduction to Theatre, Dance for Musical Theatre and Introduction to Dance, and at St Cloud State University (2009-2015) where he taught dance composition …
Attend a Creative Aging Event Near You Thanks to the generous support of Aroha Philanthropies, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, the NAMM Foundation, and the Music Man Foundation, this fall nearly 100 culminating events in 15 states will showcase older adults making art and friendships across the United States. The culminating events (a.k.a., …
This year more than 900 people aged 55+ from New Mexico to New Hampshire attended 65 Creative Aging programs in public libraries, arts organizations, and community spaces where they mastered new art-making skills such as digital photography, acting, creative writing, singing, and dancing. How do these programs work? These arts workshops were offered through several …
Marta Sanchez is a teaching artist and visual artist living and working in Philadelphia, PA. She has taught at several community centers and universities including the Tyler School of Art, St. Joseph’s University, Taller Puertorriqueño, and The Mann Senior Center. Her work is part of several permanent collections including Yale University, University of Michigan, University …
This week, Stria, a new media platform focusing on the longevity market, published a column by our co-founder and executive director, Ed Friedman, on retirement choice and how those developing products and messaging for this demographic might think differently about their approach. Visit strianews.com to read Ed’s column and to explore trends, topics, ideas, and …
Twenty nonprofit arts education organizations have been selected to participate in the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s Catalyzing Creative Aging Program. This multi-phase initiative, provided in partnership with Lifetime Arts, is designed to support the establishment of new, professionally-led arts education programs for older adults that increase social engagement and mastery of one or …
Community-Word Project, a New York City based 501(c)(3) arts-in-education organization that inspires children in under-served communities to read, interpret, and respond to their world and to become active citizens through collaborative arts residencies and teacher training programs, has invited Lifetime Arts to be a member organization of the Teaching Artist Project (TAP) Cohort. As part of …
Photo by Diego Jimenez on Unsplash A recent communication from the Automobile Club of America (AAA) has caused me to take a slight detour from my musings on art and aging. The communication in question is titled “55 Reasons It’s Great to Be Over 55.” I’ll skip over the implication that we have to be convinced …
Lifetime Arts to train and support educators at 20 museums across the U.S. as they develop and implement high-quality, intensive arts learning opportunities for older adults. Arlington, VA – Aroha Philanthropies, the American Alliance of Museums, and Lifetime Arts announced today that 20 museums and organizations have been tapped to participate in a new initiative, …
Lifetime Arts is currently training teaching artists and staff at New York City senior centers and arts organizations how to plan, design, and deliver Creative Aging programming. Annie Montgomery, Lifetime Arts’ director of education, led a training for senior center staff this month at the Brooklyn Public Library’s main branch. Through our experiential, hands-on seminars …
I Get By With a Little Help from My… Most all of my contemporaries are on some kind of medication regimen. Whether it’s for high blood pressure, cholesterol, bladder issues, hormone replacement, blood sugar — it seems like we’re all on something (and not in a fun way like the 70s). A history of less …
The National Guild for Community Arts Education is pleased to announce that 10 nonprofit arts education organizations from 9 states have been selected to receive seed grants of $7,000 each to support the launch of new, innovative arts education programming for older adults in their communities. Research shows that participation in activities that foster creative …
Artsy, an online platform for collecting and discovering art, has as its mission “to make all the world’s art accessible to anyone with an Internet connection.” Recently, Artsy Magazine interviewed Maura O’Malley, Lifetime Arts’ co-founder and CEO, about the way arts learning, skill-building, and social engagement — the tenets of creative aging — are increasing …
Thomas Boyd is a master teaching artist, songwriter, and prolific writer of prose. His songs have appeared on “Rock ‘n’ Roots,” a public radio music program. He has been an artist-in-residence at City of Berkeley (California) Echo Lake Camp, a writing instructor, and a songwriting instructor at The Creative Center in New York City. We …
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aroha Philanthropies Announces National Initiative in Collaboration with the American Alliance of Museums and Lifetime Arts MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Aroha Philanthropies, the American Alliance of Museums, and Lifetime Arts announced today that they will collaborate to launch Seeding Vitality Arts in Museums, a new national initiative developed, funded and managed by …
In 2005, Ed and I bumped into each other as we volunteered on a “creative aging” committee and recognized each other from our NYC arts work, dating back to the ‘80s. We started to talk – and kept on talking about what could/should happen to improve “senior programming”. We didn’t set out to create an …
Lifetime Arts has been fortunate to partner with author and activist, Ashton Applewhite, as we build the capacity of organizations around the country to deliver arts instruction for older adults that is free of bias and ageism. Recently, Ashton was interviewed by KCRW‘s Jonathan Bastian ahead of her appearance at UC Santa Barbara last week …
A little more than 10 years ago Maura and I sat at her dining room table. This was not a dream. We had in fact started a not-for-profit organization just as the recession was hitting. We got off to a great start though, and feverishly planned our next steps. In the midst of this discussion …
MEMORIES & MOMENTS: A WORKSHOP ON WRITING MEMOIR India Home Desi Senior Center, Jamaica, NY (Queens) At India Home’s Desi Senior Center in Jamaica Queens, older adults have been learning writing and revision skills utilizing Bengali texts, poems, and proverbs as inspiration. Led by teaching artist Sabbin Akter, older adults have met three times a …
Are we there yet? Glenda Jackson, 82, is currently starring in a universally praised Broadway production of Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women. This is on the heels of her King Lear at the Old Vic in London. (Image: Tristram Kenton for the Observer) Elaine May, 86, comes back to the New York theatre after 50 years …
What is your primary artistic medium? I primarily work with mixed media, paint, collage and drawing. I enjoy painting layered canvases of color and texture because I love the surprises this intuitive process can bring. How did you get started as a teaching artist? I am a formally-trained art teacher, art therapist and artist, so …
Told ya! Those of us in the non-profit arts sector are accustomed to constantly arguing for the value of the arts, but making a case for the importance of arts education for older adults is yet another hurdle to overcome. When The Creativity and Aging Study led by Dr. Gene Cohen was published in 2006 …
Lifetime Arts is grateful to be among this year’s esteemed group of individuals and organizations whom Arts Westchester is honoring as the “creative heart and soul” of the county. This particular recognition is especially meaningful as we celebrate our 10th anniversary as a Westchester-based nonprofit. Now partnering with and serving organizations across the United States, …
What is your primary artistic medium? Storytelling. How did you get started as a teaching artist? Teachers in schools where I taught were asking me to return and teach the students how to turn their social studies events into stories. This led to workshops for the teachers also. What led you to Creative Aging? I …
Mansa Mussa What is your primary artistic medium? My primary artistic medium is visual art. My process encompasses drawing, photography, collage, mask making, mixed media, three dimensional art, and iPadology (abstract photography using the iPad). How did you get started as a teaching artist? I started working as a Teaching Assistant in the Open Writing …
I am about to commit a blasphemy. Here goes: MAKING ART IS NOT FUN. While I am loathe to encourage the either/or ethos that seemingly pervades every aspect of our lives, there seems to be a disconnect between those who strive to make art, and those for whom it’s of little or only passing interest. …
NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Five Westchester County senior service organizations have each been awarded $2,500 by Lifetime Arts to plan and implement Creative Aging programs as part of the “Creative Aging in Westchester County” initiative, generously supported by the Westchester Community Foundation. Designed and administered by Lifetime Arts the project increases the capacity of these …
Arts education programs enhance the well-being of older adults New York, NY—Twenty nonprofit arts education organizations from 14 states have been selected to participate in the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s Catalyzing Creative Aging Program. This multi-phase initiative, provided in partnership with Lifetime Arts, is designed to support the establishment of new, professionally led …
Lifetime Arts to lead major effort to advance Creative Aging movement in NYC FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 3, 2018 New Rochelle, NY — Lifetime Arts, Inc. announced today the receipt of a $600,000 grant from The New York Community Trust (NYCT) in support of a two-year effort to evaluate and strengthen Creative Aging programs in New …
It’s easy to get caught up in the myriad of projects we’re juggling. It’s also easy when we do take a breath to ask “what’s next?” We don’t often take the time to ask ”What have we been doing for the last twelve months, and did it make any difference?” I’m tempted to use this …
New Rochelle, NY– Lifetime Arts and Aroha Philanthropies announced today the launch of a new, three-year 1.5 Million National Impact Initiative, funded by Aroha and led by Lifetime Arts. As the benefits of arts engagement for older adults gain recognition, more and more community organizations, policymakers and funders are turning to Lifetime Arts to provide …
Frank Ingrasciotta What is your primary artistic medium? Theatre / Improvisation / Playwriting / Memoir Writing How did you get started as a teaching artist? After years of working professionally as an actor and stage director, I wanted to expand my learning so I returned to university to complete my B.A. Degree. I had already …
Judith Sachs What is your primary artistic medium? Adaptive Dance How did you get started as a teaching artist? After my first successful hip replacement I wanted to share my joy of movement with everyone, regardless of age or physical restrictions. I trained with the Dance for PD program and I am about to …
Maura O’Malley, Co-founder and CEO of Lifetime Arts, has been recognized as one of Next Avenue’s Top 50 “Influencers in Aging” for 2017. Next Avenue, part of the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), is the only digital publication dedicated to covering issues for people 50 and older. Its third annual list of the Top 50 Influencers in Aging, includes advocates, …
As I inch slowly to retirement or cutting back my time (I’ve been saying this for three years now) I am inundated with examples of how I “should” be spending my leisure time. Much of the propaganda about retirement extols the virtue of the removal of work related stress. I’m wondering if “stress” is getting …
Creative Aging in Westchester County Lifetime Arts is pleased to announce the launch of Creative Aging in Westchester County a capacity building and seed grant program to improve the lives of older adults through arts education. Creative Aging connects older adults with professional teaching artists through active learning programs in all arts disciplines. Across the …
Richard Estrin What is your primary artistic medium? Although I do many other things, I am primarily a painter who works with oil and watercolor. How did you get started as a teaching artist? I began as a teaching artist in public elementary schools in the early 2000’s. I found that I loved teaching. …
Catalyzing Creativity in NYC’s Senior Service Organizations NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Ten NYC senior service organizations have each been awarded a grant of $7,500 to plan and implement Creative Aging projects as part of the Catalyzing Creativity initiative, a pioneering city-wide program designed to improve the quality of life of older New Yorkers through arts …
Two of our master teaching artists, Lauren Jost and Dave Johnson are co-teaching a memoir class titled “I Know a Thing or Two”, at the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. The sessions are well attended with participants sharing their experiences and diverse backgrounds as the impetus for their stories. Lifetime Arts’ work in …
A year ago during Older Americans Month (okay, I’m a week late) I wrote about marveling at James Earl Jones’ and Cicely Tyson’s performances in The Gin Game. This time I’d like to tell you about another talented individual that I know personally. Al Boudreau started taking dance lessons at 12 years old. Sixty-seven years …
Karen Fitzgerald What is your primary artistic medium? I’m a painter. I work primarily in oil paint, using gilded grounds. I also produce watercolors, and to a lesser extent, prints such as monotypes, solar etchings and photogravure. How did you get started as a teaching artist? After finishing my MFA, I’d hoped to begin teaching …
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2017 CONTACT: Ed Friedman 914-355-2304 NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Lifetime Arts, the nationally recognized leader in Creative Aging, and E.A. Michelson Philanthropy have launched a statewide grant opportunity for Minnesota: “Seeding Vitality Arts MN“. This new initiative will build the capacities of organizations in the state of Minnesota to develop …
Bernie D’Ettorre What is your primary artistic medium? Watercolor, though I started in oils. How did you get started as a teaching artist? I was asked to fill in at a class. After winning awards, area art galleries asked if I would like to teach classes. I taught an art class to Alzheimer patients, stressing …
It’s one thing to sit at my desk and write about arts and aging, or talk to people and help them envision and implement arts programs. It’s quite another thing to be a participant in the process of art making. In the many years that I’ve been an arts administrator I’ve tried to keep a …
David Deblinger What is your primary artistic medium? Self generated performance. I also act in other people’s projects on stage and screen. How did you get started as a teaching artist? I attended New York’s High School of Performing Arts in the 1980’s, and I was influenced heavily by a great director and teacher who …
Lifetime Arts is pleased to announce the launch of Catalyzing Creativity, a major Creative Aging initiative for New York City. Creative Aging connects older adults with professional teaching artists through active learning programs in all arts disciplines. Across the U.S., older adult advocates, researchers and artists are promoting the benefits of arts education for older …
One Is the Loneliest A New York Times article by Paula Span talked about the dangers of isolation and loneliness in older adults. Ms. Span cites research at the University of California, San Francisco which found that those who reported loneliness were more likely to develop difficulties with activities of daily living. Of those surveyed …
Julie Kline What is your primary artistic medium? Theater – actor, director, writer, producer. How did you get started as a teaching artist? I started teaching theater in college – for kids all ages from 4 to 18. I was going to acting conservatory at The Theater School, DePaul University in Chicago and would go …
Mark Nowak What is your primary artistic medium? I am a Photographer, I use a Nikon D800. How did you get started as a teaching artist? I have always been the photographer to “teach” even when were just walking around, every moment is a teaching moment. About 4 years ago I was approached by a …
Linda Luisi What is your primary artistic medium? In the atelier of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, I was trained in oils to acquire “old master” techniques. I transferred those oil skills to acrylics for a more suitable product and to satisfy deadlines. Depending on the project, some of my work resembles the 13th-17th …
Drop a pebble in a pond, and the ripples extend to wider and wider circles. This is our goal when we seed new Creative Aging programs, provide technical assistance and guidance to manage these programs, professionally develop teaching artists, and demonstrate the impact of our work at conferences across the country. As we come to …
“That’s what great artists do: They challenge themselves.” So said stage director Deborah Warner, when asked in an interview for the New York Times, why Glenda Jackson wanted to take on the title role in King Lear. At age 80, Ms. Jackson, a two-time Oscar winner (“Women in Love” and “A Touch of Class”), is coming …
At the center of a truly great Creative Aging program is the teaching artist. They are the boots on the ground, who are teaching new skills to curious minds and turning a group of strangers into lifelong friends. Teaching artists make the learning fun and engaging, and they accomplish all of this with a sense …
Ashton Applewhite was recently named Influencer of the Year by Next Avenue atop their list of 50 Influencers of Aging for 2016. A writer based in Brooklyn, New York, Ashton is the author of the recently released (and enthusiastically reviewed) This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism. Applewhite blogs at her website, This Chair Rocks, has written …
Lauren Jost What is your primary artistic medium? I consider my primary medium to be storytelling. I direct (and occasionally perform in) theatre performances for very young children, and I use visual language, puppetry, music, and words to compose stories that spark imaginations and playfulness. A great deal of my teaching artist work involves crafting …
“The survey showed that the overwhelming majority (96%) of respondents are interested in teaching art to older adults.” This is the last of three national surveys, investigating Creative Aging and teaching artistry this year. It’s no surprise that the survey revealed strong interest among teaching artists in working with older adults. Teaching Artists Speak! – …
Now what? Most of my friends are either about to retire or recently moved past it. For the people who are currently retired, they run the gamut. Those in more than fine financial shape (not too many) frequently travel to visit friends, or just get away and explore. At the other end of the retirement …
Jeremiah Jenner What is your primary artistic medium? Digital and 35mm film photography. I received my first camera, a Kodak 126 Instamatic, from my mother when I was only five years old. Since that day, the camera rarely leaves my fingertips. I enjoy learning and exploring new ways to create art through this medium. I …
Aroha Philanthropies has awarded nearly $500,000 in grants to 15 nonprofits through its “Seeding Artful Aging initiative,” and we are proud to announce our involvement in the upcoming initiative. We will provide training, program development, and technical assistance services to all grantees throughout this two-year project. “Chosen from a highly competitive field of more than …
Why Work? We just celebrated Labor Day, and I’ve been thinking a lot about my relationship to work. Claudia Shear’s play, Blown Sideways Through Life, is a one person autobiographical tour through the litany of the sixty-six jobs she held up to that point in her life. It was an Off-Broadway hit in the early …
We are thrilled to announce our newly updated Lifetime Arts’ Creative Aging Roster. Our Roster is constantly growing with new teaching artists, and our newly added features will help save time in locating and reaching out to the teaching artist of your choice. Take a look at: www.lifetimearts.org/roster/members What is the Creative Aging Roster? The …
As we reach the half way point in the year we’d like to share with you what has been happening at Lifetime Arts since the end of 2015. CREATIVE AGING IN AMERICA’S LIBRARIES This three-year project, funded primarily by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), has supported 72 Creative Aging workshops in public libraries …
Antonia Perez What is your primary artistic medium? I have been working with used plastic bags as my primary medium since 2008. I collect them from a range of sources and transform them by crocheting them into a variety of sculptural forms. I also collect other discarded materials such as tissue boxes, household textiles and …
“National survey results: SAAs reveal strong interest in Creative Aging” This is our second of three national surveys, investigating Creative Aging and Teaching Artistry. This survey addresses the roles that state arts agencies (SAAs) play in providing training for teaching artists in Creative Aging, and to what extent they support programming in this field. Forty-three …
In my effort to have these monthly missives reflect days or months that are observed annually, I considered Nectarine Month, National Drive Thru Day, Barbie-in-a-Blender Day, Sports Cliché Day, and many others. I fall back, however, to the most obvious- Independence Day. It made me think about our individual independence. That enviable quality held in …
Lori Adams What is your primary artistic medium? Photography. How did you get started as a teaching artist? I have always enjoyed explaining how things work to others, and had been told I was good at it. When given an opportunity to teach workshops in photography, I tried it, and it gave me much satisfaction. …
Father’s Day is this month. Two things come to mind: 1. Where are the men? In our Creative Aging workshops around the country, no matter where we look or what arts discipline is offered, the ratio of women to men is about 8.5:1. It’s too simple to say that women live longer than men, and so …
Will Clipman What is your primary artistic medium? I’m a multi-disciplinary artist precisely because no one medium I work in is more or less engaging to me than another; so I’d have to say I have an equal artistic passion for and professional commitment to music, creative writing, maskmaking, storytelling, the performing and recording arts, …
By Ed Friedman Old?…Yeah… So? May has been designated Older Americans Month (OAM) by the Administration on Aging since 1963. OAM acknowledges the contributions of older people in the U.S. led by the Administration for Community Living, and the annual observance offers the opportunity to learn about, support, and celebrate our nation’s older citizens. So… …
This month we are highlighting 40 teaching artists that have been added to our Roster in 2016. This means we now have 180 roster artists, in 20 states, and in many artistic disciplines!!! We are so excited to continue growing and expanding with such a wonderful group of artists. Lifetime Arts’ Creative Aging Roster is a free …
By Ed Friedman Shush! It’s National Library Week (April 10-16). But rather than whisper we’d like to loudly acknowledge all the great work that emanates from libraries throughout the country. Of course, at Lifetime Arts, we have long recognized the value of public libraries as community cultural centers. Additionally, they are safe havens, oases if …
Hermine Meinhard What is your primary artistic medium? I am a poet and was a late bloomer. Though I wrote stories under the nightlight as a child and in high school, I didn’t come to poetry seriously until my thirties. I love that writing is an art form you can begin at any age. How …
Teaching Artists: Make Your Voices Heard! This survey is one of eight projects currently underway as part of the National Guild for Community Arts Education-‘s Teaching Artist Development Track, and one of three National Surveys on Creative Aging that we are publishing this year. In November our CEO and Co-Founder, Maura O’Malley sat down with …
Celia Caro What is your primary artistic medium? I’m a mixed-media artist and work primarily with drawing, painting and collage. I also make comic zines (self-published magazines.) My work is always about storytelling, so I combine text and image and focus on narrative. How did you get started as a teaching artist? I started after …
Dave Johnson What is your primary artistic medium? Often described as two minute plays in verse, my poems pursue a lyrical narrative that work toward a crescendo and reveal. How did you get started as a teaching artist? I began as a teaching artist in 1991 when I was working as office manager for Poets …
National survey results: Ageism heads the list of challenges in developing teaching artist training in Creative Aging This first report of three national surveys investigating Creative Aging and Teaching Artistry offers an interesting snapshot of the state of teaching artist training in Creative Aging. 50 arts organizations told us about their programming for older adults …
Mary Crescenzo What is your primary artistic medium? My primary medium, which crosses both literary and commercial markets, is Literary Arts to include play writing, poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and essays. How did you get started as a teaching artist? As a multidisciplinary artist, I earned my BA in Arts Education from Lehman College and taught in the …
Joan Green What is your primary artistic medium? My primary artistic medium is dance — I am a modern dancer and choreographer. I am also a visual artist and have known myself to be passionate about both these art forms since the age of three. As I get older I am focusing more on my …
Bill Wertheim What is your primary artistic medium? Writing, both memoir and poetry. How did you get started as a teaching artist? I was a middle school English teacher for 4 years during the late 1960s, and made writing projects the center of my teaching. In 1976, a poet-friend told me about the possibility of …
Tamara Keshecki What is your primary artistic medium? First and foremost I’m a classical flute player. I also work as a teaching artist in elementary and intermediate schools, with developmentally disabled adults and run a non-profit arts organization, Musical Chairs Chamber Ensemble, Inc. How did you get started as a teaching artist? I started teaching …
Paul Ferrara What is your primary artistic medium? I have an eclectic history when it comes to the visual arts. My entry into the visual arts was in graphic design, however, after my first year of college I transferred into the theatre program. While there I focused on scenic design and scene painting. I incorporate …
Annie Montgomery What is your primary artistic medium? Theatre. How did you get started as a teaching artist? When my first child was a baby, I was a professional actor but most of my jobs were out of town and paid very little. I couldn’t travel like that anymore with a baby and I definitely …
