Category: Partnerships

November 20, 2023

New Initiative Catalyzes State-Level Partnerships to Advance Creative Aging in Western States

Two older adult participants smile at the camera while painting at a table.

Cross-sector, state-level partnerships are key to sustaining and ensuring access to creative aging programming, especially for older adults in rural communities. Research shows that these arts education programs contribute significantly to healthy aging and increased social connection. The Advancing Creative Aging in Westerns States Initiative, launched in 2023, is designed to deepen and sustain collaboration among state agency partners to advance creative aging in the Western region. Currently the Initiative includes partnership teams in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming, and Utah. These teams include leaders from state arts agencies, state libraries, and state veterans services, and will expand to include aging services and health and human services.

December 31, 2022

2022: The Year in Review

If there's one thing that we can take away from our collaborative work in 2022, it's that responsive, purposeful, and accessible arts education programming is a foundational pillar for lifelong learning. This work can only be achieved when every older adult is seen, valued, creative, proud, and part of a community. We couldn’t have accomplished this work without the abundant support of our staff, trainers, partners, and funders.

August 15, 2022

Connection & Collaboration at State Arts Agency Training Events

In May and June, 2022, Lifetime Arts provided nearly 40 hours of training and professional development services (in-person and via the Lifetime Arts Portal) to over 200 state arts agencies, museum staff, and teaching artists across the country as part of the national and statewide initiatives Leveraging State Investments in Creative Aging and Advancing Creative Aging in Arizona's West Valley. Below we share some highlights from these professional development opportunities and emerging partnership opportunities this fall.

May 9, 2022

Lifetime Arts Works with 21 State Art Agencies to Increase Capacity for Creative Aging Programs via NASAA Effort

A trainee holds up her collage to the web cam.

n the Leveraging State Investments in Creative Aging Initiative supported by E.A. Michelson Philanthropy, Lifetime Arts partnered with the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies to grow their creative aging programs, practices, and partnerships with 21 state arts agencies across the country. In this post, teaching artists and organizational staff share their insights on the impact that our training has made in their practices, institutions, and communities. Additionally, the Lifetime Arts team shares insights on working with our partners and trainees.

May 9, 2022

Wyoming State Agencies Partner with Lifetime Arts to Provide Accessible Creative Aging Programs in Rural Communities

A photo of a group of participants from a program. They are posing for the camera, with paintings hung up on the wall behind them.

In the Creative Aging in Wyoming Public Libraries Initiative, Lifetime Arts partnered with the Wyoming State Library and Wyoming Arts Council to implement creative aging programming in 23 county libraries throughout the state. In this post, we highlight some examples of creative aging programs that were offered through this initiative, and share insights from library program coordinators, older adult participants, and the Lifetime Arts team.

May 9, 2022

Remote Creative Aging Programs Addressed Social Isolation in 7 New York Counties During Pandemic

A participant's photograph of a first-person perspective on a blue kayak. The view beyond the kayak is cloudy skies and calm, open water with tree lines in the distance.

The New York State Creative Aging Initiative, an innovative partnership between The New York State Council on the Arts, The New York State Office for the Aging, and Lifetime Arts launched during the middle of the pandemic concluded in February 2022. Lifetime Arts trained and coached staff members from 7 area agencies on aging and nearly 70 New York state based teaching artists to plan, design, and implement 14 remote creative aging programs throughout the state.

April 18, 2022

Brooklyn Digital Initiative Serves as a Remote, Anti-Isolation Program Model for Public Library Systems

This participant artwork is an abstract collage of different sized circles and lines.

advancing arts education programming in Brooklyn public libraries — has proven to serve as an anti-isolation remote program model for public library systems.

February 24, 2022

Creative Aging Programs Centered in Black Cultures Enrich Connection & Community in Museums Across the U.S.

The following are examples of programs offered in museums across the U.S. — during and immediately prior to the pandemic — in which teaching artists centered their curriculum in Black cultures and history and/or taught media inspired by Black and Brown artists.

February 16, 2021

14 Community Arts Ed Organizations Receive Seed Grants for Creative Aging Programs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 16, 2021 CONTACT Jenina Podulka, National Guild for Community Arts Education jeninapodulka@nationalguild.org nationalguild.org Shannon McDonough, Lifetime Arts smcdonough@lifetimearts.org Research shows participatory arts learning for older adults provides significant wellness benefits critical to counteracting social isolation New York, NY—The National Guild for Community Arts Education and Lifetime Arts are pleased to announce that …

April 29, 2020

Creative Aging Partnership in Wyoming Receives Funding

Wyoming Arts Council Receives $20,000 Grant from the Wyoming Community Foundation for Creative Aging Training in Partnership with the Wyoming State Library and Lifetime Arts The Wyoming Arts Council is pleased to announce the receipt of a $20,000 grant from the Wyoming Community Foundation’s McMurry Library Endowment Fund. Through a partnership between the Wyoming Arts …

November 22, 2019

Gov. Cuomo Announces Creative Aging Initiative to Support Physical and Mental Health of Older New Yorkers and Combat Social Isolation

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the launch of a three-region Creative Aging Initiative to provide hands-on art-making programs that support comprehensive physical and mental health benefits for older New Yorkers and combat social isolation. Created by a new partnership of the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York State Office for the Aging, the Creative Aging Initiative takes an innovative, evidence-based approach to healthy aging, underscoring New York's leadership as the first age-friendly state in the nation.

October 21, 2019

2019-2020 Catalyzing Creative Aging Cohort Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 22, 2019 Arts education programs designed to engage the vitality of older adults New York, NY—Twenty nonprofit arts education organizations from 13 states have been selected to participate in the third cohort of the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s Catalyzing Creative Aging Program. This multi-phase program is provided in partnership with …

October 11, 2019

City of Boston Announces New Creative Aging Program

Arts programming throughout the City to be tailored to older adults BOSTON – Friday, October 11, 2019 – Mayor Martin J. Walsh along with the Age Strong Commission and the Office of Arts and Culture today announced a partnership with Goddard House Community Initiatives and Lifetime Arts that brings free arts programming to older adults …

July 16, 2019

10 Arts Organizations Receive Seed Grants To Launch New Creative Aging Programs

Pasadena Conservatory of Art Adult Studies Culminating Event, Catalyzing Creative Aging, National Guild for Community Arts Education

The National Guild for Community Arts Education and Lifetime Arts are 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. The population of older adults in …

June 27, 2019

Catalyzing Creative Aging 2019-2020 Applications Now Open

Bomba Dance Workshop, Casita Maria, Bronx, NY (National Guild)

Our population of adults over age 55 in the U.S. is rapidly growing, and research shows that participatory arts education programs for older adults foster positive aging and healthier lives. To support the establishment of new programs like this at Guild member organizations across the country, the National Guild for Community Arts Education is …

November 19, 2018

Bringing Creative Aging to TAP Cohort

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 …

September 21, 2018

Lifetime Arts to Join Community-Word Project TAP Cohort

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 …