Older people’s arts festival enhances health and wellbeing

The Public Health Agency (PHA) and Arts Care have launched the Older People’s Arts in Health Festival 2013 at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast.  The festival aims to enhance the health and wellbeing of older people throughout Northern Ireland.

The festival will bring a range of high quality arts programmes to older people in health and social care and community settings across the whole of Northern Ireland. It will give older people an opportunity to explore and experiment with different arts forms, such as contemporary dance, music, sculpture, film making, creative writing and much more.

Chris Totten, Head of Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement, PHA said, “Older people have a lot to offer the rest of the community but often can feel isolated.  Through this festival we hope to shift perceptions of ageing, promote inclusion and full involvement within society, and improve the provision, quality and safety of services for older people. 

 “The project will provide up to 320 workshops to 1,000 older people. It will promote access to the arts right at the heart of healthcare as well as in the community and will enhance the wellbeing and quality of life of older people across Northern Ireland.” 

The PHA has commissioned Arts Care to host the festival. Dr Jenny Elliott, Chief Executive Officer, Arts Care said: ‘We are challenging perceptions of what it is to age, and are celebrating ageing in the most life-affirming way.

“The intention of the programme is to unfold older people’s creativity and to offer them a life-long learning opportunity that will involve learning new creative skills that will prove valuable in their everyday life. It is anticipated that new creative skills will not only enhance the older people’s quality of life, but will provide access to exciting arts participation.”

The festival will be delivered in day centres, residential care facilities and supported housing groups and will be delivered to members of community-based older people’s groups. It is expected to benefit approximately 1,000 older people.

The project is to be held from February to March 2013.