NATIONAL DAY OF ARTS IN CARE HOMES #AICH2022
SATURDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2022
The National Activity Providers Association (NAPA) is delighted to launch this year’s National Day of Arts in Care Homes #AICH2022. An annual event which takes place on 24 September each year, it is an opportunity to celebrate the inspiring work using the arts and creativity that is taking place to support health and wellbeing in care settings.
Care providers and their partners including arts and cultural organisations, will be joining in by organising an event on the day, and sharing pictures and stories about their event, or arts activities they have delivered during 2022.
This year we want to help widen the conversation beyond the UK, so we are inviting care settings and people with an interest in creative ageing in countries around the world to join our celebrations. We hope to be able to share stories and exchange experiences about the health and wellbeing benefits of arts for those receiving care provision, staff teams, relatives and friends, and help create a global network. Arts and Aging Day Canada was inspired by the UK National Day of Arts in Care Homes, and we also want to help spread awareness of the benefits of such initiatives.
“Through Arts and Aging Day Canada, we can reach older adults and their friends, family members and care partners living in the community and in retirement and long-term care homes all across the country.”
Dr Kate Dupuis, The Sheridan Centre for Elder Research, Ontario, Canada
Care Home Twinning
We will launch our Care Home Twinning project on the day, connecting care settings in the UK to share their lived experience and work on creative projects together. We are inviting staff teams and artists to jointly develop creative resources and discuss ways of overcoming current barriers to bring more arts engagement into care settings. In the run-up, we are twinning care settings with partners in Canada, France and Mexico to work on arts projects which they will be sharing with us on the day. The Care Home Twinning Project has been developed in response to our Arts in Every Care Home consultation with the care sector (2021). The Baring Foundation, who commissioned and funded the consultation, will be sharing their follow-up report, which will consider how the arts and care sectors can work better together to deliver personalised access to culture and creativity for all care home residents.
Creating a field of flowers #FIELDOFFLOWERS
NAPA and Drawing Life are inviting care settings to create a field of flowers by drawing, painting, photographing or making models of real or imagined flowers and sharing pictures of their artwork online using #AICH2022 #FieldofFlowers. Our lead image is a sunflower, which is also the national flower of Ukraine. We will be working together to plant a #FieldofFlowers to blossom on 24 September.
Being creative together
NAPA is delighted to partner with leading arts organisations specialising in creating meaningful arts engagement for people living with dementia to deliver free online participatory events. Sessions will be led by organisations including Forget-me-not Chorus and The Blair Academy, and care setting will be joining in to help us kick-off the celebrations during the week commencing 19 September.
Forget-me-not Chorus has been organising joy-filled singing sessions for people with all forms of dementia, as well as the families, friends and professional staff looking after them for over 10 years. Today, over 1,000 people – from millennials to centenarians – participate in their singing sessions every week.
“As a charity who reaches people from Wales to New Zealand, we can’t wait to bring some joy to all who will take part in this special day.”
Kate Woolveridge, Artistic Director Forget-me-not Chorus
The Blair Academy works with care homes, day centres, hostels and schools, helping people boost their health and happiness through hip-hop dance. CEO Charlie Blair developed a programme drawing from personal experiences as a hip-hop dancer, homeless teen and carer for older people, testing ideas with her Nanny Doreen in the living room and speaking to care homes in her local area.
“We’ve seen, first hand, the joy and sense of belonging that the Arts can bring. Time to eradicate fears and stereotypes and be creative in our approaches.“
Charlie Blair, Founder & CEO The Blair Academy
Getting Involved
Care settings and arts organisations can join in by following these simple steps:
- Reading our Get Involved pack for ideas and inspiration
- Planning an event with their care setting community
- Registering the event on our website
- Joining our online sessions during the week of 19 September
- Sharing pictures and information with us on 24 September on Twitter using @Artsincarehomes #AICH2022
- Taking part in our #FieldofFlowers campaign by sharing images of flowers they have made on Twitter: @Artsincarehomes and Facebook: @artsincarenapa also using #FieldofFlowers
We encourage anyone unable to organise an event for the day, to join in by telling us about their cultural and creative activities delivered in or with care settings this year on Twitter during the week of Monday 19 September using #AICH2022.
— Ends
Notes to editors:
For further information please contact:
Alison Teader, Programme Director
Email: alison@artsincarehomes.org.uk
Telephone: 07538 497607
Twitter: @Artsincarehomes Facebook: @artsincarenapa
#AICH2022
About Arts in Care Homes:
Arts in Care Homes and the National Day of Arts in Care Homes is an initiative by NAPA and funded for five years by The Baring Foundation and The Rayne Foundation. Now in its fourth year, it acts as a central hub for delivery of arts and creative activities in care homes with sector research, user friendly resources and ‘How To’ guides for care staff. www.artsincarehomes.org.uk
NAPA is a membership organisation and charity, it is a leader in field promoting the importance of meaningful activities in care homes and the need for training and support for care staff. www.napa-activities.co.uk/
Baring Foundation – From 2010-2019 the Baring Foundation’s Arts programme focused on supporting participatory arts with people over the age of 60, including people living in care homes. The Foundation continues to support Arts in Care Homes Day. www.baringfoundation.org.uk
The Rayne Foundation – Addresses entrenched social issues through the arts, health, wellbeing, and education. www.raynefoundation.org.uk