Arts Alive awarded £100,000 for new Creative Conversations project

Arts Alive, based in Shropshire, has been awarded £100,000 for new cross sector, rural partnership project Creative Conversations (CC).

The funding is part of the Celebrating Age programme, jointly funded by the Arts Council through the National Lottery and the Baring Foundation, to tackle issues of social isolation and wellbeing in older people, encouraging them to join in group activities focused around arts and culture.

CC will link experienced agencies for arts -Arts Alive, MediaActive, Qube - and health - Age UK, Shropshire Council, Shropshire Provider's Consortium members to help create a programme of events that reaches and benefits older people.

Covering areas across Shropshire, it will deliver creative workshops, training, residencies, performances and exhibitions for and with older people in the region. Participants and carers will be able to come together to share and celebrate elders’ stories and creativity.

They will also help shape CC, being given a say in how events are programmed and promoting the positive benefits of arts on health, wellbeing and quality of life.

Those taking part will also have support in attending events and activities, receive help with using technology and have a chance to help the community by volunteering themselves.

Peter Knott, Area Director, Arts Council England, said: “Older people have a wealth of talent and life-experience, and sharing it can help them overcome loneliness as well as offer them opportunities to find hidden artistic talent. Arts Alive’s workshops and performances will help bring these creative gifts to life, enriching not only their own lives but those of others too.

“Creative Conversations will work in rural and hard to reach parts of Shropshire, visiting spaces like residential care homes, day centres, community centres and village halls. This will offer a fantastic opportunity to help older people forge links with each other while enjoying and contributing to great art and culture.”

Sian Kerry, Director, Arts Alive, said: “Arts Alive has been working closely with MediaActive to develop this new countywide partnership initiative, and we are thrilled by this award. Creative Conversations will deliver a sustained programme of creative activities to older people in locations across this sparsely populated rural county which has a higher than average older population. It will also offer support and inspiration for staff, carers and volunteers and create a new micro touring show celebrating older people's lives and creativity."

In the Midlands, £397,531 has been shared between four major projects that showcase, curate and celebrate art created by, with and for older people, making cultural spaces more open and welcoming.

Celebrating Age: Arts and Cultural Organisations Leading Change was developed in response to figures from the Taking Part Survey, which shows that participation in arts and culture falls dramatically over the age of 75.

A combined total of £1,530,030 has been awarded to 16 organisations across the country.

Arts Alive is also an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation for 2018-22 and is set to receive regular funding totalling £235,124 throughout the period.