Art ‘UR’ Age

Funded by Arts Council NI; the original main aims of the project were to:

• Engage older people in intergenerational arts projects with school children as a method of addressing social isolation and to have a positive impact on mental health and well being.
• Use the medium of arts to create linkages between generations in communities improving older people's community connections, participation in the arts
• Create sustainable opportunities for continued intergenerational arts by creating partnerships between schools and older people's day centre
• Showcase and recognise arts produced by older people as part of each intergenerational arts project at an event that connects all groups involved
• Provide community arts opportunities for local artists.

Due to the COVID lockdown in March 2020, only one of the 3 projects involving the day centre clients and local school pupils was able to deliver 3 sessions before having to cease. The settings that were involved in the project were Age Concern Derry, Older People North West, Chapel Hill Primary School, Gilnahirk Primary School, South West Regional College, The Meadows Day Centre, Inniscoole Day Centre and Rathcoole Primary School.

Over a year of various restrictions and no face to face engagement we had to re-think what art activity was possible and safe to deliver. To help both the younger and older generations connect to feel less isolated and be fun and creative.

The idea was created for ‘Bridging the gap between generations’ using Cards with messages of hope, designed by local artist Rosie McClelland. A series of art packs were created that included 3 card designs and colouring pencils that could be completed and a message of hope written on the back. The aim was for these then to be shared between the Older and Younger Participants.

See this short report of this project here Art UR Age Arts project report