How is the State making creative aging programs more widely available?
COA, Lifetime Arts, and the Connecticut State Library are partnering to bring creative aging programs to 10 Connecticut public libraries. Together, we are:
- Strengthening arts education for older adults in public libraries
- Building relationships between libraries and teaching artists
Lifetime Arts will provide training for libraries and access to new online resources, including Creative Aging Foundations On Demand. They will also oversee the implementation and documentation of creative aging programs in 10 public libraries.
This program helps public libraries show we are an age-friendly state that recognizes the diversity, complexity, and changing needs and interests of older adults.
Project Overview
The project will match 10 mentor teaching artists and 10 mentee teaching artists to 10 public libraries.
The mentor teaching artists have completed the Creative Aging training program or have extensive sequential learning experience and with older adults.
The creative aging class at each library will:
- Receive about $2,500 in state funds
- Have eight or more sessions that are at least 90 minutes long
- Have a culminating event
- Serve 10 or more participants who are at least 55 years old
Mentor teaching artist responsibilities
- Develop a curriculum and materials list (must be submitted as least 1 month prior to the workshop start date)
- Receive written feedback on curriculum design
- Participate in a curriculum coaching session with Lifetime Arts staff and a library programmer
- Tell the library they participated in the coaching session
- Provide materials to support marketing efforts (images, descriptions)
- Plan out material and classroom needs with the library
Curriculum
Each mentor teaching artist will:
- Develop goals for the program, including skills taught
- Submit their curriculum template to Lifetime Arts for review
- Create outlines for each session that describe what participants will learn and do, how that learning scaffolds, and how the instructor will provide meaningful social engagement
Key Terms
- Sequential skill building: Develop in-depth learning of an art form by building skills over time and having the opportunity to practice the art and become better at it.
- Intentional social engagement: Foster community between participants as part of the artmaking and learning experience
- Culminating event: Showcase the work of the participants to friends, family, wider community based on the art form being learned (performance, gallery show, reading, etc.).
Project Timeline
Teaching artist matching: July - August 2023
- Matches will be based on community assessments.
Coaching and program planning: June - August 2023
- Libraries and teaching artists will receive individual guidance from Lifetime Arts
- Libraries and teaching artists will collaborate on a program plan and send it to Lifetime Arts for review. The plan will include a curriculum outline and budget.
Program Delivery: August 1 - November 30, 2023
- Programs implemented during this time