Creative Journeys Report 2019

Creative Journeys 27 called out “Hello everybody!” whilst smiling and waving; at the end of a Sinfonia Viva session, one of the residents pulled her wheelchair across the circle because she was excited to talk to another resident about the session, holding onto the other resident’s wheelchair and leaning in as they talked to each other – the activities coordinator commented that the resident had never pulled her wheelchair over to someone like that before. 4.2.2 Shared experiences Participatory arts enabled shared experiences between the residents, which included learning about and from each other, sharing new experiences during arts activities, and discovering shared interests and histories. The opportunities to interact allowed residents to listen and learn about each other and get to know each other better. This was particularly noticeable in the reminiscence arts activities, which actively encouraged residents to share stories from their lives with the group, though it was also commonly observed across the art forms and in the stage two findings. We got on quite well with one another, I think. We understood one another. They all had their stories to tell, and to me they were interesting. (Stage one resident) You meet more people, like, intimately, than you would normally. (Stage one resident) When you are doing arts activities you are not only engaging you are noticing and finding out others skills…so many are talented in arts and crafts. (Survey respondent) So, it’s nice that th ey ca n talk to each other and learn more about each other. Because then it builds stronger friendships, and that’s what we want because this is their home at the end of the day. (Stage two staff member) Residents shared new experiences together through participating in the arts activities, for example the musical performance lead by Sinfonia Viva with Orchestras Live brought four different care homes together in a community centre not only to see the professional orchestra perform, but also so that the residents could perform the songs they had written together for the audience. Observations of this performance revealed how much the residents enjoyed this experience of coming together for the arts activities, with pairs and groups of residents singing, smiling and clapping together and some also dancing in the aisles. This enjoyment was noteworthy across all the data. Again shared interests, laughing together, having fun together makes a bond stronger…. (Survey respondent) I turned around and looked at all our residents, and every one of them had a smile on their face, clapping, or even standing up and dancing. ” (Stage one staff member) I get pleasure from it… I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. (Stage one resident)