Creative Journeys Report 2019

Creative Journeys 3 The research in this report formed part of a wider portfolio of cultural activities with older people led by the Essex County Council Culture and Community Engagement Team. It began in 2015 with the ‘Transitions Essex’ project, which involved pairing artists with care homes in Epping. Concurrently, Orchestras Live, in partnership with Essex County Council, piloted a creative music project involving older people and staff at four care homes in north Essex. This culminated in a celebration performance with Sinfonia Viva in Colchester, paving the way for further orchestral work with older people. As a result of this in 2016 Essex County Council and their academic partners Anglia Ruskin University successfully applied for an Arts Council England Research Grant and were awarded £125,000 to undertake a research project exploring the benefits of participatory arts and cultural activity with older people. Whilst the wider Creative Journeys programme took place in eight care homes with leading arts organisations Age Exchange, Magic Me, Green Candle Dance Company and Sinfonia Viva with Orchestras Live, the research focused specifically on case studies in three care homes as well as a survey and interviews with residential care homes across Essex. Currently one fifth of Essex’ population is over 65 and this is projected to increase by a third by 2030. Creative Journeys is crucial to understanding how we can maintain meaningful relationships with each other and within our communities as our population ages. As a result of sharing their practice throughout the research process, the arts organisations involved in the project have formed closer working relationships and are now looking at funding options to continue the programme. Creative Journeys was amongst the top arts programmes shortlisted across the country for a National Arts Award ‘Hearts for the Arts’ in 2019. Accolades included: “Caring for the elderly in all dimensions is not only a noble thing but a necessary thing. I love this.” – Kwame Kwei-Armah, Playwright, Director, Artistic Director of the Young Vic Theatre “A range of strong and effective partnerships have delivered multiple benefits through arts engagement to build new relationships, with added benefit and development of the creative partners involved.” – Lorna Lee, Head of Culture & Heritage Services, London Borough of Waltham Forest, and Winner of a 2018 Hearts for the Arts Award Creative Journeys Background