Creative Journeys Report 2019

60 Creative Journeys Other factors to note with regard to external arts practitioners included the need to plan and manage the timing of sessions in consideration of the time constraints of residents, staff and relatives – for example around mealtimes, existing routines, shift patterns and busy lives – which was not always achievable. This was, however, especially important for the Sinfonia Viva with Orchestras Live performance, which relied upon extra support from staff and relatives in getting the residents to the venue or attending as part of the audience and supporting residents at the performance. The practicalities and logistics of this – particularly for residents with dementia – had to be carefully managed. However, the choice of an external venue for the performance was seen as particularly important for producing a sense of occasion; whilst also providing adequate space and acoustics. There were some challenges encountered in each of the stage one care homes in relation to the practicalities and preparation involved in delivering participatory arts in care homes. For example, the care home buildings were not always an appropriate space/environment for the arts activities (e.g. not enough space, communal areas where many people would walk in and out and disrupt sessions). I think it’s a very difficult one to organise… purely because of the dynamics of this building... (Stage one care manager) Because either we’d arrive and people are already there, or we were in a different room and it was too small, or people we’d never seen before would be brought in. (Stage one arts facilitator) Furthermore, in the stage two survey 10/27 homes did not consider that they had a space for arts activities (either a dedicated room or space in communal living areas). Building alterations were taking place during one of the arts programme which affected logistics, with each session taking place in a different room. The stage two arts organisation focus group again mentioned structure of the environment and space as a barrier to successful sessions, citing the challenges of residents being spread across different units and having a lack of open space. I think the challenges might have been because of the alterations in our building during the process. It had become a bit more challenging, but that wasn’t the fault of yourselves or us really. It was just because the logistics of the building has changed, so therefore, the groups weren’t quite as organised as I think you all would have liked. (Stage one activities coordinator) Overall, when arts facilitators and care homes worked effectively together then the delivery of participatory arts activities were perceived to be smooth and successful; however there was a general feeling expressed especially in the stage two arts organisations focus group that wider issues in the care context could be a barrier in relation to planning and logistics, as well as preparing for the nature of the care setting and the nature of the residents. I think you’ve got to be realistic about what you can achieve. I think quite often those environments do work against us. (Arts organisations focus group)