Background
Still Lively was originally planned as a two year partnership project funded by The Baring Foundation and Arts Council England and developed by Creative Health CIC, Wolverhampton
The project was aimed at older people living in Staffordshire and Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Choices Housing Association and Staffordshire Arts Services. Working across Wolverhampton and Staffordshire, Still Lively offered an opportunity for older people to form a meaningful and significant connection to cultural spaces, art and people through working with galleries and collections. The venues became places for older people to create, share and celebrate their artworks, stories, and ideas, inspiring those who took part and other visitors. |
Still Lively at the Gallery
Spending time involving older people in developing the programme was crucial. Our group of older people have been involved in shaping and planning the Still Lively programme. This included advising where best to hold arts workshops. Dedicated space for workshops in the Gallery is limited and older people were very keen that we involved as many people as possible in the programme. We successfully tested out the viability of holding workshops in Gallery spaces. This meant that older people signing up to the Still Lively workshop programme could participate in arts activities in a public space or in one of the educational rooms. It's been so easy, I feel so relaxed. It’s been great being part of Still Lively out in the Gallery drawing. I've achieved something I haven’t drawn for years. Still Lively Participant |
Where we are now
Still Lively participants from both settings are valued as artists by our arts and curatorial team. The programme included weekly Wednesday workshops at Wolverhampton Art Gallery which were facilitated by a team of older artists and creative producers. The high profile ‘Journeys -Making Marks with Meaning’ exhibition was inspiring, thought provoking and well received by visitors. Work created by older artists living in Shire Living homes complemented the work created by artists from the Wednesday art groups.
Rather than ‘copying’, people took artworks in the galleries as departure points for personal journeys of making marks, discovering meanings as they did so. The results should be seen in this way: now independent of what inspired them and artworks in their own right. Tom Jones Lead Artist Wednesday has become older people’s day at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. The largest education room and gallery equipment is prioritised for Still Lively as is access to gallery spaces. Still Lively is actively using the Gallery collections and exhibitions to inspire and engage older audiences. Wolverhampton Art Gallery continues to support the two Wednesday Art Groups as part of their core education and learning programme. Our older artists continue to develop their arts practice, responding to the programme of exhibitions and supporting each other to take creative risks. |