Creative Age Studio

London Ontario

Inspiring Older Adults

With the onset of COVID 19 and cancellation of annual projects, our onsite community arts programs and events came to a halt and people hunkered down at home. Strategic planning initiatives with community partners and supporters resulted in a new plan to complete a dreaded digital pivot. The challenge was/is to develop a new foundation to grow an enthusiastic online community using all the tools and contacts available.

New partnerships – Fall and Winter creativity workshops/demonstrations and activities will now be offered online to the general public through the London Public Library and Middlesex County Public Library online offerings.

Existing social media platforms, creative workshops, demonstrations and resource materials will be offered directly through the Creative Age website, Creative Age Facebook Groups and YouTube communities.

I’m very excited about the launch of the new Create @Home Series. We’ve spent the past 12 months researching and testing online events and activities for older adults to inspire the creative spirit on a daily. Our programs feature local artists, crafters and makers and incorporate local history and a sense of place (Southwestern Ontario)

UN – WHO Decade of Healthy Aging

The United Nations Decade of Healthy Aging (2021-2030) is a global collaboration, aligned with the last ten years of the Sustainable Development Goals, that brings together governments, civil society, international agencies, professionals, academia, the media, and the private sector to improve the lives of older people, their families, and the communities in which they live.  Our local initiative launch is October 1st 2021 National Seniors Day. The next online partnership project is sponsored by Museum London and funded by New Horizons for Seniors.

Thanks very much to Kristan Smith for getting me up to speed on technology, media lab equipment, course design, online communications and managing platforms like ZOOM and Facebook Live. Thanks to all who tested the new programs that were developed. If you need help with similar tasks, he can be reached at kristansmith72@gmail.com

When complete, our e-commerce site will be marketed on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and through e-blast news contact list

Direct-Message Research Project

I’ll be offering Creative Collage and Mixed Media workshops to research participants through Centre 3 and research sponsors including McMaster University and University of Guelph. www.direct-message.ca. The project involves facilitors and participants from Guelph, Hamilton and London Ontario.

Year of the Jab – we do miss our community arts colleagues and participants. Even with the 2021 double tax programs, I anticipate it will be sometime in June 2022 before we hit the road with our Mobile Creative Studio for speaking engagements and small group onsite programs in and around Southwestern Ontario.

Best regards

Kathy Smith

info@creativeage.ca

Celebrate the UN Decade of Healthy Aging 2021 to 2030

•