NEA Creativity and Aging in America

archived

Creativity and Aging in America is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to actively engage older Americans in quality arts programs. Through this initiative, the Arts Endowment will support exemplary projects in the disciplines of literature and music. Projects must be conducted by professional artists and engage older adults as students, artists, and/or teachers. For the purposes of these guidelines, older adults are age 65 and above.Recent research supported by the National Institutes of Health, AARP, International Foundation for Music Research, and the National Endowment for the Arts found that older adults who actively participated in ongoing, community-based arts programs, conducted by professional artists, experienced more physical and mental benefits than participants in non-arts activities. The research showed that active participation in the arts correlated positively with older adults' health outcomes and their sense of independence, potentially reducing risk factors that drive the need for long-term care. Creativity and Aging in America will focus on the disciplines of literature and music. Activities may take place in a variety of settings such as senior centers, community centers, retirement centers, museums, literary centers, performing arts centers, libraries, schools, and healthcare facilities. Projects must be planned in cooperation with the target population including local organizations that address aging-related issues.Organizations are limited to one Creativity and Aging application per year.

High