'How can arts tackle isolation?' asks the Albany at special event

In autumn 2013, the Albany, an arts centre in Deptford, South East London, launched a creative day club for the over 60s in partnership with participatory arts company, Entelechy.

Named ‘Meet Me at the Albany’, the club provides a regular meeting place for older people where they can get involved in creative workshops and enjoy performances from leading artists. 

As part of the project, on Tuesday 2nd December, the pair is hosting a national symposium called ‘Older People, Isolation and Civic Engagement’.

The event has been set up to explore the role of arts and museum spaces in supporting the visibility and cultural engagement of isolated older generations.

Cultural leaders and civic strategists will be brought together to discuss cross sector alliances that support communities to nurture rich and engaged lives for vulnerable and frail older people.

At a time when current day service models seem no longer fit to meet the needs and challenges of increasing numbers of the isolated old, the symposium will examine initiatives that place the individual at the heart of a network of dynamic, locally based creative relationships.

One of the key questions that will be tackled at the event is how arts and museum teams can work with local government and their communities to support the needs of the UK’s oldest citizens.

Alongside this, in an effort to encourage participation in the arts, visitors to the event will discuss how older people can be supported to take centre stage as arts spaces become points of engagement for the isolated older generations.

For more information and to buy tickets to ‘Older People, Isolation and Civic Engagement’, please visit the Albany’s website.