Arts for the Aging Programs

Since 1988, Arts for the Aging has been a pioneer in the design, development, and delivery of artist-led, multi-disciplinary, and participatory arts programs for older adults. These programs are designed to improve health, enhance quality of life, and combat isolation. As a regional service provider in Greater Washington, D.C., and a recognized national model in the field of creative aging, Arts for the Aging engages seniors, caregivers, and professional artists; community partners in aging services, museums, and cultural institutions; as well as volunteers and intergenerational collaborators, in the joys of artistic self-expression.

Arts for the Aging was founded on a premise, which scientific studies now prove, that regular participation in the arts by older adults helps to minimize the effects of physical and cognitive conditions in aging, and contributes to better physical, intellectual, and emotional health. Our artful caregiving services, which can include trainings for teaching artists and caregivers, are diverse and customized. This allows our clients — community and residential care settings such as adult care centers, community centers, senior centers, memory cafés, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, senior living, and affordable housing communities — to focus on the delivery of safety-net services, activities of daily living, and occupational and physical therapies.

We offer reliable and cost-effective therapeutic innovations in aging services that minimize strains on health and economic resources, and that maximize well-being and productivity. We accomplish this by providing a frequent source of high-quality multidisciplinary arts interventions that cumulatively benefit older adults and professional and family caregivers through frequent and lifelong engagement.

Are you a community-based or residential care setting serving older adults?

Let's Work Together

We serve and partner with many types of communities: adult day centers, community centers, senior centers, affordable housing centers, assisted living communities, nursing homes, museums, and cultural institutions. We provide in-person programs for the Greater Washington D.C. region, and virtual programs nationally.

Discover Our Teaching Artists

Arts for the Aging’s programs are fee-based. We do have limited opportunities for needs based financial aid. To help us determine whether you qualify, please fill out the form below.

Prospective Client ApplicationVIEW OUR PROGRAM BROCHURE

Download Arts for the Aging's Program Guide:

Program Types

Artwork created by Arts for the Aging teaching artists, caregivers, and participants with the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center with the guidance of teaching artist Marcie Wolf-Hubbard for the Bender JCC Goldman Art Gallery Exhibition Under One Roof, on view fall 2021.

Creative Aging Workshops

In this signature Arts for the Aging program, our professional faculty of teaching artists facilitate multidisciplinary, participatory, and inclusive arts workshops. These hour-long workshops are therapeutic and customized from a curriculum of visual, performing, and literary arts. They are available in-person or virtually, and engage older adults and caregivers with diverse abilities and backgrounds. They take place with groups of approximately 15-20 participants affiliated with community and residential care settings, and in partnership with community collaborators.  

heART Kits

These visual and literary art kits provide materials and instruction sheets with images to guide participants in hands-on art making. The kits are designed for our clients’ participants and caregivers and provide a framework for promoting socialization and connection through the arts. Activities are suitable for clients or individuals to use on their own, or in virtual creative aging workshops led by an Arts for the Aging teaching artist.  

Caregiver Workshops

Caregiver workshops are designed for groups of approximately 10-15 of our clients’ professional and family caregivers. They provide an array of creative aging workshops and practices to help cope with burnout, process stress and emotions in a creative way, and demonstrate replicable, therapeutic arts activities. Arts for the Aging Teaching Artists lead the workshops and provide access to resources to enhance the caregiving experience. 

Trainings for Teaching Artists

For organizations wanting to expand their reach and create programs for older adults and their caregivers. Partner with Arts for the Aging to train professional artist cohorts in creative aging best practices to support healthy aging and caregiving. Curriculum focuses on multi-disciplinary and multisensory approaches for virtual and in-person arts programming for older adults and caregivers with diverse abilities and backgrounds. Learn more here. 

Quicksilver Dance Company

Quicksilver is an improvisational senior dance company sponsored by Arts for the Aging and co-led by teaching artists in dance and music. Company members are 65 and older, rehearse weekly, and present public performances and creative aging workshops with clients and community collaborators. Learn more here.