The Vancouver Art Gallery Launches New Event Series

The Vancouver Art Gallery Launches New Event Series

The Vancouver Art Gallery Launches New Event Series Dedicated to Seniors

A weekly lineup of interactive offerings seeks to empower seniors in their communities, inspire creativity and improve wellbeing

September 19, 2024, VANCOUVER, BC // Traditional Coast Salish Lands including the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

The Vancouver Art Gallery is excited to announce the launch of a new community-based event program, Art At Any Age: Movement and Making at the Gallery, made possible with funding received in part from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP).

Launching in October 2024, Art At Any Age is a free series of social and educational opportunities designed by and for seniors. The program aims to enrich participants’ lives through art by encouraging creativity and enhancing wellbeing. Each week will offer new ways for seniors to gather at the Gallery, from hands-on making to reflective responses facilitated by guest artists. The program includes tea-and-tour sessions, meditative experiences and intergenerational workshops, all inspired by the exhibitions on display.

“I am thrilled to see Art At Any Age come to life through creative collaboration and through the generous support of the Government of Canada—without which the program would not be possible,” says Anthony Kiendl, CEO & Executive Director of the Vancouver Art Gallery. “This unique program represents the Gallery’s commitment to building communities, championing continuous learning and inspiring a love of art for all ages. These programs will provide an important platform for expression, connection and imagination, which we believe will foster an improved sense of wellbeing and belonging for seniors.”

Art At Any Age is organized by the Vancouver Art Gallery in collaboration with Dr. Kathryn Ricketts, a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Regina, and in consultation with an advisory group of seniors. Ricketts has worked in dance, theatre and the visual arts for over forty-five years and has developed numerous projects that explore how creative work with seniors can improve quality of life.

“I am excited to be working with both the advisory group of seniors and the Vancouver Art Gallery’s Public Engagement & Learning team,” says Dr. Kathryn Ricketts, Lead Facilitator of Art At Any Age. “This combination of partners is a perfect synthesis of my passion for creative empowerment with the aging community in sophisticated and artful contexts. Over the past thirty years, I have developed a very productive relationship with the Vancouver Art Gallery, and it continues to surprise me and blossom in the most unexpected and delightful ways.”

The Vancouver Art Gallery intends Art At Any Age to be foundational in the Gallery’s ongoing commitment to providing vibrant and meaningful experiences for seniors. A second iteration of the program will take place from January through March, 2025.