A new report indicates participation in art education programmes can have a transforming effect on the lives of older people.
Research carried out on behalf of the Irish Museum of Modern Art revealed that involvement in such programmes "promoted a sense of wellbeing, offered significant opportunities for adult learning and fostered relationships of equity, trust and friendship both within the group and with museum staff."
Called even her nudes were lovely and taking its title from discussion of artist Mainie Jellett's work, the report on the museum's Programme for Older Adults was carried out by Dr Ted Fleming and Ms Anne Gallagher of the Centre for Adult and Community Education at NUI Maynooth. Together with another publication, I was born a baby, based on a project involving four agencies from the Inter-Action Network, the document provides the focus for a two-day conference on lifelong learning, interaction and inclusion in society for all older people at IMMA yesterday and today.
IMMA's Older People's Programme was initiated even before the museum formally opened in 1991. Ongoing work with St Michael's Parish Active Retirement Art Group, a group of older residents from the nearby area of Inchicore, is at the core of the programme.
In 1999, to mark the UN International Year of Older Persons, this group selected and curated an exhibition of work from the museum's collection.
The new research found that a non-judgmental and non-competitive atmosphere was especially conducive to the learning experience.
Members of participating groups frequently spoke of IMMA as a new home and of the museum's programme as helping them to transform their own homes into places where they tried out new roles.
Even her nudes were lovely is available from IMMA, priced £15.