Here you can find resources developed by our Arts Programme. Our Arts Programme supports the participation and representation of all older people in cultural and creative life in Ireland.
Toolkits & Guidance
Toolkit on Evaluating Arts and Creativity Programmes for Older Adults – Insitute of Public Health, 2024
A Guide for Care Settings: Engaging an Artist and Sourcing Funding, infographic, 2024
How We Age Image Gallery – This gallery of images capturing the lived experience of older people (by older people) and is available to organisations as a free-to-access image resource.
What’s Next? Arts & Ageing Resources e-publication, 2023
Arts & Creative Charter for Older People – the arts sector’s commitment to promoting key values and guiding principles in engaging with older people.
A Toolkit for Arts & Creativity in Care Settings – a practical guide to making the arts and creativity part of everyday life in a care setting.
Guidelines for working with Older People and the Arts – for people of all ages who organise arts and cultural events that involve older people as organisers, artists, participants or audience.
I Love Museums but they Don’t Love Me – An Information Sheet on Arts, Ageing and Access
Mind Your Language – an Age & Opportunity language guide for private and public conversations with and about older persons.
Resources for organising Bealtaine Festival events – a link to our website bealtaine.ie for Ireland’s national celebration of the arts and creativity as we age.
Writings and Reflections
The Right Time: Life, Art and the Road Not Taken – by Luci Kershaw, Creative Ageing Writing Award Recipient, 2025
Experience 2024 Reflection – by Joanne Ryan, 2024
Creative Journeys alongside the Red Brick – by Sylvia Cullen, Creative Ageing Writing Award Recipient, 2024
We Pass Unseen, Walking in the Way, A Response – By Helen O’Donoghue, 2024
Lust for Life – Bealtaine Theme Essay by Liz McManus, 2024 – 2026
Experience 2023 Reflection – by Noelle Brown, 2023
Experience 2022 Reflection – by Helen Meany, 2022
A Life Fully Lived – by Laurence McKeown, Creative Ageing Writing Award Recipient, 2023
Creaking – by Noelle Brown, Creative Ageing Writing Award Recipient – 2022
Reflections of a Theatre Maker – by Michelle Read, Creative Ageing Writing Award Recipient, 2021
We Have Each Other Still – by Theo Dorgan, 2021
Reading between the Lines – A reflective report on ‘Experience: An Introduction to Arts, Health and Older People’ by Mary Grehan, 2021
Research
Creative Enquiry Resources, 2023
Evaluation of Care Hubs of Arts and Creative Excellence Initiatives, August 2021
Age & Opportunity Residency Evaluation, 2020
Bealtaine Festival Evaluation: 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2008
Creative Enquiry – Artist Residency & Older People Engagement Project
Well Into Older Age, 2010
Creative Exchanges, 2007
Videos
Feel the Fear and Do it Anway – An Introduction to the Arts
Bealtaine Discussion Series 2023
Bealtaine Discussion Series 2022
Bealtaine Discussion Series 2021
The Gathering 2021 Full Playlist
A Toolkit for Arts & Creativity in Care Settings – instructional videos
Isabelle Gaborit at the Bealtaine festival Gathering, 2011
Useful Links
Ireland:
Age & Opportunity’s Arts Events Listing – a national listing of cultural events welcoming to older people.
Tilda: Creative Activity in the Ageing Population – report
Arts & Health Coordinators Ireland – Mapping Arts & Health Activity in Ireland (2019) – report and infographic
IMMA – Arts & Ageing Outcome Report
ACHI Infographic (Portrait orientation)
Department of Health, Positive Ageing National Report 2016
Anam Beo – Guidelines for Artists working in Healthcare 2015
Shift in Perspective – An Arts & Disability Resource Pack – Arts & Disability Ireland
HSE – Places to Flourish – a pattern based approach to foster change in residential care
International:
Cultural Reflections – Scaling up Health/Arts programmes – report by Carolina Estevao et al
University of Sheffield – Creative Lives: Dismantling Ageism in the Professional Art World – report
Creative Ageing in Finland (Baring Foundation) – report
Baring Foundation – Each Breath is Valuable – evaluation of arts in care homes programme
A summary of Age UK’s Index of Wellbeing in Later Life
Baring Foundation – Treasury of Arts Activities for Older People – 50 activities, long and short, for use in any setting with older people
Baring Foundation – Ageing Artfully
A Handbook for Cultural Engagement with Older Men – a guide to involving older men in the arts.
Review of the Impact of Participatory Arts on Older People – Mental Health Foundation report
Challenging Ageism – a guide to talking about ageism and older age produced by the UK’s Centre for Ageing Better.
University of Sheffield – Creative Lives: Dismantling Ageism in the Professional Art World – report
Courtyard Herefordshire: Dance in Care Settings
Courtyard Herefordshire: Poetry for People with Dementia Toolkit
A Restless Art, How Participation Won & Why it Matters – François Matarasso
