“We’ve had really good feedback from people [about our Creative Aging workshop series] – and more importantly, more libraries in our system have contacted us requesting similar programs at their sites…”
– Nick Higgins, Chief Librarian, Brooklyn Public Library
I. Begin Preliminary Activities
- Assess your facilities for resources and appropriate spaces
- Survey prospective participants to learn which art forms are of interest to them
- Select an art form based on your facility’s capacity and the results of your participant survey
II. Partner with a teaching artist
- Find and interview a professional teaching artist
- Invite the teaching artist for a site visit
- Provide your teaching artist with a contract
- The teaching artist will then develop a workshop curriculum
III. Prepare for the workshop
- Reserve a dedicated space in your facility for the workshop series
- Announce and promote the workshop series
- Register participants
- Order supplies and materials
- Remind participants about the first day of class
IV. Stay Connected
- Introduce the teaching artist at the first class
- Routinely check-in with the class and the teaching artist
V. Welcome the community to a culminating event
- Plan and promote a “culminating event” (an exhibit, reading, or performance, open to the public)
- Invite participants and members of the community
- Host the event
VI. Evaluate the Experience
Gather feedback from participants and culminating event attendees
TIPS:
- Include culturally connected art programs in your survey
- Don’t replicate existing nearby programs for older adults — offer something new
- Align expectations of teaching artist with capacity and support of the senior center
- Discuss class structure and goals with your teaching artist
- Teaching artists should speak the same language of the students they serve
- Use large font (12pt or higher) on all materials