The Delaware Division of the Arts’ “Access Creative Aging” program is set to continue and grow, thanks to $77,500 in new funding.
The program offers eight-week classes in various artistic disciplines, says Division of the Arts Director Jessica Ball.
“That might be watercolor, it might be ceramics, it might be playwriting, dancing,” she says. “And these classes are available at libraries and community centers throughout the state.”
The program is still a relatively new one, but since it began in 2022, it has grown rapidly.
“Creative Aging started as a small pilot in eight libraries in 2022 and it's grown into one of the centerpieces of our community engagement programming,” Ball says.
In practical terms, that means more than 520 hours of instruction to more than 400 participants in the most recent program cycle. And, Ball adds, seniors who get involved in Access Creative Aging gain more than just a painting or sculpture when the class wraps up.
“People gain real confidence learning new skills,” she says. “They also feel less isolated and more social by being part of a class and learning together with people, making new friends.”
The grant, from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and E.A. Michelson Philanthropy, will help the scope of the program grow, something Ball says is crucial as Delaware’s population grows older.
“We know that our 55 and older population is growing, and so our goal is to put on as many classes as possible in every corner of the state using libraries and senior centers as our partners,” Ball says. “That's really allowed us to grow the program.”
She says the new grant will enable the Division of the Arts to provide at least 20 classes every year.
For people interested in trying an Access Creative Aging class, Ball says there’s no time like the present.
“You're never too old to learn something new,” she says. “And learning a new skill in the arts can certainly build your confidence that you can learn new skills in other areas as well.”
Delaware Public Media's arts coverage is made possible, in part, by support from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
