Twelve partnerships in the Chicago metro area were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant on April 22, 2008. The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of "engaging older adults through cultural institutions." These strategies, especially those aimed at the more than 11 percent of the Chicago metro area population who are 65 years old and over, help strengthen "aging in place" services and create and enhance opportunities for older adults to contribute to the cultural life of their communities. Click Here to view the grants below.
The grants were introduced after a recent workshop at the Chicago Cultural Center, titled Engaging Older Adults Through Arts and Culture: Developing a Livable Chicago for All Ages. The workshop was the fifth of 12 regional workshops focused on creating livable communities for all ages. The workshops and grants are part of a national Aging in Place Initiative undertaken by Partners for Livable Communities (Partners) and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), with funding provided by MetLife Foundation. The workshop was hosted by the City of Chicago, Chicago Department of Senior Services, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Chicago Arts and Business Council, Chicago Life Opportunities Initiative, and The Center for Creative Aging at Harold Washington College.
One grant recipient, the Children's Museum at Oak Lawn, will use the award to increase the number of older adults in its museum volunteer program. "These volunteers have a wealth of experience and skills that can be shared with children," said Adam Woodworth, executive director of the Children's Museum at Oak Lawn. "This experience can be used in leadership positions, such as running exhibits and designing new programs."
Another grantee, the Indo-American Center, which facilitates the integration of South Asians into the United States, says it will use the funds to strengthen its dialogue between seniors and youth in the Chicago community. "Our programs provide a real opportunity for seniors and youth to connect, build, and enjoy their community," said Jay Luthra, executive director of the Indo-American Center.
Chicagoland Jumpstart Grants:
- Arts in Bartlett and Victory Centre of Bartlett
To provide expanded art, theatre, music and dance classes and performing opportunities for older adults in the community at no or minimal cost. By partnering with senior living communities and schools, classroom facilities and instruction will be provided at minimal cost while enhancing opportunities for intergenerational experiences. The first endeavor of this kind began in 2007 by the Bartlett International Chorus, which included older adults as active participants by having rehearsal at the Victory Centre Senior Living buildings, which house 200 seniors. The chorus is directed and accompanied by volunteers, and the Victory Centre provides space at no charge. Arts in Bartlett will be duplicating this model with the addition of dance, art and theatre classes. - Center for Asian Arts and Media at Columbia College Chicago in partnership with Chicago Department of Senior Services, Mather Cafe/Mather LifeWays, Literacy Chicago, the Chinese American Service League, the Japanese American Service Committee, the National Museum of Mexican Art, South Shore Cultural Center, the Indo-American Center, and the Chicago Park District
To engage older adults in the "It's a wonderful life" project, an ongoing dialogue about specific topics relating to personal life experience, community history, cultural heritage and contemporary trends through arts and media programs. This project celebrates the legacy of individuals who continue to make a difference in their older years and provides an environment where older adults can meet, connect and explore different art forms and cultural traditions with their peers. It also addresses the intellectual, spiritual and emotional needs of both Asian and non-Asian older adults in the Chicago metro area. CAAM will present a series of arts and cultural programs that feature one artist or cultural specialist who is over 65 or whose work addresses the life experience of older adults. The project will also utilize the faculty and student resources at Columbia College. - Chicago Department of Senior Services and Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
To continue the conversation between the arts and aging communities and encourage the professional groups to work together to engage older adults in the arts. This partnership will present two workshops that provide up-to-date information about older adults and create awareness of their physical and social needs. The first workshop, "Preparing for the Boomers," will focus on preparing arts and cultural organizations for the projected population increase. The second workshop, "Making Your Facility Senior Friendly," will address the reality that as the population grows older, there will also be an increase in the number of people with disabilities as participants. In addition, this partnership will pursue a Senior Art Day at Gallery 37 that will encourage older adults to make art and perform. - Children's Museum in Oak Lawn
To increase the number of older adults in its museum volunteer program. Volunteers are integral figures in the museum experience, and volunteers develop unique and important relationships with staff members, visitors, other volunteers, and the community at large. Another goal of the project is to place older volunteers in leadership positions where they will be running programs and exhibits, designing new programs, and participating in other activities that utilize their insight and knowledge. By connecting children with older adults through an informal mentor process, older adults are able to instruct youth, form relationships, and continue to feel a sense of purpose. - Indo-American Center
To bring older adults and youth together through a series of "Intergenerational Dialogues" programs, that cover a wide variety of topics in a number of formats, and to foster mutual understanding and ensure that the cultural heritage of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan) will survive, as well as adapt, in its new environment. These programs will complement the regular programming at the Center, where daily senior programs focus on ensuring the wellness of the senior community through yoga, health care workshops, arts and crafts, board games, and discussions on topics of interest. Programs are conducted in Hindi and Gujurati. The Center hopes to address the lack of cultural relevance with its activities, which will engage both youth and older adults in new ways. - LaSalle Senior Center in partnership with Walter Payton College Prep and the Old Town Merchants and Residents Association
To bring together older adults, students and artists to establish a connection and explore what might be possible in terms of events, classes, outings, and performances and how the partnership might modify existing events (from block parties, art fairs and concerts) to be more appealing to older adults and encourage intergenerational activities. The partnership with Walter Payton College Prep and the Old Town Merchants and Residents Association (an area home to many artists and art patrons) will provide a source of students, artists and other local older adults to gather and learn from each other. The grant will prime the pump with food and set the atmosphere so that connections might grow to friendships and good ideas take root in the community. - Museum of Universal Self Expression in partnership with the American Indian Center of Chicago, and American Indian Health Service of Chicago
To expand the Ancestor Quilt Project and create a permanent Open Studio art therapy space for Elders and adult members at the Indian Center. Ultimately, this partnership would like to make the Quilt Project a nationally available project for Elders with American Indian ancestry, inviting Elders from Indian Centers in other cities as well those living in reservations across the country. It will create online communications among Elders and a wave of patching American Indian Elders with younger adult individuals who are assisting Elders in getting their quilt panels added to the Project. It will also help aging Indian people with or without concealed Indian ancestry to bond with their Native roots in a very positive light by bringing various and diverse people of Indian decent together. Art therapy can easily be included as a form of mental health treatment in partnership with the American Indian Center's sister Chicago organization, the American Indian Health Service of Chicago. - North Shore Senior Center in partnership with OASIS Chicago and area arts leagues
To motivate older adults to engage in arts activities with the unique message of "the arts promote brain health," and to raise community awareness of the importance of the arts. Dr. Gene Cohen an expert on "Creativity and Aging" has been invited by NSSC to raise the banner in the community. Once more individuals become aware of the benefits of engaging in artistic projects, NSSC is prepared to accommodate them. NSSC offers a wide range of arts activities for novice and accomplished artists of every kind - painters, sculptors, textile artists, musicians, actors and more. Coaching, instruction, lectures by NSSC's artist in residence and other talented faculty is available to participants. For those who enjoy the artistic productions of others, as well, there are exhibitions, gallery tours, theater outings, Sunday concerts, and even a trip to the Santa Fe Opera. - Norwood Crossing Association and Norwood Park School
To engage older adults and school children in arts experiences throughout the city. This grant will be used for transportation and admission costs for older adults and students to visit museums throughout Chicago. Following the visits, students and older adults will meet to create art projects related in subject, theme and/or media to their museum experiences. The grant will also be used to purchase art materials for use in these projects. Exhibits of the artwork created together will be shown at both Norwood Crossing and Norwood Park School. - Norwood Park Historical Society and Mather LifeWays
To begin a "Voices of Norwood Park" personal history project designed to educate older adults in methods of recording personal histories and collecting written and oral histories of their lives and times in Norwood Park. The project will also enable older adults to share their histories with the community through a variety of NPHS offerings, including publications, exhibits, presentations, web site links, and intergenerational programs. Older adults participating in the project will benefit by learning new skills, creating personal histories for their own use, and contributing to recorded history. The NPHS and its current and future visitors will benefit by receiving, preserving, and sharing the invaluable memories and insights of older adults. - Pines Village Retirement Communities in partnership with the Valparaiso Department of Parks and Recreation and Valparaiso University
To start an annual art exhibit featuring local artists during May, National Older American's Month. To inspire older adults to express themselves through works of art and to provide compassionate and patient instruction and an opportunity for public display and feedback, the partnership will provide free art classes to older adults at its retirement community and local senior center. The grant will fund a membership to the National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources, which provides free arts and craft supplies to nonprofits, and will help develop an ongoing relationship with Valparaiso University for exhibition space and a fine arts intern. The Valparaiso Department of Parks and Recreation will provide space for classes and assist with promotion. - Senior Artists Network (SAN) in partnership with senior artists, representatives from the aging, arts and business communities, museums, galleries, and art collectors
To address the challenges and needs facing the underserved older adult artists in the Chicago area by reaching out to artists who otherwise would be excluded from the arts communities (those in nursing homes, retirement communities, low-income senior housing, etc) and allow them opportunities to be seen and heard and provide them with a sense of participation in the broader art world. SAN will invite older adults to showcase their work at exhibits and online, and provide technical assistance to potential exhibitors and artists.
