Celebrating Age Webinar recording:
Diversifying Engagement

Thank you to those who attended and took part in the Celebrating Age webinar on March 9 2021, exploring diversifying engagement for older audiences.

You can now watch the webinar on demand.

The session explored how arts & cultural organisations have changed and adapted their approach to engage diverse ethnic groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From viewing the webinar recording, you will learn:

  • The latest research relating to cultural engagement amongst older people from diverse backgrounds
  • How to continue to improve your engagement strategies through challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic
  • New approaches using a blend of digital activities and in-person activities to develop engagement opportunities.

This session was hosted in partnership with Arts Council England and with the support of the AMA.

You can view a recording of the webinar below, and slides presented in the webinar can be viewed here.

NB: We experienced some audio difficulties during the presentation of Piali Ray from Sampad in this webinar between 0:29:44 – 0:44:15. You may wish to skip through this portion of the recording.

Given the technical disruption that Piali Ray experienced whilst presenting, you can separately view slides and text for her presentation about the work of Sampad.

Speakers

Imogen Blood

National Evaluator, Celebrating Age

Imogen is leading the team who are conducting the national evaluation of the Celebrating Age Programme. She began her career in social work and supported housing, before moving into qualitative research. In 2009, she set up Imogen Blood & Associates – a social research consultancy, which works across the public and not-for-profit sectors, with a particular focus on older people. She has interviewed hundreds of older people about what matters most to them and has a long-standing interest in the role which the arts can play in working with people in a strengths-based way. Her new book is called Supporting Older People using Attachment-Informed and Strengths-Based Approaches.

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Deborah Kermode

Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Midlands Arts Centre

Deborah joined Midlands Arts Centre in August 2016, prior to which she was Deputy Director at the internationally acclaimed Ikon Gallery, Birmingham. Previous roles include Director of Bright Space, an arts education charity that delivered the Creative Partnerships programme for Birmingham, to improve the skills of children and young people through cultural opportunities by raising aspirations, achievements and life chances.

Piali-Ray

Piali Ray

Director, Sampad

Born in Bengal, Piali first moved to Birmingham in 1982. Her formidable energy and vision led to the setting up of Sampad in 1990, which has flourished into a dynamic, forward-thinking arts and heritage organisation, which continues to play an influential role in creating and promoting opportunities for South Asian arts and artists in Birmingham, across the UK and beyond.

Vanessa-Lam

Vanessa Lam

Age-Friendly Projects Co-ordinator, Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art

Vanessa Lam is the Age-Friendly Projects Coordinator at CFCCA and in this webinar, she describes how Covid restrictions have affected and challenged her role within engagement. The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art is a unique art gallery with a year-round programme of socially engaged exhibitions, events and artist residencies.

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Christine Lee

General Manager, Entelechy Arts

Christine is General Manager at Entelechy Arts who produce projects which powerfully test the boundaries between art, creativity, care, wellbeing and community. Based in Deptford, they work across south east London as well as nationally and internationally. She’s lead producer on ‘Theatre of Wandering’, a community-based co-production with Coventry City of Culture, Japanese theatre company OiBokkeShi and people living with dementia in Coventry.

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Ochuko Onobraliche

Member of Entelechy Arts and Meet Me at the Albany

Ochuko has been a member of Entelechy Arts and Meet Me at the Albany for over six years. With Entelechy Arts’ Elders Theatre Company, she’s appeared at performances at the Albany for 21st Century Tea Dances and public performances of BED in London and across the UK. With the Meet Me Choir she’s performed at Royal Festival Hall.

Image credit: Elixir Extracts at Sadler’s Wells. Photo © Ellie Kurttz, courtesy of Sadler’s Wells.

31 March 2021

FURTHER INFORMATION