Voluntary Arts Ireland has published Time to Create, a new report which profiles six organisations to draw attention to the positive contribution of arts activities organised on a voluntary basis by, and for, older people to the lives of older people; and to the arts. These six case studies yield an astonishing creative output - four volumes of poetry and a CD, a dance event devised and performed for Cork European Capital of Culture, international choral competition prize winners, annual art exhibitions, a professional toured drama and a festival which in 2007 facilitated about 50,000 people over the age of 50 to take part in arts events across the Republic of Ireland.
Most of this has been achieved by people - the majority over the age of 55 - involved on a voluntary basis.
The report concludes that:
- The arts are good for older people
- Voluntary Arts are an important way of enabling older people to volunteer
- Older people are good for the arts
- There needs to be increased recognition of the benefits of having older people as organisers and promoters of arts activities
Read / download a copy free of charge from
www.vaireland.org/b12601 alternatively, print copies are available at £15 / Eur20 each (£8 / Eur10 for registered supporters -
www.vaireland.org/b2039 to register).
For more details, please email
info@vaireland.org