Tennessee Arts Commission Secures New Funding for Creative Aging
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2023
Nashville – Tennessee Arts Commission is one of nine state arts agencies receiving awards from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA). With this funding, Tennessee will build on existing creative aging programs to gain significant ground in meeting the needs of older adults in underserved communities. Tennessee Arts Commission’s new state-wide initiative, Creative Aging Tennessee III, will:
- Expand arts programming targeted to older adults in rural and culturally specific communities.
- Increase education of all teaching artists to work with older adults with different physical and cognitive disabilities; expand communications and marketing about the arts programs offered, and partner with networks or state-wide affiliated groups, including libraries, senior centers, community centers, and places of worship to make programs more accessible.
- Fund grants in Creative Aging for older adult arts programming specifically targeting rural and culturally diverse communities and increase access to and participation in sequential arts learning for older adults resulting in improved arts skills and knowledge, well-being, and social connectedness.
This newly secured funding will help to advance creative aging programs for older adults in Tennessee. “We’re honored to have received this national grant.” Mary Kilbride, Chair of the Tennessee Arts Commission, said, “Through the Creative Aging Tennessee III program, communities can use the arts and cultural assets to impact older adults in Tennessee positively.”
Securing this new grant continues the work that began in 2017 when the Tennessee Arts Commission partnered with the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability and the Tennessee Department of Health to launch Creative Aging Tennessee I. In 2021 funding was secured to launch Creative Aging Tennessee II (CATII). “It (Creative Aging) was probably the best thing to happen in my career in the last 5 years.” said Connye Florance, Creative Aging Teaching Artist for CATII. “Doing my teaching through Music for Seniors with the support of that grant afforded me opportunities to not only earn a proper fee for my skills and expertise, but also to bring new folks to Music for Seniors.”
Building upon the transformative success of the Leveraging State Investments in Creative Aging program, which catalyzed arts learning opportunities for older adults in Tennessee and nationwide, the Tennessee Arts Commission sought funding from the States Leading Creative Aging program, a new joint initiative of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) and E.A. Michelson Philanthropy. Tennessee secured $95,000 for Creative Aging III.
“Arts engagement helps older adults to thrive and is a powerful antidote to isolation. But too many older adults still lack access to these benefits,” said NASAA President and CEO Pam Breaux. “Our state leadership grants—combined with free professional development programs for all 56 states and jurisdictions—will help to expand creative aging programs to make them more accessible nationwide. NASAA is thrilled to continue this important work in collaboration with state arts agencies and E.A. Michelson Philanthropy.”
“E.A. Michelson Philanthropy is proud to partner with NASAA through our continued support of creative aging within our state and jurisdictional arts agencies,” said Ellen Michelson, founder and president. “We are delighted to see this leadership initiative strengthening existing creative aging programs and amplifying the creativity of older adults across the country.”
For information about new creative aging activities taking place in Tennessee, contact Kim Johnson, Director of Arts Access at kim.johnson@tn.gov, 615-532-9797. For more information about NASAA’s States Leading Creative Aging initiative, visit https://tinyurl.com/59d4en9d.
This activity is made possible by a grant provided by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies in partnership with E.A. Michelson Philanthropy.
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