Eighteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

There is a global trend toward an ageing population, which is caused by two interdependent phenomena: advances in medical science and declining birth rates. Policymakers, healthcare professionals, social workers, and even academics have in recent years look into the issues brought about by this trend. To promote active ageing, seniors are encouraged to participate in a variety of activities, including arts participation. Art for seniors can be viewed from two perspectives: seniors could either be active audience or active participants in the creative process. This research is interested in the latter and has explored the following issues: (1) crucial factors to consider when engaging seniors to participate in art projects; (2) power dynamics between community artists/practitioners and senior participants in the creative process; and (3) the actual changes and evaluation methods. In addition, the paper devotes a section on how seniors deal with the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. To address the aforementioned issues, it is essential to hear firsthand accounts from seniors and community arts practitioners and scholars. And hence, the research adopts a multi-method approach, including two search conferences on the topic of art and social change in 2021 and 2022, participant observation of a two-month rehearsal process for an art project involving seniors as artists, as well as three intimate focus groups comprised of seniors who have actively participated in the arts.

Presenters

Kok Wai Benny Lim
Associate Professor of Practice in Cultural Management, Division of Cultural Studies/ Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong