Artist Residencies in Care Homes (ARCH):
The Project | The Report |
The Resource: A care home’s guide to creativity
“I passionately believe that just because someone lives in a care home they don’t stop being entitled to high quality arts and culture, or to a participative experience that is more than just something to pass the time” – Susan Langford, Magic Me Director
The Project
Magic Me always aims to challenge care homes and arts organisations to be adventurous in what they offer to older residents. We also want to better understand and share what it takes to deliver great arts in a care home setting.
Building on the success of Artist Residencies in Care Homes 2015-2017 in London we developed a Theory of Change and expanded our support of arts opportunities to underserved care homes and communities in Essex. From 2019 to 2023 our Artists’ Residencies in Care Homes (ARCH) programme saw high profile arts companies team up with Excelcare homes across Essex to create new artworks with and for older care home residents.
We facilitated four leading arts organisations including New Adventures, Fevered Sleep, curious directive and Gecko to deliver innovative participatory arts experiences for residents and staff. They worked closely with care home staff and residents and introduced them to various art forms from movement and dance, to weaving and Virtual Reality.
Alongside these programmes, researchers from Anglia Ruskin University tracked and evaluated the work, with the aim of developing a best practice toolkit to help others wanting to do ambitious work in this area. Their Report, Dare to Imagine, was published in September 2023 followed by the Dare to Imagine Resource, launched in March 2024.
The Report
“To say that we’ve done that in a care home and that it’s worked, you know. We shout about it really, don’t we?” Care home post-residency.
To view the full report and project findings please click here for the downloadable PDF or view desktop flipbook here.
There is also a shorter summary you can check out here.
The full illustrated report features:
- Background & context of the programmes including how partnerships were set up
- Our responses to the Covid-19 pandemic
- How to build trust and relationships & the essentials of working collaboratively
- Adapting to care homes & working inclusively
- An easy-reference summary of key learning and recommendations.
“‘The power of participatory arts was seen across the findings and highlighted the importance of the ARCH programme for both arts organisations and care homes.. There were many examples of “special moments” where the arts generated meaningful impact.. The residents and staff alike were proud of their involvement in the project and were keen to share it with families and their local communities.” – report excerpt.
We are all very proud of the work done and made during the programme and encourage you to read and share our report with your colleagues and networks.
Still, a film by Gecko in association with Magic Me
One example of the beautiful work created by artists, residents and staff working together is Still, a moving short film, made by Gecko with Lime Court, Harwich. Still was first screened at the Harwich Arts Festival in June 2023 and has been shown subsequently across the UK at conferences, festivals and Gecko events. It is also being used as part of training for GPs in working with people living with a dementia. You can view it here.
The Resource: A care home’s guide to creativity
“It’s not just about ‘doing an activity’ – any moment can be creative.”
Lifestyle Coordinator, Artists’ Residencies in Care Homes
This resource has been created to help you bring the magic of ‘Artists’ Residencies in Care Homes’ to your care home. It has been written with input from Care Team members to ensure it takes into account the unique needs of care homes.
This resource is for the whole care home community, including family and friends.
We understand that not every home will have a long-term partnership with an arts company although we hope in the future this will change! With this in mind, we thought about how care homes can build creativity into their everyday.
Download the resource here.
Featured image for this page is from the Artists’ Residencies in Care Homes with Fevered Sleep and Sherrell House Care Home, 2022
The project was funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation