Dementia-Friendly Programme
At the start of 2020, The Hepworth Wakefield invited people living with dementia, their carers, friends and family to talk, make and imagine by taking part in creative activities together, inspired by the gallery’s exhibitions and art collection.
Monthly artist-led dementia-friendly Creative Cafés take place in the learning studio at The Hepworth Wakefield and include opportunities to visit our exhibitions and take part in a drawing activity in the gallery space.
At the Cafes participants engage with mindful and creative activities, which focus on their experience of the present moment, including sensory boxes, storytelling, games, singing and movement activities, all exploring themes in Barbara Hepworth’s work such as sea, landscape and flight.
Outreach sessions were delivered at Alzheimer’s Society Forget-Me-Not Cafés in Ossett, Normanton and Pontefract, a housing association in Wakefield and a community organised support group in Hemsworth. These events promoted the monthly sessions at The Hepworth Wakefield to encourage participation, but importantly, also offered the opportunity for engagement with those who might not travel into Wakefield to visit the gallery.
Artists from The Hepworth Wakefield accommodated the usual activities of the support groups that the participants look forward to, such as raffles and games of boules, alongside specially desisgned movement and circle games, singing, sensory objects and creative activities.
The Hepworth Wakefield is grateful to the D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust for the funding that enabled the delivery of our dementia-friendly Creative Cafés in 2020.
Thank you to Alzheimer’s Society ongoing support of this programme.
‘My favourite thing is when you hear a carer say ‘I never thought she could do that’ or ‘I thought that wasn’t possible anymore’. Bryony Pritchard, Creative Café artist
‘Everybody here smiles and talks to my Mum and it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t make any sense what she’s saying in return. Often, if you’re out and about, that’s something you worry about, people not understanding. I love the gallery anyway and this group just feels really creative and accepting.’ Creative Café participant
Related
Dementia friendly Creative Café
Fourth Wednesday of every month*, 1.30 – 3.30pm.
FREE
Discover new ways to enjoy Wakefield’s art collection, get creative in relaxed, artist-led sessions or simply join us for a chat and cup of tea
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Engage Case Study
Read more about how the Creative Cafés were informed by the work The Hepworth Wakefield has undertaken with artists and local community experts to develop a dementia-friendly environment at the gallery.
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Yorkshire Evening Post
How a partnership between The Hepworth Wakefield and the Alzheimer’s Society is supporting people with dementia and their carers to access art.
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