The Creative Aging Network consists of industry leaders who are passionate about the aging population and using the arts and dance to assist them.

The Creative Aging Network looks into answering the below questions:

• • Are we providing creative engagement for an ever-growing ageing population across Australia and how do we ensure that we are?
  • What are the expectations for access and participation for seniors?
  • By what means do we ensure that we are legislating for safe practise and safe teaching?
  • How do we quantify what the tangible benefits of social inclusion really are and move towards a model of social prescribing?
  • What are the sector funding needs for established artists wanting to involve elders in meaningful artistic activities?
  • What is the social construct around the elder professional dancer and how do we create access and opportunity to promote inclusion and lifelong learning? 

If you are interested in or working in this sector and would like to discuss creative ageing, please contact admin@ausdancensw.com.au

Creative Ageing Forum

In 2018 we held a Creative Aging Forum where 9 industry professionals came together to speak about their work in the creative ageing sector. The forum was attended by practitioners, industry specialists, government ministers, the major funding bodies and ages care facility directors. 

The forum hosted keynote presentations from Sue Healey and Dr Katrina Rank in association with Ausdance Victoria.

Sue Healey showed her recent film created with mature artists, including Eileen Kramer. Dr Katrina Rank discussed findings from her three-month study titled Leading and Teaching Dance to Ageing Populations. They were joined by industry leaders; independent artist Jessica Conneely discussing Dance4wellbeing, Sonia York-Pryce discussing her PhD research ‘Ageism and the Mature Dancer;’ Gail Hewton founder and director of RIPE Dance; Catherine Goss, Sydney coordinator & teacher for  Dance for Parkinson’s; Shelley Yacopetti, Education & Engagement Manager at the Royal Academy of Dance speaking on the Silver Swans Program; Beatriz Occhiuzzi, Creative Director & Founder of Salsa for Seniors; Gwen Korebrits, Co-founder and CEO of Dance Health Alliance and Liz Lea, Director of the BOLD Festival. Ausdance NSW would like to thank all the presenters and attendees for supporting this important area of the dance sector.