News from our Members

Wales-wide arts project launched at Barry care home

A Barry nursing home was the venue on January 29 for the launch of a project that will bring the arts to care homes across Wales.

College Fields Nursing Home hosted the unveiling of the cARTrefu (guests at the event pictured below), an arts activity project in care homes for older people. The project will see 16 artists delivering a wide range of arts-based workshops in care homes over the next two years. Each artist will also work with care staff to encourage the use of art within home life.

The Age Cymru project is being funded by the Baring Foundation and a National Lottery award made by Arts Council of Wales and will involve almost £350,000 worth of activity.

Want your care home to get involved with the cARTrefu project?

For more information about cARTrefu and for care homes who would like to register their interest to take part please contact Reg Noyes, cARTrefu Project Coordinator at Age Cymru on 02920 431 576 / reg.noyes@agecymru.org.uk

Pictured at the launch of the cARTrefu project (above), left to right are David Cutler, director of the Baring Foundation, deputy minister for sport, culture and tourism, Ken Skates, Age Cymru's chief executive, Ian Thomas and Dai Smith chair of the Arts Council Wales with John Landry (front), a resident at College Fields Nursing Home in Barry.

David Cutler, director of the Baring Foundation, said: "The Baring Foundation is delighted to be working with the Arts Council Wales and Age Cymru on a truly significant project to improve the experience of such a large number of residents in care homes as well as engaging artists with a new audience. The strong tradition of the Gwanwyn Festival and My Home Life Cymru will give a great basis for the new work. Our work across the UK has shown us what a proud effect the arts can have on the lives of people in care homes and their care workers."

Dai Smith, Arts Council of Wales chair, added: "The Arts Council of Wales is delighted to be launching this new initiative, and hugely grateful to the Baring Foundation for its interest in supporting a project in Wales that stands to make a real impact on older people’s access to arts activities. The importance of the arts to older people’s wellbeing is widely acknowledged and supported by research and we believe that participatory arts of the highest standard will be made available through this two-year pilot project. We’re confident that Age Cymru will help us to achieve this. The project has a great fit with our vision of a Wales where the arts are central to the life of the nation."

Dr Bernadette Fuge OBE, chair of Age Cymru, commenting on the partnership project said: "This project compliments our highly regarded My Home Life Cymru programme, Age Cymru’s scheme to promote quality of life in care homes. Age Cymru promotes and encourages access by older people to the arts via its much-praised annual Gwanwyn Festival, which takes place around Wales each May. We are truly delighted to have been asked by the Arts Council of Wales and the Baring Foundation to deliver this important pilot project."