Partnership Grant
ACHF Arts Access
Provide 120+ professional teaching artists/arts organization staff with a one-day Introductory Level Arts and Aging training session held in six locations around the state (20-40 artists at each session). 2: Provide 48 professional artists and arts organization personnel (30 artists and 6 arts organization teams of three) with Intensive Arts and Aging training held over the course of the year that includes in-person and online learning and mentoring opportunities. The final evaluation report will be completed in May. Mentors were also asked to complete an evaluation that included detailed narrative questions as well as their assessment of their mentees' progress and preparation as a teaching artist in an older adult setting or working with elders. Four of five mentors gave their experience the highest rating possible (very satisfied), with the other identifying it as satisfactory. Collectively, the mentors identified ten artist-participants--more than one-thirdwhom they believe capable of moving into a master trainer role.
Held five Introduction to Aging Workshops during the final week of October 2013 that attracted 292 participants (exceeding goal). Sites included Fergus Falls, Grand Rapids, Austin, St. Cloud and Minneapolis. Key presenters included Jeanne Bayer, Andrea Lewandowski, Joey Clark, Jeanie Brindley-Barnett and Jane Tygesson. Evaluations on site and given via follow up email survey were overwhelmingly positive. Respondents noted how critical is was to get foundational knowledge that combined arts learning with key information about the aging process -- as well as new research documenting the positive impact of professionally-conducted arts activities for elders. In addition to actual participation numbers, pre-and post- assessments were used at all training activities. A follow-up survey (via Survey Monkey) was created and distributed to Intro to Arts and Aging workshop participants that asked questions about critical learning areas, what content could be added, facilities and pacing, and whether their community would be interested in hosting a subsequent conference. 2: 55 individual artists and 18 arts organizations applied; 30 artists and 8 arts organizations were selected to participate. Of this group, 26 artists and 7 arts organizations completed the training program. A majority are female, reflecting the large number of females to males in the applicant pool. More than 10 percent are artists of colora proportion that we believe is commensurate with the larger artist/teaching artist population. As a group, they represent a variety of ages, both chronological age and 'career age,' ranging from their 20s to late 60s; in terms of discipline, about half work with visual arts; slightly more than one -third in theatre arts; and the balance in dance, music, literary arts, or film. Arts organizations included two from Greater Minnesota and five from the Twin Cities metro. Participant summary survey data is appended here. For the arts organization evaluation (still underway), ArtSage contracted with an evaluator from the National Center for Creative Aging to develop and implement a logic model for the arts organization track. Master trainer and mentor Jane Tygesson is also conducting site visits for each participating organization. Preliminary results indicate that 90% of the participant teams rated the training excellent or very good.
Other, local or private