Resonate is a programme of arts work for older people with mental health problems including dementia. Led by Westminster Arts and funded by NHS Westminster, we provide a range of arts projects and hands-on creative opportunities as well as supported visits to galleries and theatres.
Resonate benefits people in day centres, residential homes, hospitals and people in their own homes. It aims to enhance and compliment the experience of care, helping people to feel part of their wider community.
The programme also delivers small group work or on a one-to-one basis with people referred through a range of services including: the Westminster Memory Service, Community Mental Health Teams, Young Onset Dementia teams, outreach workers at day centres, neighbourhood teams and voluntary organisations such as Open Age and Age UK.
Current Projects
STOP PRESS
For Dementia Awareness
Week 3rd – 9th July
Resonate are hosting a reminiscence arts workshop as part of the Westminster Memory Service Memory Café consultation event on Monday 4th July at St Annes Church Dean Street
STOP PRESS
The Butterworth Centre poetry project
Residents have been working with Susanna Howard of Living Words to create their own poetry books. Their poems have been highlighted at the Dementia Congress, the Creative Arts in Dementia Network meeting hosted by London Arts & Health Forum and the centre’s Christmas party. At the same time staff were joining in training sessions to support them to create their own arts projects. We plan to decorate walls with the poetry created.
My natural vision of life entirely
Human beings get bored
That’s the way it goes
That is human
You can’t explain why
Life is enigmatic
If you have a candle and
Don’t take care – the light
Goes off
Life is not to be wasted
Like a packet of food
If the same all the time
Become dull
Human beings don’t take it
Seriously –
Cover it up
At all life – express yourself
You have to
Gives you character
Makes it more interesting:
People, listen
Keep alert
This is human
From the bottom of my heart
Humanity – it can be heaven
It can be hell
Express yourself
Lorette
Arts sessions with individuals
‘They are my pictures but I feel as though I have come into contact with them no – they’ve come alive again. It's a new way of producing history! If I hadn't had something like this it would have been a difficult time; I would have been very lonely.’Participant working with Resonate artist Cate Gordon on a personalized life story book
Artists from a range of disciplines work in people’s own homes on bespoke projects. This has involved photography and sketching trips to Hyde Park and Regents canal and visits to Tate Britain and Sadler’s Wells. Work produced with the artists has been exhibited at the SW1 Gallery as part of the Westminster Arts Exhibition.
Joyce 92, from near Church Street and her son Richard, disabled following a car accident, rarely leave their home and are looked after by personal carers. The two worked with artist David Little on a tabletop installation inspired by the artist Kandinsky, incorporating photographs, objects and text to portray their lives. The finished piece was exhibited in the Westminster Arts Open Exhibition. Joyce and Richard were able to visit the exhibition and were delighted to see other people's reactions to their work.
Remembering Today
People with dementia and their carers joined in weekly reminiscence arts activity to help reduce isolation and foster a supportive social environment. The participantsare meeting for another series of workshops to create a group artwork.
This project is in association with the European Reminiscence Network and a partnership with Westminster Memory Service, Admiral Nurses, care managers and voluntary organizations such as Carers Network.
Music for Thought
A project for a group of people who are experiencing memory loss or are recntly diagnosed with dementia through the Westminster Memory Service are coming together to experience music activity and also visit concerts. This is in association with the Royal Academy for Music and Wigmore Hall's Music for Lige programme.
Past Projects
The Garden
Participants at Pullen Day Centre created a textile piece with artists Seiwa Cunningham and Jo McCormick as part of a summer project, based on drawings, photographs and felt work. The group also grew their own plants in pots they decorated, and later ate the fruits of their labour. The project included a photography trip to Kensington Palace Gardens, followed by workshops concentrating on colour and texture. The final artwork, Three Blurred Red Swans on the SiIver Palace Gates is featured in the Journal of Dementia Care Calendar and was exhibited at the Westminster Arts Open Exhibition.
Poetry project for Westminster Memory Service launch
People at Carlton Dene Residential Home and Tresham Day Centre worked with poet Susanna Howard of Living Words to create poetry books. Selected poems were read by Susanna and one of the writers to help launch the new Westminster Memory Service, where the audience joined in creating a group poem. Visitors were also invited to add their memories to a ‘timeline’ that grew throughout the event. The poetry was presented at the London Arts in Health Forum dementia arts day, at Carlton Dene as part of their Dignity Day and on Resonance fm.
Artists’ training programme
Westminster Arts secured funding from Arts Council England to lead a training
programme for artists with some experience in the field who were interested in
developing their skills with older people in small groups or one to one settings. Six
artists from a range of disciplines completed a 3 day training programme followed by placements in day care centres, residential homes and people’s homes. Projects included a dinner party photography installation and a session involving ink painting and dancing. The project was presented at the Royal Academy of Arts Dementia Symposium and the Dementia Congress, and a small exhibition of the work was displayed at the Victoria Medical Centre as part of a focus on dementia.
Art for Thought
A partnership with the Memory Service for people with dementia who are interested in both visiting galleries and working with professional artists. Visits have included the Wallace Collection and Royal Academy of Arts. Group participants continued to keep in contact and one has since started to regularly attend a drawing class. The project was presented at the Royal Academy of Arts Dementia Symposium.
Tell Mrs Mill Her Husband is Still Dead
Resonate supported the publication of a new collection of writing by people
living with dementia produced by artist David Clegg and the Trebus project. Tell Mrs Mill Her Husband is Still Dead. The book was launched at the Free Word Centre with readings by well-known actors. Link to www.westminsterarts.org.uk/images/leaflet.jpg
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