The De La Warr Pavilion and Bexhill Dementia Action Alliance receive funding from McLay Dementia Trust for arts workshops for people living with dementia
The De La Warr Pavilion and Bexhill Dementia Action Alliance is delighted to announce and award of £3,532 from the McLay Dementia Trust which will enable a programme of art and craft workshops, based around the exhibition programme, for people living with dementia and their carers.
The funding will support Reminiscence and Art – six workshops which will take place at the De La Warr Pavilion between May 2024 and September 2025.
The programme will begin on 24 May at 2pm, responding to Hastings based artist Laetitia Yhap’s exhibition An Ending to a Beginning. Yhap, who is in her early 80’s, is a unique voice within British art history and the exhibition features her earliest and final paintings of the fishing community at The Stade Beach, Hastings, from the mid-1970s until the mid-1990s.
The workshops will be facilitated by The Painted Ladies who have run many arts workshops for people living with dementia including at The Pavilion, Bexhill Museum and in care homes. In 2022 The Painted Ladies ran a successful workshop at DLWP in response Can’t You See the Sea Changing by Zineb Sedira (pictured), and more recently at Bexhill Museum celebrating their extensive historical hat collection. Art activities are carefully planned to be accessible for all taking part, and the workshops are also a fun, social space for connecting with others in the community.
Sally Ann Lycett, DLWP’s Director of External Relations, says:
We are delighted to be working with the BDAA and The Painted Ladies on this programme of events for people living with dementia. We know that dementia is a disease that effects over 2,400 of Rother residents and are keenly aware of how isolating it can be for those living with it and their carers. Thanks to the McLay Dementia Trust, DLWP is able to create a safe and stimulating creative environment in our building for people to connect and enjoy, continuing our commitment to providing dementia friendly events and our partnership with BDAA.
Sally Hemmings, Chair of BDAA says:
“We are extremely pleased to be working with the DLWP and the Painted Ladies again, to broaden the types of social activities available for people with dementia and their carers. Come and join us for a fun afternoon!”
Please email Sally on bdaa@gmail.com to book a workshop place. It is free to take part, first come first served, limited to 16 people.
The Painted Ladies will run a subsequent workshop on 30 September 2024 in connection with DLWP exhibitions of Hastings based artist Michelle Roberts, and international artist Mike Silva, responding to these artists’ very different approaches to painting and storytelling in their work. Full programme of workshops will be announced for 2025 as dates are confirmed.
In addition, the Bexhill Dementia Action Alliance will provide further training for all DLWP staff and the wider community to take part in to become Dementia Champions, understanding the needs of people living with dementia, and the small steps we can all take to ensure they can access local businesses and cultural venues. This will take place on Thursday 16 May. If you would like to take part in the training you can book a free place by emailing Jessica Cheetham to book a place – jessica.cheetham@dlwp.com.
Training will take place in the Studio at De La Warr Pavilion on Thursday 16 May from 10.15am.
Please email Bexhill Dementia Action Alliance to book a workshop place: bdaa@gmail.com
Posted by Luke on Monday 13 May 2024