A special exhibition of works from residents and users of a Trecynon Day Unit will go on show at Cynon Valley Museum and Gallery next week.
Artworks by user of Cwmni Dda Day Unit will form the basis of an exhibition celebrating the benefits for older people of ongoing learning, creativity and participation in activities. Many people attending the Day Unit suffer with dementia.
The group has worked with Cardiff-based artist educator Louise Carey, staff of the Cynon Valley Museum and Gallery and their own regular carers in 10-week project to produce artwork inspired by their visit to the museum.
A range of techniques, including collage, print-making and decoration, can be seen in the works on view in the Education Room of the gallery. They will then move to a permanent display in the foyer of the Cwmni Dda Centre
The initiative is part of a Wales-wide Engage Cymru ‘action research’ project to address some of the needs of older people in Wales – indentified in the Welsh Assembly Government’s Older Peoples Strategy – through the setting of arts and learning.
The project was run by Engage Cymru with funding from Arts Council of Wales, Millenium Stadium Charitable Trust, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Lifelong Learning Department and Cynon Valley Museum & Gallery.
The Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation Cllr Robert Bevan said: “The ‘Galleries Engaging with Older People’ project aims to bring enjoyable experiences to socially-isolated older people while improving their well-being and quality of life; and is running in a number of Welsh local authority areas.
“Opportunities to continue learning into older age have positive impacts on physical and mental health and the Cynon Valley Museum and Cwmni Dda initiative demonstrates how perceived barriers for older people can be overcome.”
The exhibition of work, entitled “Creative Company” will go on show on Tuesday 13th, Wednesday 14th and Friday 16th of April 2010 at Cynon Valley Museum and Gallery. For further details visit www.cvmg.co.uk or telephone 01685 886729.
