The Case for Arts and Culture

Whether you are working freelance or part of a national cultural organisation, we can support your artistic practice by showcasing your project, telling you about the latest events and jobs and providing ways for you to connect with other people who are passionate about this work.

'Lost in Time and Space’, Modern Art Oxford, a collaborative project between dementia sufferers, their carers and young people not in education, employment or training

"We want to recognise and celebrate the wide range of arts and culture interventions in a variety of healthcare settings and in everyday life. For decades now, artists, arts organisations and museums have been doing just this, enabling people to access the arts and culture helping them to improve the quality of their lives by providing rich and meaningful arts and cultural experiences."

Richard Russell, our Director for Policy and Research, Arts Council England, 2015

Arts Council England’s latest research shows that:

76% of older people say arts and culture is important in making them feel happy
57% say arts and culture is important in helping them meet other people
60% say it is important in encouraging them to get out and about
BUT almost two in five (38%) older people say that it is more difficult to attend or take part in arts and cultural events or activities now compared to when they were younger.

We are already delivering creative approaches to supporting older people to achieve better health, wellbeing and quality of life and there are so many examples of best practice. But there are still so many ways that we can better engage older people in our work. The following examples provide some inspiration, but take a look at our policy and news section for the latest reports and headline data: