Laois County Council Arts Office in partnership with the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) launched a new professional development initiative for artists and art educators with a visual arts background interested in working with older people and in particular those living with dementia.

This training was aimed at artists and arts educators with facilitation experience that are interested in working with person's living with dementia and their carers/family and provide expert guidance on how to deliver dementia-inclusive art viewing workshops where the person living with dementia and their carer/family can participate. Free of charge to participating artists. All training and assessment was delivered online.

This comprehensive programme included:

-Azure Dementia Inclusive Training facilitated by Age & Opportunity

-Practical arts engagement sessions with the IMMA Visitor Engagement Team (VET) on delivering sessions to the public

-‘Effective Online Presentation Skills’ with Aileen O Meara Media

In addition, a series of county-wide online engagement courses will be made available to older people (in line with Covid-19 regulations) living at home and in residential care homes in Autumn/Winter 2021 using IMMA's Talking Art pack template with artwork from Laois County Art Collection and IMMA's permanent  Collection. .

Image:

Artist: Jock Nichol,

Title: Fluffy Clouds Glenlahan Slieve Blooms

Year: 2006

Medium: Acrylic

Dimensions: 57x88cm

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.