Mentor artist on the FLOURISH project, which aims to:

• enable arts practitioners to develop an understanding of dementia and skills that enable them to communicate effectively with people with dementia and engage them in the arts,

• equip arts practitioners with the practical, creative, technical and professional skills they need to work at the interface between art, health and care,

• show that participating in creative arts increases the levels of self-esteem, confidence and personal fulfilment of people with dementia,

• demonstrate improvement in the physical and mental well-being of people with dementia engaged in specific art forms,

• build partnerships between arts practitioners, statutory, third sector, and independent care providers and arts organisations within Oxfordshire,

• raise the profile of the arts and dementia in Oxfordshire in order to promote understanding and awareness of the role, value and contribution of arts to the health and well-being of people with dementia.

 

As a mentor artist I offered my experiences of past work with people with dementia and provided supervision, coaching, mentoring and other philosophical, practical and emotional support to another arts practitioner. The residency by Miranda Bence Jones took place at an AgeUK run day programme in Holton from February – May 2016