National Arts in Nursing Homes Day Award Recipients 2023 announced by Age & Opportunity & Nursing Homes Ireland
Friday March 10, 2023Age & Opportunity and Nursing Homes Ireland are delighted to announce three award recipients for this year’s National Arts in Nursing Homes Day – Mooncoin Residential Care Centre, Co Kilkenny; Borris Lodge Nursing Home, Co Carlow; and Highfield Healthcare, Whitehall, Dublin.
Now in its third year, National Arts in Nursing Homes Day takes place on the third Friday of May as part of Bealtaine Festival, Ireland’s national celebration of the arts and creativity as we age. It showcases the wonderful but often hidden creative activity taking place with residents of nursing homes and in day care centres. Three innovative arts projects were selected from entries received from nursing homes and care centres across the country. They are creatively engaging nursing home residents in projects that will be unveiled on National Arts in Nursing Homes Homes Day, 19th May.
An award of €1000 is going to Mooncoin Residential Care Centre, Co Kilkenny for an exciting song-writing project that is being led by musician Liam Merriman. A multi artform approach is being undertaken to bring residents’ creativity to the fore. The project will culminate with the creation of a piece of music encompassing lyrics captured from reminiscence sessions with residents. The recording with residents and a short documentary of the project will be screened at a celebratory event on National Arts in Nursing Homes Day.
The winners of two €500 awards are:
- Borris Lodge Nursing Home, Co Carlow, who will stage an exhibition of their work as part of their dynamic Borris Lace Exchange Project;
- Highfield Healthcare, Whitehall, Dublin, who will engage a local artist to facilitate AZURE – slow, art-looking – sessions with residents living with dementia.
Over the coming weeks, nursing homes across the country will be preparing art-themed celebrations for National Arts in Nursing Homes Day, 19th May, and the Bealtaine Festival. Around 100 nursing homes across the country hosted celebrations in 2022, with 2023 looking to build upon previous years’ successes. Nursing home staff, residents, members of day care centres and their families and visitors will participate in celebrations.
Tara Byrne, Arts Programme Manager in Age & Opportunity said: “We want to support, encourage and celebrate everyday arts and creativity as an integral and vital part of the activities of the care settings around Ireland. The NANHD award does this by encouraging nursing homes and day care centres to think deeply about their residents’ interests and most importantly, potential.”
Tadhg Daly, CEO of Nursing Homes Ireland said: “National Arts in Nursing Homes Day is a very special celebration taking place in communities across Ireland recognising the creativity of people in our nursing homes and the integral role the arts fulfils in supporting them. The Award provides NHI and Age & Opportunity with opportunity to support innovative artistic projects with residents. We are delighted to support the creativity exemplified by the winning entries this year.”
ENDS