FIA launches Art Spark! workshop for Flint residents living with Alzheimer’s Disease

Flint, MI — In September 2023, the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) launched a new workshop series designed for people living with mild to moderate memory loss and their care partners. 

“Art Spark! is designed to keep participants actively engaged in their communities by providing experiences that stimulate conversations, provide peer support, and inspire creativity through creative engagement, workshops, and programs, while raising awareness of the importance of the Arts in healthy aging,” shared Jennifer Essenmacher, FIA’s Docent and Access Coordinator.

According to Essenmacher, the program provides opportunities for dialogue and reflection through art engagement within the FIA galleries as well as experimentation with several different mediums and materials through art-making workshops.

Because Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias are known to diminish a person’s ability to communicate over time, FIA’s Art Spark! workshop series is aimed at helping to build a sense of community and support between Flint residents suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and their caregivers.

In 2023, The Alzheimer’s Association projected that over 6 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s Disease, and nearly 190,000 people aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s Disease in the state of Michigan alone. 

“In these workshops, people with memory loss and their care partners can experience connection through making art together and join others sharing a similar experience,” said Essenmacher.

Participants can also look forward to “learning from and interacting with artists from FIA’s Art School and Education department on a number of different mediums. Additionally, the March workshop will be a demonstration in our Hot Shop where participants will get a private demonstration on hot glass techniques,” said Essenmacher.

(This story was published in partnership with Valley Area Agency on Aging (VAAA) and Flintside. It first appeared on Flintside.com.)