Creativity, Art, and Design (CAD) in Ageing – (CADSIG)

Creativity, Art, and Design (CAD) in Ageing (CADSIG) was established in 2023.

This Special Interest Group (SIG) facilitates collaboration and connections to enhance our understanding, adoption, and evaluation of creativity, art, and design in ageing.

We have five key goals:

1. to demonstrate the value of creative arts engagement (visual, performing, and digital, for example, music, singing, theatre, visual arts, dance etc) for older people’s health and wellbeing, with a focus on disabilities, dementia, and residential aged care;
2. to share how design and arts-based methods can be used in ageing research, from data collection, analysis to engagement and dissemination;
3. to use art to change conversations, confronting and disrupting stereotypes about age and ageing;
4. to understand the transformative and therapeutic nature that lies behind CAD work and interventions
5. to foster collaboration, information, and resource-sharing in creativity, art, and design in ageing through co-design principles

The CADSIG is committed to identifying, amplifying, and leveraging the potential of creativity, art, and design (participating, performing, creating, and making) to positively transform the experience of ageing. It is closely aligned with AAG purpose and priorities, which emphasises the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to ageing, and a collaborative, partnership approach

Surprisingly, there are no other state-wide professional Australian organisations/SIGs that focus on the intersection of age and creativity.

This creates a significant opportunity for AAG to be a thought leader in this space, amplifying the value and impact of arts in ageing. Historically, there has been a popular International Arts and Health Conference series in Australia (via NSW not-for-profit, The Australian Centre for Arts and Health , led by Margret Meagher), with the most recent 10th conference held in 2018.

This leaves a significant gap for researchers in this space.

Most Australian states also have an arts and health network (for example, Arts Health Network QLD;  Arts Health Network NSW), with a vision to share research, resources and activities that engage, educate, and disseminate the impact and value of creative arts in improving health outcomes.

This AAG SIG adds an important dimension to these forums, with our unique focus on the ageing context.

To join this SIG

Membership of our SIGs is open to current financial AAG members only. To join one just sign in to your membership account via our website and go to the Special Interest Groups tab in your membership profile. Select the groups you would like to join by checking the boxes.

Then remember to save your changes and that's it! You will be included in all future emails and activities relating to your selected group(s).