Arts and Aging is a public health and arts initiative catalyzing a community-wide movement to raise awareness of dementia and its impact on individuals, caregivers and the community at large and inspiring action toward building a dementia-friendly and dementia-inclusive in Southwest Michigan.
The partnership utilizes the arts to spotlight significant issues connected to the care, diagnosis, and experience of dementia. Artistic performances and exhibitions are followed by facilitated “safe space” community conversations about themes depicted in the events building understanding and support for people living with dementia and their caregivers thereby fostering their ability to remain engaged in community and thrive.
One in eight local residents aged 65+ and one in three aged 85+ live with dementia. This is projected to increase by about 15% by 2025. Additionally, caregivers of people with dementia are at greater risk for anxiety, depression, and poorer quality of life than caregivers of people with other conditions according to the CDC.
Arts and Aging is a collaboration spanning the arts community, public health, higher-ed, philanthropy and businesses. To become an Arts & Aging Partner, reach out to Jess Kolbe at JessKolbe@areaagengyonaging.org.
Current Projects
Care
June 20 through Aug. 1, 2026
Care is an exhibition that reflects on the impact of care giving on those who provide care and those who receive care. We invited artists to submit works that explore the joys, hardships, and every-day realities of care giving and receiving in all of life’s phases; art that has emerged from a practice of caregiving; collaborative pieces between caregiver and care recipients; and work that explores care in all of its intimacy, banality, and profundity.
An opening reception will be held from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, June 20 at the South Haven Center for the Arts, 600 Phoenix St., South Haven. Complementary refreshments will be provided.
A Community Conversation about the exhibition is scheduled for 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 17 at the SHCA.
A concert with Andrea Cheeseman, called “Loss, Stillness and Waiting for Acceptance” will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 28 in the SHCA gallery.
Both Care and Window to Our World will be on display from June 20 to Aug. 1, 2026, at the South Haven Center for the Arts.
A Window to Our World
Over the last several years, Caregivers in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties were invited to participate in a public art project.
Window to Our World will showcase what it’s like to be a caregiver in Southwest Michigan. Caregivers picked up a kit, followed the prompts, and got creative with their care partners.
It’s estimated that one in five of Michigan adults currently provide care to family members or friends. Caregivers, also known as “care partners”, can be anyone you know: spouses caring for their significant others, parents caring for their parents and children “Sandwich Generation”, grandparents caring for their grandchildren (Kinship), and more.
Stories of caregiving are incredibly important. This project offers a unique opportunity to share that story through art.
To be included in the upcoming exhibition, completed Windows should be returned to the Campus for Creative Aging, 2920 Lakeview Ave., St. Joseph; or the South Haven Center for the Arts, 600 Phoenix St., South Haven.
*Note: Art kits do not have to be returned, but we would love to hear about what the experience was like. Please let us know if you want to keep your Window.
Past Projects
Memory of a Dance – April 2023
“Memory of a Dance,” written by Terry Guest, and performed by local actors, tells the story of an intergenerational family in Southwest Michigan and their experience with dementia. The play was developed in part based on input from residents of Southwest Michigan who are living with a dementia diagnosis. Read the Press Release
Velocity of Autumn – January/February 2023
Read the Press Coverage
Steering into the Skid/The Remember Project
One-act plays about memory loss. Read the Press Release