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Although the world of advertising and pop culture would have us reaching for botox, ageing is a process we cannot deny. But is getting older really as grey as its purported to be? Ginny Brink suggests that it is time to focus on the advantages and glories brought by age.

One issue troubling voluntary arts organisations at the moment is the difficulty of attracting younger members. Young people, they say, just dont seem interested in their arts activities. As a society we are used to the notion of life being linear, with our elders handing on their traditions to the younger generation. So if this isnt happening, what are we to do about it? The answer, it seems to me, may well lie in what is, in effect, the silver lining of the issue: the creative potential of older people. Shifting our attention to this section of the population will allow us to reach both those who need us now, and those who need us in the future.

Why is this important? Because we are in the midst of an unprecedented sociological phenomenon: the largest mature generation in history. Advances in medicine, access to public health and healthier living have resulted in declining fertility and increasing longevity, such that by 2008 around half the UK population will be over the age of 50, and almost a third will be aged between 40 and 60. The next generation of older people will be the baby boom generation those born between 1946 and 1964.

Life can only get better

Whilst this prospect may bring a myriad of additional problems in its wake, it also has the potential to create new opportunities. Baby boomers have always been highly creative, innovative and energetic. In every stage of their lives, the issues that concern them have become the dominant social, political and marketplace themes of the time. In fact, the baby-boomer generation is projected to be significantly healthier, more active and more productive than preceding generations.

The image of [these] older people as frail, unproductive and dependent on others is grossly exaggerated, says Dr. Robert N. Butler, President of the International Longevity Centre, USA. So there is little reason to believe that this aspirational group of 4060 year olds wont continue to live with enthusiasm, energy and high expectations of life. Sixty-year-old Gil Hughes is a prime example. Four years ago I was a dull old lady living life through my grandchildren. Now I wear trendy clothes and go to gigs she says. Its as if Ive been given permission to enjoy life& When we were kids, old people settled down and turned into their own parents. Were not doing that.

Societys love affair with youth will thus, out of necessity, have to take a back seat as the look, meaning, experience, and purpose of maturity is redefined. The challenge for all sectors, including the arts, from now on will be how to align with, and maximise the potential of, this emerging gerontocracy, to create the opportunities and quality of life the new old-er generation will expect.

In come the arts

Trends are already showing that in the coming decades more time and money will be spent by those over 40 on leisure and recreation and not just on TV, radio and resting activities. As a result, the arts will come to play a huge role in utilising the wisdom and potential of this older society in both creating and fulfilling the demand for more meaningful activities. Why the arts? Because there is a vital relationship between creative expression and healthy mental and physical ageing.

The arts, uniquely, deal with meaning. They help us understand our values and make sense of life. This, in turn, increases our sense of self-worth, determination, and achievement. Positive self-worth in itself boosts the immune system. The arts are also a means of expressing stress and painful feelings, providing an escape valve for emotions that can cause illness. Dance, for example, increases mobility, improves strength, co-ordination and balance, and releases endorphins that make us feel happy. Music can reduce heart rates and promote relaxation, as can embroidery, potting and painting.

The arts also have the potential to weave together disparate parts of the community. They are cultural connectors and an important catalyst for both social and civic engagement in the second half of life. Participating in group arts activities gives people a valued place in the community, a sense of purpose for life and a sense of well-being. Social interaction and a supportive social network have been proven to be one of the keys to healthy living.

Creative activities also enable people to explore new talents, giving them a chance to change career or take on new work roles, and with the imminent rise in retirement age, it stands to reason that people may both wish and need to develop skills to change careers well into later life.

The race aint over&

And it is the experience, determination and tenacity of older people that can give younger generations the inspiration to live their lives more fully. Many people, including artists, accomplish great things later in life. For example:
" Photographer Imogen Cunningham published a monograph of her work when she was 91
" Jazz musician Lionel Hampton was still leading his famous band in his 80s
" Handel wrote The Messiah aged 57; Giuseppe Verdi wrote Otello aged 74
" Katharine Graham wrote her first book aged 79 and it won the Pulitzer Prize; Graham Greene wrote The Captain and the Enemy aged 84
" Martha Graham choreographed her last work, Maple Leaf Rag at 96
" Matisse designed his innovative stained glass windows between the ages of 80 and 82; Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Guggenheim Museum at 91
" F Murray Abraham got his first decent role (Amadeus, for which he won an Oscar) aged 45; Mae West made her last movie, Sextette at 85.

An untapped resource

The whole of society benefits when older adults are given opportunities to increase, explore and transmit their skills and perspectives, particularly through creative activities. Their wisdom, insight and experience make them the natural leaders and mentors of inter-generational learning and sustainable community development. With so much evidence for the positive effect of arts activity on individuals and communities it would be foolish for arts organisations, policy makers and funders not to provide more opportunities for older people to engage in arts activities. It could make the difference to our population young and old alike.

Ginny Brink is Core Services Co-ordinator at Voluntary Arts Network.
t: 029 2039 5395;
e: info@voluntaryarts.org;
w: http://www.voluntaryarts.org