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Older people – culture, community, connection

In recent years there has been growing interest in the role that cultural participation can play in older people’s wellbeing and sense of connection to other people. This interest has been noted within the cultural sector, as well as the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors (e.g. AgeUK, The Baring Foundation). We are all growing older, and so it is important to consider what the cultural landscape looks like for older people and how it can support people to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives as they age. This research digest presents a collaborative review of the literature relating to the value of cultural participation on wellbeing and feelings of social connection as we age.

In order to evaluate the evidence around the value of arts and culture in supporting the wellbeing and social connectedness of older people, we synthesized and appraised literature published since 2011. This rapid review of the literature was conducted between May and October 2021. This review is part of the Centre for Cultural Value’s synthesis of research within the wider theme of cultural participation.

Click here to read the Research Digest

Video

Older People, Culture and Community: Launching a Research Digest

What’s the impact of cultural participation in later life, and how do we capture its value? Helen Manchester launches our latest Research Digest.

Together with the Centre for Cultural Value our team have recently collaborated on a research review focusing on what existing research has to tell us about the benefits of cultural participation on wellbeing and feelings of social connection as we age.

We identified and evaluated 70 peer reviewed studies that examined cultural participation for people aged 60+. Our review was shaped in consultation with cultural practitioners and organisations through an event held in May 2022, which illuminated the sector’s interest in knowing more about the added value of cultural participation on social connectivity, its relationship to wellbeing, and the role of the digital in cultural participation.

During the event, we also had a chance to share some of the emerging findings from the Connecting Through Culture project itself, reflecting on our work with our co-researchers. Highlighted findings from the event can be viewed in the video below.

You can read an article reflecting on the review’s key findings in the Arts Professional magazine here.