Third annual Creative Aging Festival to take place in May

Bloomington will be celebrating the elderly during the month of May by hosting the third annual Creative Aging Festival.

“Bloomington is an arts destination and a retirement destination, and we’re passionate about allowing older adults to express themselves,” said Julie Hill, chairwoman for the commission on aging.

The festival will run for the entirety of the month, featuring creative aging events and exhibits. Events such as a dance for Parkinson’s, art exhibits and a senior expo with free health screenings will be featured during the month.

Hill said the event was inspired by Ireland’s national Bealtaine Festival, which happens during the month of May and celebrates creativity as people age.

The event aims to highlight the artistic talents of older adults, promote intergenerational understanding through dialogue, share traditions and stories and increase awareness about the value of creative engagement to adult health and well-being, Hill said.

Sue Owens, program specialist for the community and family resources department, said the event has significantly expanded in the past three years.

“It has grown in the number of organizations participating, the number of people involved, the number of partners, and we are growing in sponsorships and contributors as well,” Owens said.

Hill said the festival had about 27 events its first year and has 42 events this year.
“During the first year, we learned that artists weren’t sure how to adapt for the older population,” Hill said.

She said the second year of the festival focused more on developing intergenerational relationships through more educational events targeting staff development and workforce development.

“We want to showcase the talents and skills of older artists in the community but also promote intergenerational relationships,” Owens said. “We want seniors in the community to share their experiences in life with younger generations.”

Hill said because this generation is moving into a longevity revolution, in the next 15 to 20 years the world can expect a shift from a more dominant young population to one that is older.

“It’ll have a significant impact in so many different ways that we can’t fully begin to realize,” Hill said.

Aging is also seen in a negative light, where people see retirement as “going away,” Hill said.

“We see this as a great opportunity to start shifting public opinion about aging into a more positive perspective,” Hill said.

Owens said it is important to recognize the seniors in the Bloomington community, and the month of May is the time to do so.

“We are continuing to morph and change,” Hill said. “As our community prepares for a shift in the population, we just felt like this was a great way to be proactive and to promote wellness.”