Arts Learning

We involved 3 teaching artists, 2 paid staff, 10 regular volunteers and 20 high school students (for our puppet residency). 89% of our residents were 65 or older, all live at Redeemer and have some type of disability. Average attendance was 23 with the memoir class being the smallest and the puppet class being the largest. Only two of the attendees were below the poverty line. In addition to our mostly Caucasian residents, we had 3 African Americans, 2 Native Americans, 1 Hispanic and 1 East Asian. Trying to invite everyone, we posted a large colorful poster provided to us by COMPAS in the bulletin window by the front desk and another in the elevator, we made smaller flyers that were posted throughout the building, the activities were listed on the daily sheets given to residents and we included the announcement on the white boards which are by each nursing station and are updated daily. We also personally invited residents and they were announced each morning. We encouraged all regardless of their ethnic diversity. The diversity of our entire population was represented in the programs we offered. Our volunteers also, were a mixture of diversity, not only ethnic but in age as well. One of the high school students wants to follow in Anne Krocak's steps and has come back to Redeemer several times with other high school friends to do more art with our residents on week-ends! It was great to hear the students say how much they learned from the residents. I had not expected that the community we touched would expand to have such an influence on our young people. A celebration was planned at the conclusion of each art learning experience. The greatest of these was the chance to load our residents in our bus and take them to a real live stage at Bryant Bowl to share their memoir stories. The audience including many from the Uptown Community, was supportive and encouraging. We went early enough so residents could eat at the Bryant Lake Cafe which made the evening extra special for them. We did go over ahead of time to check out accessibility and had to change the stage a bit to accommodate the wheelchairs. Everything done in our building is totally accessible. The other proud moment for the residents was their puppet show. The wonderful high school helpers were behind the curtain with their resident to hold up their arm so the puppet could be seen. One lady in introducing her puppet said "My name is Helga Jorgenson and I am from Sweden and I like coffee with a lot of cream. You'd love Sweden so come over and visit." All of it was said in a Swedish accent! One puppet, the Cookie Monster, made by a resident that is quite reserved, become a funny, outgoing character as he took on the role of his puppet. One lady could only say the name of her puppet, but Christopher, our teacher, would say, "Gertie is a little shy but she likes to dance!" He played on his guitar and with the student's help, Gertie danced! Residents love their puppets! Redeemer residents participated in various arts activities including puppetry, painting, collages, mobiles, and writing and reading their memoirs at Bryant Lake Bowl and Redeemer Residence. Surveys showed that 100% of residents enjoyed the art projects.