A Creative Aging Festival will take place throughout the month of May at 100-plus local venues in Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria. The month-long festival includes 114 performances, poetry readings, art exhibits, lectures, classes and more.

The festival is being sponsored by Fairfax County, AARP Virginia, the Fairfax County Arts Council and several other community organizations and businesses, and coincides with Older Americans Month. It will also include programs that unlock the creative spirit through yoga, tai chi and even a walk through a garden labyrinth.

"What we're hoping is that people will discover where the opportunities for art are for Fairfax County. We want them to know that it's here; it's in the community and we're hoping they will participate," said Grace Lynch, manager of communications with the county's Division of Adult and Aging Services. She said the festival "gives us permission to do something that we may not have done before and to explore ourselves in a more creative and artistic way."

"Fairfax County is home to over 200 nonprofit art organizations many of them offering exciting events for the 50-plus community. The Creative Aging Festival is a wonderful opportunity for our arts organizations to market their existing programs by and for 50-plus residents, encouraging older adult participation in the county’s many arts offerings, and showcasing opportunities to engage in our community," said Lisa Mariam, Grants Director & Master Arts Plan Coordinator, Arts Council of Fairfax County.

Planners are now developing the program and expect to post the full calendar of events in early April (see sidebar). Some of the examples include:

• An open house allowing guests to participate in an organization's dance, music, visual art, yoga, gardening programming;
• A speaker on art, gardening, yoga, etc.; or
• An older adult artist, writer, actor, poet, dancer or musician to speak about their art.

"We're not about Bingo anymore. We've really raised the bar. We're focusing on yoga, tai chi, in addition to painting and music, performing arts and dance," said Julie Ellis, Director of Hollin Hall Senior Center in Mount Vernon.

Many Fairfax County programs will be held at local libraries, 14 senior centers, adult day healthcare centers, and park programs are planning to be involved. For example, seniors here will have the opportunity to experience movement classes with professional choreographer Janet Storms of the Choreographers Collaboration Project. "She's going to talk about the joy of movement as you age," said Ellis.

The festival’s objectives are to:

• Encourage audiences for the arts, especially for art created and performed by older adults;
• Encourage older adult participation in the county's many public and private art programs;
• Promote public understanding of the benefits of older adult participation in the arts;
• Establish the festival as an annual event occurring each May in celebration of Older Americans Month.

"Research has shown a strong connection between participation in the arts and the cognitive health of older adults," said Richard Chobot, chair of Fairfax Area Agency on Aging. "The Creative Aging Festival will provide examples of the variety of arts experiences available to older adults, and individuals of all ages. The Festival also plays to the theme this May’s Older Americans Month as it invites us to Get into the Act."

"The Creative Aging Festival gives the public an opportunity dive into the soul of the many programs the area offers for adults with dementia," said Isabel Castillejo, CTRS, of the Herndon Adult Day Health Care Center. "Fairfax County’s Adult Day Health Care Centers understand the value behind creative arts and the opportunity to see someone’s unique expressions through art, music and various other mediums. We encourage the public to get a glimpse of these wonderful gems their community has to offer."

"The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at (GMU) is excited to take part in the festival, offering four events that will showcase our popular acting and Tai Chi classes, fabulous musical performers, and first rate fine artists and photographers," said Jennifer Disano, executive director.

As part of the festival, GMU will be hosting an "Arts, Aging & Well-being" panel on Monday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to noon, on the Fairfax campus. "When we connect with others through creative expression, great things happen," said GMU Associate Professor Holly Matto, Ph.D. "The arts and health research shows that participation in the creative arts can enhance cognitive, emotional and interpersonal functioning, and studies on the arts in health care settings show biological effects such as pain reduction and improved immune functioning."

The panel will introduce the latest research on arts and well-being for older adult populations; and the benefits of creative arts participation will be discussed in the context of a current Music, Imagery and Movement (MiM) intervention being implemented at Birmingham Green.

Festival partners include: the Arts Council of Fairfax County, the Fairfax Area Commission on Aging, the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging, Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services, Public Libraries, Adult Day Health Care Centers, Long Term Care Coordinating Committee, George Washington University, the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations, the National Center on Creative Aging, Goodwin House at Alexandria and Bailey’s Crossroads, AARP Virginia, and Pure Prana Yoga Studio.

Most programs are free. Because of the variability in venue space, participants should call respective venues to register and inquire about program information, fees and parking.

The festival calendar will be posted by early April at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices/fairfax-creative-aging-festival.htm