VU at MetroWest Seniors Festival

An exhibition in partnership with Doutta Galla Aged Services, ArtWard and Art In Hospital (UK) exploring what it means to be older and creative in hospitals and residential care settings. How creativity can bring back choice and empower in these often sometimes challenging environments.

Exhibition dates: 1-13 October
Opening: Thursday 1 October, 4pm
Artist talk: Saturday 10 October, 12pm

Date: Thursday 1 October, 12 - 2pm

This forum focuses on breaking down stereotypes of ageing. It covers what it means to be living in an ageing community in terms of life-long learning, access to health care and changing notions of creativity from different cultural and sectoral perspectives. A panel of experts including academics, health professionals and aged care residents will explore the future of ageing.

Speakers

• Bob Carey-Grieve: Director, ArtWard
• Dr Mary C Dalmau: Resident with Doutta Galla Aged Services and former lecture at Victoria University 
• Dr Jocelyn Angus: Associate Professor, College of Arts, Critical Gerontologist, Victoria University

Bob Carey-Grieve is the Director of ArtWard, a Footscray based company delivering visual art workshops ​for over a decade ​ in acute healthcare settings, with expertise in ​the fields of ​residential care, dementia assessment, stroke and physical injury rehabilitation, criminal forensics, palliative care, medicine for the elderly and adults with disabilities.

Dr Jocelyn Angus, Associate Professor in the College of Arts, Victoria University, is a social gerontologist and senior lecturer. Her interest in education and research in the field of gerontology grew out of her experience in practice as a registered nurse (RN1). Her doctoral thesis titled Possibilities for resistance: A critical discourse analysis of nursing home admission in Australia made problematic the purpose of nursing home admission at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

Since 2001, Jocelyn has coordinated the Master of Health Science (Aged Services) course, where she has demonstrated consistent and exemplary leadership in the direction, content and delivery of teaching and learning in aged services.

Dr Mary C Dalmau is a current resident with Doutta Galla Aged Services. She retired from her teaching position in the College of Education at Victoria University just over three years ago. Mary will provide her own insights and experiences of residential care services and what she feels is important to take into the future.

Eat healthy while getting creative with small spaces.

Dates: 5, 6 & 7 October, 10am – 12pm

Explore how to make the most of your space with these practical workshops. Gardening has many health and therapeutic benefits. Growing your own food is fun and rewarding. It is an activity that everyone can enjoy, regardless of age or ability. With some planning and thought you can create a productive and beautiful space in your backyard, on your veranda or on your kitchen window sill. An edible garden does not have to be large. Your garden can start small with a few pots and containers.

Learn from the masters – remember you favourite childhood past times.

Dates: 5, 6 & 7 October, 12 – 1pm

We'll draw on knowledge and expertise from older communities in Melbourne’s West to discover some old and new favourites from different eras and cultures. Learn the Italian card game Scopa or rediscover Footscray and come on a walking tour…all this and more will appeal to all ages.

Master the card game Scopa

Date: Monday 5 October, 12pm

There is a very active Scopa community in Footscray eager to share their skills in the Italian Card game, Scopa. The name is an Italian noun meaning “broom”, since taking a scopa means “to sweep” all the cards from the table. Watching a game of Scopa is an entertaining activity, since games traditionally involve lively, colourful, and somewhat strong-worded banter in between hands.

Still life photography with a Footscray flavour

Date: Tuesday 6 October, 12pm

Drawing on the inspiration provided by the local Footscray and Little Saigon markets learn the art of still life. Vicnenca Fazzalori will guide you through some traditional and some non-traditional techniques in capturing still lifes.

Footscray art walking tour

Date: Wednesday 7 October, 12pm

The arts scene is a thriving community in Footscray with Street art, Artist Run Initiative and Art Galleries. On this tour discover new and old art haunts in Footscray with Chantal Wynter. You will also have the chance to meet some local artists and see them in action.

Date: Saturday 10 October, 10am - 2pm

Creating a Welcome is a loose-knit community of crafters, artists and other makers-of-things who have come together in support of those seeking asylum in Australia. Creations are sold in markets and every cent is donated to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. Join us in creating something at our crafternoon!