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Fairfax Creative Aging Festival, May 2015

Fairfax County, the Arts Council of Fairfax County, and AARP Virginia, together with several community organizations and businesses, celebrated Older Americans Month by sponsoring a Creative Aging Festival in May 2015.

View the Creative Aging Festival Photo Album now!

Check out this PowerPoint (PDF) for a background on the festival’s development.

This month-long festival featured over 100 events including:

Art exhibits
Dance
Musical performances
Poetry readings
Lectures
Classes in watercolor, woodworking, knitting, clogging, tap, piano, photography, & more!

The festival also included programs that unlock the creative spirit through yoga, tai chi and even a walk through a beautiful garden labyrinth.

Programs took place throughout Fairfax County as well as in the City of Fairfax, Arlington County and the City of Alexandria.

In addition to these events, George Mason University’s College of Health and Human Services hosted a panel discussion on Arts, Aging and Well-Being on May 18. The panelists presented new research conducted by George Mason University on the impact of art intervention with people in assisted living facilities.

The festival’s objectives were to:

Encourage audiences for the arts, especially for art created and performed by older adults;
Encourage older adult participation in the community’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.

The festival supported Fairfax County's 50+ Community Action Plan's initiative to promote art programming for older adults. Find more information on the plan at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dfs/olderadultservices/fairfax50plus.htm.

The festival planning partners included:

AARP Virginia
Arlington Cultural Affairs/Arlington Arts
Arts Council of Fairfax County
City of Fairfax
Fairfax County:
   Department of Family Services/Fairfax Area Agency on Aging
   Department of Neighborhood and Community Services
   Park Authority
   Public Library
   Health Department/Long Term Care Coordinating Council
Goodwin House Inc.
Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia
National Alliance of Community Economic Development Authorities
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University
Pure Prana Yoga Studio
The George Washington University Center for Excellence in Public Leadership