Author: Beaubien, Joan

Publication Year: 1975

Media Type: Report

Summary:

The St. Paul Artists and the Aging program was carried out under the guidance of COMPAS - Community Programs in the Arts and Sciences - and was made possible by a grant from the Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (Grant #90-A-348/01). COMPAS is the agency of the St. Paul Council of Arts and Science charged with bringing arts and science programs to the greater St. Paul community. The overall goal defined for this new program was to assist in the improvement of life for older Americans. Specifically, the goal established for the two-year program developed in St. Paul was to identify and train professional artists who would work with bringing creative opportunities to senior citizens of the St. Paul area.

Abstract:

The St. Paul Artists and the Aging program was carried out under the guidance of COMPAS - Community Programs in the Arts and Sciences - and was made possible by a grant from the Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (Grant #90-A-348/01). COMPAS is the agency of the St. Paul Council of Arts and Science charged with bringing arts and science programs to the greater St. Paul community.

The overall goal defined for this new program was to assist in the improvement of life for older Americans. Specifically, the goal established for the two-year program developed in St. Paul was to identify and train professional artists who would work with bringing creative opportunities to senior citizens of the St. Paul area. The following objectives were stated for the program:

1. To identify and recruit professional artists interested in working with the elderly.
2. To sensitize these artists to the field of aging.
3. To carry out an artist-in-residence project which would increase creativity in the elderly.
4. To use this experience in attracting qualified professional artists to the field of aging.

The project itself extended from July 1, 1974 to June 30, 1976, and began with the hiring by COMPAS of a Project Director. The start-up months in the summer of 1974 were devoted to extensive organizational meetings of various kinds:

• with evaluators in order to set up, in advance of the program, a comprehensive evaluation program;
• with representatives from COMPAS and the National Council on Aging's Center for Older Americans and the Arts;
• with numerous professionals in the field of aging in order to determine interest in the program, demographic make-up, and site utilization; and
• with administrators of the sites under consideration as well as artists being interviewed for possible inclusion in the project.

This evaluation report reflects statistical data collected relative to the potential objectives of the project, and methods of documentation of project achievement.

The evaluation system was designed by Walker and Associates of Minneapolis, with input from COMPAS staff, gerontologic professionals and city planners.

A vigorous attempt was made to evaluate the program thoroughly. There was a high level of cooperation between the staff and program participants. Artists kept journals, filled out questionnaires regarding their experience and impressions, and recorded basic data on attendance and participant characteristics. Participants cooperated in filling out questionnaires on their attitudes toward the program. Administrative staff recorded data on site selection, art modality criteria, program expenditures, product exhibition and dissemination, and new program development in the community.

CONTENTS
Table 1. Comparison of project participants with older population in Ramsey County.
Table 2. Comparison of participant characteristics among sites.
Table 3. Participation in artistic activities outside of project services.
Table 4. Participant satisfaction with the program.
Table 5. Retention rate of participants.
Table 6. Cost analysis by site.
Table 7. Cost summary.
Table 8. Arts Agencies/Aging agencies/Colleges and universities.
Table 9. Extent of artists working with elderly.
Appendix.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Participation, Cultural Diversity