Learn to deliver transformative arts programming for older adults at 2013 ALA Annual Conference workshop

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office, in partnership with Lifetime Arts, Inc., will present a day-long preconference workshop during the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, based on Lifetime Arts' Creative Aging Public Libraries Project.

Creative Aging programming, aimed at adults aged 55+, answers this growing demographics’ desire to be engaged, social and creative by moving programming beyond passive entertainment to active engagement through professional arts education.

“80 is the New 30! Learn How Public Libraries are Delivering Proven, Inspiring and Transformative Arts Programs for Today’s Older Adults,” will combine big-picture thinking about Creative Aging with the practical experiences of urban, rural and suburban library systems who are pioneering Creative Aging programs using the successful, accessible Lifetime Arts program model. This preconference workshop will be held 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Friday, June 28.

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szLWRuaaLCk width:320 align:center]

Watch this video for first-hand accounts detailing the rewards of Creative Aging programming in public libraries, and to get a sneak peek at some of the practical knowledge that will be shared during the workshop: http://bit.ly/lifetimearts-ALA13.

During this workshop, participants will:

• Learn about benefits of Creative Aging, Positive Aging and Arts Education;
• Understand the impact of the IMLS funded "Creative Aging in Public Libraries" project;
• Gain first-hand insights from participating system directors and teaching artists;
• Exchange ideas about 50+ library services; and
• Begin to plan Creative Aging programming for their systems.

The format of the workshop will combine structured roundtable discussions and micro-working sessions, with talks from national experts in the arts, aging and library service fields.

Registration details: ALA Member Early Bird & Advance: $175; Retired and Student Members, Early Bird & Advance: $160; Non-member Early Bird & Advance: $200; ALA Regular, Student and Retired On-site: $200; Non-member On-site: $250. The workshop includes lunch. To register, visit www.alaannual.org.

This session is presented by Lifetime Arts, Inc., the Westchester (N.Y.) Library System, and the ALA Public Programs Office under the leadership of the ALA Public and Cultural Programs Advisory Committee with support from the ALA Cultural Communities Fund. Additional funding for the workshop is provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the MetLife Foundation, AARP Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, and the Helen Andrus Benedict Foundation.

The ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition will be held in Chicago Thursday, June 27 – Tuesday, July 2, 2013. Get an Annual Conference overview and resources to show how you’ll be more valuable to your institution after Annual Conference at “Making your case to attend.” For more information about the conference, including housing and registration information, visit www.alaannual.org.

About the ALA Public Programs Office

The ALA Public Programs Office promotes cultural and community programming as an essential part of library service in all types and sizes of libraries. Successful library programming initiatives have included the Let’s Talk About It reading and discussion series, traveling exhibitions, film discussion programs, LIVE! @ your library and more. Recently, the ALA Public Programs Office developed www.ProgrammingLibrarian.org, an online resource center bringing librarians timely and valuable information to support them in the creation of high-quality cultural programs for their communities. For more information on the ALA Public Programs Office, visit www.ala.org/publicprograms.

About Lifetime Arts, Inc.

Nationally recognized as a leader in the emerging field of Creative Aging, Lifetime Arts works with a wide range of arts and community organizations and agencies that serve older adults; helping them develop and sustain responsive, innovative programming by providing training, administrative support and information services. Lifetime Arts recently received the inaugural Creativity and Aging in America Leadership Award from the National Center for Creative Aging and a National Library Week Recognition Award from the Westchester Library System. Major funding has been awarded by some of the most discerning philanthropic groups, including the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, MetLife Foundation, AARP Foundation, and the Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation. Learn more at http://www.lifetimearts.org/.