Researchers

• Rachel Farrer PhD, Senior Lecturer in Dance rachel.farrer@beds.ac.uk
• Imogen Aujla PhD, Senior Lecturer in Dance imogen.aujla@beds.ac.uk
• Lindsay Jenkins MSc, Researcher

There is growing interest in arts practices in relation to health and wellbeing, and their potential to support medicine and care in the context of public health. The aim of this study was to understand the impact that an intergenerational arts and health project can have upon indicators of wellbeing, with a particular focus on the potential benefits that intergenerational practice can yield in relation to quality of life, affect, and social inclusion. The study considers these themes from a unique perspective, examining not only the participant end users, but also the experiences of their carers and the artists and support staff who facilitated the project. In doing so the research highlights the holistic impact of intergenerational arts and its ability to create a sense of belonging and purpose that unites different sectors of the community.

The study is based on Hear and Now, an award-winning, intergenerational community creative project developed over the past ten years by the Philharmonia Orchestra and Orchestras Live in Bedford. The project takes place in the multicultural Queens Park area, with the Tibbs Dementia Foundation’s Music 4 Memory (a singing group for people living with dementia and their carers) and Fusion Youth Singing (a teenage vocal/instrumental ensemble) as the core local partners.

A team of academics at the Research Institute of Media, Arts and Performance at University undertook qualitative research into the impact of Hear and Now on the various participant groups involved in the project (artists, older adults, carers, young people, and professional musicians). The research adopted a holistic approach to examining their shared and distinct experiences of the activity, in order to understand the impact that arts and health projects can have upon indicators of wellbeing in relation to quality of life, affect, and social inclusion.

• Read the findings of the study [PDF]

Photos from the launch event

Playing the bodran

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Dr Rachel Farrer

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Professor Jan Domin

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Project publications

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