News
We love to work with other museums! And we love to share what we learned together.
Artful Moments: Shared Learning newsfeed will share stories about our work with other galleries, museums, historic sites and outdoor spaces. We’ll share new experiences along with news about programs at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.
Let’s continue to learn together.
Art Experiences for Caregivers: Finding Creative Outlets and Emotional Support
Art Experiences for Caregivers: Finding Creative Outlets and Emotional Support. Caring for a loved one with dementia can be an emotional journey. While caregivers often devote their time and energy to supporting others, they may neglect their own well-being.
Artful Moments: Shared Learning – Supporting the Development of Museum Programs for People with Dementia across Canada
Museums are stepping confidently into program opportunities that support far more than just knowledge of art, history, or myriad other traditional content-driven narratives.
January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, led by the Alzheimer Association of Canada, focusing on education, the reduction of stigma, and supporting people with dementia.
Facilitator Stories
There is a moment that often happens in Artful Moments sessions. It is subtle, easy to miss if you are not looking for it. A participant who has been quiet leans forward. Someone who rarely engages offers an opinion. A ripple of laughter moves through the room like a small,
Fostering Connection in a Time of Social Isolation
Artful Moments has never been about teaching art, but instead, about fostering shared experiences. January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in Canada, so as this year’s sessions become available for registration, we are reflecting on how this pivotal wellness program has evolved and at times thrived with our unprecedented times.
AGH Dementia Survey Results
In December 2021 the Art Gallery of Hamilton conducted an online survey of museums, galleries and other cultural organizations across Canada in preparation for a large project.
Free art program becomes lifeline for Hamilton cancer patients
A room at the Art Gallery of Hamilton is alive with bursts of conversation and laughter as 20 people follow an instructor helping them navigate brush strokes for their individual still life exercises. Wendy Debicki, 71, is one of the animated painters, and she’s joined by her friend and caregiver,
Art on the Body. Art in the Moment. A deeper look at what happens when we share art and connection
At Artful Moments, we believe deeply that being present in the gallery, engaging through our sense of sight, touch, conversation, memory and creativity does more than simply pass time. It connects us to ourselves, to others and to something larger. A newly published study by the Art Fund (in partnership
Art as a Bridge: How Gallery Visits Spark Joy and Connection for people with Dementia and their Caregivers
Act as a bridge: For people navigating a journey with dementia, daily activities can take on the focus of their time and energy, changing their opportunities for social and community engagement. Yet, art galleries offer a powerful and often unexpected source of joy and connection. Through the shared experience of
Change the Language, Change the Perception
Change the Language, Change the Perception: September is World Alzheimer’s Month, and as we continue supporting international initiatives to improve awareness and positive changes for people living with dementia, we consider how they are affected by how we talk to them and about them.
Art and Dementia: World Alzheimer’s Day
World Alzheimer’s Day is an important moment to highlight a positive message for those living with dementia, along with their families and friends, and focus on strengths, relationships, connection, and contribution.
Community Galleries as Wellness Hubs: Partnering with Artful Moments for Local Impact
There is something quietly radical about a community gallery. Unlike national institutions with their grand atriums and international loan agreements, smaller museums and local galleries exist in direct relationship with the people around them. They know their neighbourhoods. They hold the local story. And increasingly, they are asking a bigger
Harnessing the Power of Curiosity: How Museums Unlock Creative Engagement for People Living with Dementia
Why curiosity-driven art experiences outperform traditional programming for people living with cognitive change.
Did You Know? Dementia and The Power of Art
Did you know? In 2011, the Art Gallery of Hamilton (AGH) created Artful Moments. Our purpose was to provide people living with dementia and their family and friend with an inclusive, engaging, and stimulating experience through art. Over the years, we have discovered some interesting facts about dementia and how
When We Put People at the Centre, We Do Better Work: An Alzheimer’s Awareness Month Reflection
January was Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in Canada. The aim of the month was to raise awareness and challenge stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s and dementia. As our communities age, we see the impact of dementia and the stigma that surrounds it becoming ever more widespread in Canada.
How Art Can Help People with Dementia and their Family and Friends Connect and Thrive
Caring for someone with dementia can change the dynamic of a relationship. But art—whether it’s painting, looking at artwork, or simply engaging in creative expression—has been shown to bring joy, spark memories, and create meaningful moments between caregivers and their loved ones.