#DailyArtsMedicine – Engaging from Home

Chatty 
Wednesdays
Music 
  Theatre   
  Visual Arts
 Dance and 
Exercise
Museums and 
Culture
Nature

Engaging with arts works magic for us all!  A4D believes that now, more than ever, it is essential that we continue to share and engage creatively where we can. We have therefore compiled a list of online resources for you to access from home to keep your creative juices flowing, which you can find below.

For live and interactive events please visit the Remote Access Events page.

You can also find out more information about our new initiative “Chatty Wednesdays”, a weekly online chat for people with dementia and their carers. 

We are still reachable by email, our website, and by phone – just call our regular office number to get in contact.

 

Chatty Wednesdays

We may be experiencing social distancing, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still catch up!

People on a Zoom video call
Join Chatty Wednesdays

Chatty Wednesdays is an opportunity for people with dementia and their companions to socialise, engage creatively, and share experiences and ideas in an online video group chat via Zoom. You can show something you’ve created at home or talk about a book you’re reading, anything that may be interesting or useful for others – or even to get something off your chest.

We also take part in practical activities such as arts and crafts, singing, and virtual museum tours provided by curators and learning teams from a variety of museums.

Let’s all stay stimulated, re-energised, and connected, even from home!

Fill in our form to register your interest.

 

Music 

BBC Music Memories is an online music resource to help reconnect with their most powerful memories.

Living Room Live is streaming live classical music recitals, straight from their living room to yours!

Picture showing trombone players over Zoom video conferencing
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra players home videos

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra have videos, podcasts, quizzes and recordings for you to enjoy to at home including performances of Elgar’s Nimrod and Enigma Variations.

The London Mozart Players For the first twelve weeks of lockdown, LMP uploaded new performances each day including behind the scenes interviews and content for the whole family, all of which are still available to view.

The Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment upload new performances every Wednesday at 4pm for you to watch at home.

Music for Dementia 2020 has put together a practical guide with ideas for staying connected through music during Covid-19.

Dementia Club UK are now hosting their meet-ups online, with music, singing, quizzes, exercise, and conversation included! The sessions run each Monday and Wednesday from 2.30-4.30pm. Get in touch with Dementia Club UK to join their friendly and fun sessions.

 

Theatre and Stage Performance

The Metropolitan Opera The Met is streaming live recordings of performances from over the past 14 years. Click the link above to watch a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series every day! The recordings are available to stream for 23 hours after their premiere, so click the most recent video to view for free.

National Theatre Live: free full lengths plays every Thursdays on Youtube
Live streams from the National Theatre every Thursday at 7pm

The Global Player has free recordings of Royal Shakespeare Company productions to watch at home including A Winter’s Tale and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The Royal Opera House have launched a schedule of free online content that can be accessed anywhere, anytime! Their offerings vary from online broadcasts, musical masterclasses, and cultural insights into the world of ballet and opera. Click through to find out more about this specially curated online programme of events.

Sadler’s Wells is offering a programme of dance performances, classes and workshops online. Check out their ‘Company of Elders‘ workshops for people over 60.

 

Visual Arts, Film, Photography

ArtsLink are presenting a series of creative activities for you to try at home. The activities use basic materials that you will likely already have, so you can get stuck in straight away. New activities are uploaded regularly.

Day by Day is a series of 23 short films curated by the Isle of Wight NHS trust. The films have been created by individual artists to show the landscape of the Isle of Wight, exploring the art and works that have been inspired by these places. This project aims to bring the natural world to those who are self-isolating or unable to go outside.

64 Million Artists Take part in weekly creative challenges as part of the ‘Do Think Share’ project and even submit your work to their online gallery!

Luminate run programmes of activities designed to increase creative opportunities for older people. They have now launched their new project, luminate@home, which is an online series of creative activities that you can do from home

A 1962 photo showing women walking down the street
Still from Wellingborough Redevelopment Plan available to watch on BFI Player

The Dukes Lancaster have lots of creative resources including ideas for craft activities at home and inspiration for writing your own songs.

Photo London have an online talks archive where you can watch talks about photography for free.

The British Film Institute Player has archive of short films to enjoy at home.

 

 

Dance and Exercise

English National Ballet limited mobility class. Photo showing woman stretching on a chair.
English National Ballet limited mobility classes

English National Ballet is streaming a limited-mobility ballet class. This chair-based class is perfect for all lovers of ballet and dance, and has been suggested to us by A4D participants, Rachel and David!

Generation Games have free online exercise videos to help you stay active at home including tai chi, strength and balance and chair based sessions.

Dance to Health have online dance and exercise session for you to follow along at home helping to mobilise your body.

 

Museums and Culture 

Armchair Gallery is an app that allows you to view and explore world-class art and culture, without having to move from you chair! Specially designed for people living with dementia, this app also includes a host of creative activities and ideas that you can get involved in.

Painting by Rembrandt entitled The Night Watch showing guardsmen getting into formation, with a young girl in the foreground rumoured to be modelled on Rembrandt’s late wife
Explore Rembrandt’s The Night Watch and other masterpieces in the Rijksmuseum’s virtual tour

Rijksmuseum from Home  Amsterdam’s famous Rijksmuseum is a treasure trove of art and history collections, which you can now explore from home. Here you can find videos, tutorials, and explore their ‘Masterpieces up Close‘ virtual tour!

Secrets of the Museum This BBC documentary series explores behind the scenes at the world-famous V&A museum.

The British Museum has virtual museum and gallery tours allowing you to explore the treasures of the museum from your own home.

The Freud Museum London has online talks about art and psychoanalysis.

Buckingham Palace have a virtual tour allowing you to explore this magnificent building without even leaving your home!

The Natural History Museum has online virtual tours narrated by Sir David Attenborough, interactive talks, and online exhibitions for you to explore from home.

Sonnets in Solitude Actors from the RSC are performing a selection of Shakespeare’s sonnets, free to watch on YouTube. For more information on the project, Shakespeare, and his sonnets, see the RSC website.

 

Nature 

Photo of a panda in a tree
Get an up and close view of Yang Guang the panda and other animals at Edinburgh Zoo through the live webcam

Edinburgh Zoo Watch the wildlife of Edinburgh Zoo for free!

The Wildlife Trust’s Live Webcams! The Wildlife Trust have webcams scattered across the British Isles, allowing you to see wildlife up close and personal from your own home.