Art empowers experienced voices

BALLARAT Community Health is currently presenting an art exhibition by people over the age of sixty-five at their Lucas base, with works produced as part of an elder abuse prevention project.

Sharing Stories, Celebrating Life: Empowering Older Voices showcases the creativity of a small group of older community members who volunteered to take part in some art workshops.

Project lead Kate Diamond-Keith said the initiative is all about challenging ageist, discriminatory attitudes, which family violence against older people often stems from.

“The creative workshops were a chance for participants to share their stories, thoughts and experiences, and to empower and capture their unheard voices through writing and art,” she said.

“We often think of older people sharing stories from the past, which implies their present or future isn’t of value, but people over 65 make valuable ongoing contributions to the community, society, and workplaces.

“We’ve brought them together, asked them different questions, prompted them to share stories, and are celebrating their lives.”

Small postcard-sized artworks, from collages to drawings, produced throughout the workshops are currently on display on the foyer steps at BCH Lucas.

They respond to the prompts, what brings you joy? What do you wish people would ask you? Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? What are you most afraid of? What really matters? What are you most excited about, and what words of hope or wisdom do you have to share?

A “sound portrait” of participants’ verbal responses to these questions can be heard on the BCH website at bit.ly/39BwZsp.