bangawarra Art Yarns: dementia, creativity, and doing things differently in the museum

• Main Author: Keft, Virginia
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: ResearchOnline@ND 2023
• Subjects: First Nations
• Online Access: https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/nulungu_talkingheads/2023/schedule/7; https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/context/nulungu_talkingheads/article/1116/type/native/viewcontent/Virginia_Keft_FINAL.mp4; https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/context/nulungu_talkingheads/article/1116/filename/0/type/additional/viewcontent/Virginia_Keft_Talking_Heads_Bio___Absract.pdf

This presentation discusses the role that the Museum of Contemporary Art, Australia, has played in using contemporary art to support positive connections of older First Nations peoples to culture, Country, kinship, knowledge systems and stories. “bangawarra Art Yarns: for older and Elder mob”, is a culturally responsive contemporary art program that is wholly Aboriginal designed, implemented, and delivered. The sessions propose to provide a positive impact on mental health and social and cultural cohesion by engaging in art experiences for older people in an informal shared social environment of "yarning”. “bangawarra” is the Dharug word meaning to “create” or “make”. Key to the delivery of Bangawarra Art Yarns is the team of Aboriginal artist facilitators who bring their cultural connections and personal arts practice to the program. At the heart of bangawarra Art Yarns is the idea that yarning, sharing, and making art is an enabler to create connections in multiple ways.