The Creative Lives network is undertaking a survey to uncover the valuable work that institutions do to engage with the issues of age and ageism. It aims to highlight the challenges faced by institutions in carefully balancing good practice with financial pressures accentuated throughout the COVID pandemic.
The knowledge gathered during two Creative Lives symposia (March 2020 and July 2021), was published in a report launched in September 2021, which can be read here. This highlighted five key areas of concern that require immediate action: infrastructure, policy, funding, education and programmes.
We would like to invite educational institutions, arts organisations, policy makers, to complete this survey by sharing with us examples of the work they do in order to help dismantle ageism in the creative professions : https://forms.gle/dAWTWXmW5ynipT7u9
The link above will take you to an online Google form, which will give you information about the project and ask for your consent to participate. After you have read and completed this, click the NEXT button on the bottom left. This enable you to answer the 6 questions in the Creative Lives Age Policy Survey.
If you would prefer to answer on a Word Document, please download the file at the bottom of this page. When it is completed, please email it to creativelivessheff@gmail.com
The survey questions are:
- Funding: If you are a funder or commissioner of new work, what are the measures you normally take to ensure that your calls engage a diverse and intersectional group of artists?
- Policy: As arts and/or educational institutions, do you have separate policies on age and ageism? If yes, how do you publicise these policies? Are they visible and easily accessible on your online platforms?
- Education and Training: What positive methods do you use to support true age diversity and to avoid the reiteration of age related stereotypes in connection to all your creative and/or educational programmes? Please give details of any good practice you employ in your institution.
- Infrastructure: How do you integrate ageism in your Equality, Diversity and Inclusion boards/committees?
- Programmes: Can you give examples of specific programmes within or supported by your institution, that have a specific focus on intergenerational collaboration?
- Are there any specific challenges that your institution has encountered in connection to any of the key areas mentioned above?
Please try to answer all questions that are relevant to your organisation’s work. Please do share this link with other people within your organisation who you feel may be able to contribute.
This research has received ethical approval from the University of Sheffield. If you have any questions or would rather have a chat than fill in a form please contact us.
A Word Document version of the information, consent form and the survey questions for this research project can be downloaded here:
Creative Lives 