Indiana: Lifelong Arts

Art+ Education, Exploring Watercolor Painting for Seniors. Photo by Laura Krentz

Like the rest of the United States, the population of older adults in Indiana is increasing significantly. In the next 10 years, one in five Indiana residents will be age 65 or older, and the fastest growing segment of the population is those age 85 or older. To address the needs of these shifting demographics, the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) started Lifelong Arts Indiana, a multiyear initiative funded in part by NASAA, E.A. Michelson Philanthropy, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Aging and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, and IAC that provides creative programming to improve health outcomes for older adults.

The Lifelong Arts Indiana initiative proceeded in phases. In the first phase, artists and aging-services providers received training from state based experts designed to meet the needs and lived experiences of older adults. Training topics included program models, curriculum development and evaluation techniques. In the next phase, program participants were eligible to apply for grant funding to lead programming for older adults, implementing what they learned during the training phase. To this end, since 2021, 107 grants were awarded totaling over $500,000 invested in individual artists, older adult-serving organizations and libraries across 44 Indiana counties. These programs have served over 2,400 older adults in the state.

In partnership with the University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community, IAC conducted quantitative and qualitative research to evaluate the impact of the Lifelong Arts Indiana program. The researchers found the programming yielded:

statistically significant improvements in mental health outcomes for older adult participants,
a positive impact on physical health for older adult participants in rural communities, and
meaningful employment opportunities for artists.

Notably, the data is validated by a nationally established survey of health, the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). The data collected from SF-12 forms indicates that participants in the Lifelong Arts program report higher levels of well-being in both physical and mental health compared to the national average, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Lifelong Arts program.

Building off the success of the program, the Indiana Arts Commission is developing a handbook to guide communities on how to launch their own creative programming for older adults and is beginning planning for a statewide convening on creative aging in 2026.

For more information on creative aging, contact NASAA.