The arts constitute a vital accompaniment to human life across our lifespan, enriching individual wellbeing and fostering social connection from infancy through to older age. In early childhood, musical practices, such as lullabies, play a significant role in supporting emotional regulation, attachment, and cognitive development, providing infants with comfort, security, and opportunities for early communication. During adolescence and young adulthood, participation in artistic activities, including applied theatre, offers powerful means for self-expression, reflection, and meaning making. Through creative engagement, young people can explore complex emotions, negotiate social challenges, and develop resilience in the face of personal and societal pressures.

In later life, engagement with the arts continues to generate significant benefits. Creative participation and cultural experiences can stimulate curiosity, encourage lifelong learning, and provide new perspectives on identity and lived experience. For older adults, the arts have also been shown to strengthen social connectedness, counter loneliness and isolation, and support psychological wellbeing.

Across all stages of life, the arts are essential resources for human flourishing, fostering creativity, empathy, belonging, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and society.

This DDCA Webinar addresses this rich interpretation of the value of arts across the human lifespan through the research of four leading researcher-practitioners. Emily Gann, whose Arts SA Ruby Award-winning Lullaby Project Australia has formed partnerships with organisations including Carnegie Hall, New York. Kamarra Bell-Wykes (Yagera/Butchulla), a theatre maker and arts specialist across professional, academic and community arts sectors, collaborating with Dr Sarah Woodland (University of Melbourne) to provide insights into the importance of culturally led, culturally safe approaches to making theatre in health education for youth in the First Nations Australian context. Professor Evonne Miller who frequently deploys arts-based research methods and arts-based knowledge translation strategies - from research-based plays, to poetry, photography, animations, digital and audio stories to card games – has experience working with older Australians.

More than simply an inquiry, this collective research presents a compelling manifesto for socially engaged arts as a catalyst for collective participation and social change.

Organised and chaired by DDCA Board members Jane Davidson and Donna Hancox.

This event will be recorded.

https://ddca.edu.au/exploring-the-arts-for-social-cultural-and-educational-value-from-cradle-to-grave/

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