Arts for the Aging

Arts for the Aging Dazzling beauty and therapeutic power through lifelong arts engagement Programs for independent older adults take place in community centers.

AFTA's service delivery focuses on seniors throughout the DC metro area who are vulnerable and frail, in adult day health care centers, nursing homes and assisted living settings. Research shows that regular engagement in participatory arts programs improves mental and physical health, longevity, and the overall quality of life in seniors.

Teaching artist Sloka Iyengar led a virtual workshop on Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form. The name combines ...
06/04/2026

Teaching artist Sloka Iyengar led a virtual workshop on Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form. The name combines three words—bhava, raga, and tala—meaning emotion, melody, and rhythm. The word “Natyam” means dance or a performing art. Sloka guided participants in a simple dance featuring gestures inspired by nature and human connection.

One participant thanked Sloka because the hour brought relief from some uncomfortable symptoms brought on by a new medication. This is why we believe in the healing power of the arts.

06/02/2026

One of our board members hosted an intimate gathering and house concert to benefit Arts for the Aging, bringing together friends, colleagues, and family to spark enthusiasm and support for our mission. 🎹🎶

The Truth Behind the Music featured boogie-woogie pianist, actor, and activist Daryl Davis who played for us and shared untold stories about iconic songs from rock’n’roll’s beloved canon. Through his distinctive lens and decades performing with the late Chuck Berry and other industry greats, we felt the power of the arts to connect us.

Check out this video of Daryl improvising at the keys! Read more about Daryl on his website: https://www.daryldavis.com/

Special thanks to board member Samantha McDaniel and to Marcie and Stuart Kramer for making this special activation possible. Arts for the Aging flips negative paradigms about aging by bringing arts workshops to older adults and caregivers in communities of care that need them most, igniting joy and social engagement together for better health. Thank you for caring about this transformative work.

05/28/2026

"We need this. We need this.” 💐

Gloria, a resident of Forest Oak Towers, a local affordable housing community, shared these powerful words after taking part in teaching artist Deborah Riley’s movement workshop.

She spoke about the joy it brought her, the sense of connection it created, and how essential programs like these are in moments when loneliness is all too common.

Our artist-led programs bring joy, movement, and connection to older adults and caregivers throughout the Greater DC area – at no cost to participants.

now and share this post to help us make more joyful moments like this possible.
✨ https://artsfortheaging.org/gift

We loved capturing these joyful moments from a recent movement workshop led by teaching artist Sandy Roachford. Partic...
05/26/2026

We loved capturing these joyful moments from a recent movement workshop led by teaching artist Sandy Roachford.

Participants created personalized movements inspired by their names. Then, the group choreographed an improvisational dance inspired by the theme of spring. 🌸

Participants used egg-shaped maracas, flowing scarves, and a colorful ball to express themselves through movement while engaging with one another. The room was filled with laughter, creativity, and shared joy, reminding us of the power of movement and the arts to spark connection.

In partnership with Jewish Council for the Aging (JCA).

These values guide our work at Arts for the Aging: 🤝 Community Outreach 🎨 Participatory Engagement ❤️ Respect Learn more...
05/21/2026

These values guide our work at Arts for the Aging:

🤝 Community Outreach
🎨 Participatory Engagement
❤️ Respect

Learn more about what we believe in here: https://artsfortheaging.org/about/

Enjoy these snapshots from a Quicksilver Dance Company rehearsal from March. The members improvised dance movements insp...
05/19/2026

Enjoy these snapshots from a Quicksilver Dance Company rehearsal from March. The members improvised dance movements inspired by choreographer and artistic director Nancy Havlik's prompts, such as “enter and exit the scene.” Meanwhile, cellist and music director Adam Gonzalez - Cellist accompanied the dancers with his very own compositions, which featured bossa nova rhythms and tango musical styles. 🎻🎶

Moments of creative expression, connection, and joy like these reflect our commitment to engaging older adults in regular arts participation that supports physical, cognitive, and emotional health.

Quicksilver is an improvisational dance company for older adults sponsored by Arts for the Aging. The dancers experience health benefits from regular practice in improvisational dance through weekly workshop “rehearsals”. They then serve as volunteer teaching artist assistants, engaging our client communities in music and movement workshops.

Learn more about Quicksilver here: https://artsfortheaging.org/programs/quicksilver/

05/14/2026

“When changing abilities disconnect us from being seen, the arts open doors into what we still can do.”

Arts for the Aging Director & CEO Janine Tursini shares why she cares so deeply about our work and why your support matters. In every workshop, she sees teaching artists bring older adults and caregivers together through music, movement, poetry, and visual art. Moments of connection spark joy, self‑expression, and a sense of belonging.

This work is also grounded in science. Research shows that regular arts participation can reduce loneliness, anxiety, and depression, while supporting cognitive function, communication, and overall health.

This spring, Arts for the Aging is working to raise $30,000 to continue offering artist‑led workshops across Greater D.C. at no cost. This year alone, we aim to provide more than 360 workshops, led by 25 teaching artists, reaching over 1,000 older adults and caregivers in 45 partner communities.

Please consider making a gift today. Your generosity helps keep this social safety net and these moments of beauty and connection possible. now: artsfortheaging.org/gift

Did you know that arts participation can have a powerful impact on our health? A 2016 study done on 39 adults by the Nat...
05/12/2026

Did you know that arts participation can have a powerful impact on our health? A 2016 study done on 39 adults by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that 45 minutes of creative visual art making significantly lowered cortisol levels in 75% of the participants, regardless of their artistic skill. Furthermore, participants said that this activity was enjoyable and relaxing, allowing for exploration of the self.

Our programs are designed with this research in mind, and they cover a multitude of disciplines, from music to visual art to movement to poetry.

Learn more about what our programs look like and how we put this work into practice here: artsfortheaging.org.

Loneliness eases when creativity brings people together. During one of our recent movement workshops, a participant shar...
05/06/2026

Loneliness eases when creativity brings people together.

During one of our recent movement workshops, a participant shared how great it felt to finally see others’ faces again after she spent so much time connecting only by phone. Self-expression in community reminded her of how meaningful creative connections can be. 💜

Regular arts participation creates spaces where older adults can gather, express, and connect in ways that studies show support emotional and cognitive well-being.

Community generosity makes moments like this possible across our 45 client communities.

Your gift helps us move toward our $30,000 fundraising goal and creates more moments like this. Please consider supporting our work: https://artsfortheaging.org/gift

We are thrilled to introduce our program director: Nick Hemenway! As a professional arts administrator, artist, and de...
05/05/2026

We are thrilled to introduce our program director: Nick Hemenway!

As a professional arts administrator, artist, and designer, Nick brings more than a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector and partnership-building work, including six years in arts programming and four years directing programs. Their professional background includes working on the first-ever curated public art exhibition on the National Mall, coordinating public art and community engagement events for the City of Atlanta, and supporting arts initiatives through government and nonprofit collaborations.

Nick’s passion for the arts is rooted in a lifelong belief in the power of art to change lives, which was shaped by early creative experiences through their work with students with disabilities, supporting underserved youth, and seeing firsthand how accessible public arts programming strengthens communities.

Fun fact: Nick is a ceramist and photographer who loves karaoke, mycology, and exploring new hiking trails with their dog, Jax.

Link to read Nick’s full bio: https://artsfortheaging.org/overview/team/

Address

9841 Washingtonian Boulevard #200/6
Gaithersburg, MD
20878

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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+13012550103

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