Making a living moment more resonant: an exploration of the role of the artist in co-creative work with people living with dementia

Abstract

Background Despite a growth in interest in recent years in the benefits of working co-creatively with the Arts for people living with dementia, little attention has been given to understanding the role of the professional artists within this context. Our main question here is ‘How do professional artists apply their skills and knowledge in co-creative arts groups with people with dementia?’ This paper has been informed by the insights gained from a series of conversations, observations and journals that were kept by four UK based artists (two musicians and two dancers) who reflexively interrogated what they were doing during the course of an 8-week co-creative arts project with people living with dementia. Methods The research used an empirical case study methodology, with the authors adopting a thematic approach to the analysis of the data. Results Thematic analysis resulted in three main themes: Authenticity, Enabling Risk and Togetherness. These themes characterise the skills, techniques and specialised knowledge used by the artists during the co-creative sessions. Conclusions Following this analysis, the article argues that the beneficial effects for people living with dementia of co-creative art-based work come about through the conscious application by the artists of their shared skills and knowledge, acquired through training and ongoing artistic practice. Rather than an assumption that ‘The Arts’ are in themselves beneficial for people living with dementia, we must consider the active role played by the artists who are so integral to the process.