Arts Unbound To Help 30 Senior Citizens Share Personal Histories

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — An Orange-based arts nonprofit will help 30 senior citizens in Newark to share their personal histories with the Essex County community thanks to a recent “ArtStart” grant.

The medium: intricate collages reflecting their own personal history, according to Arts Unbound.

Earlier this week, the Orange nonprofit announced that it received a Newark “ArtStart” grant to partner with the Jonathan Rose Companies and lead 30 Newark seniors through their own “personal history art projects.” Fifteen of the seniors will come from Grace West Manor in the city’s Central Ward, and the other 15 will be residents of St. Mary’s Villa in the West Ward.

Participants will learn elements of art and design to create intricate collages reflecting their own personal history. The works along, with accompanying writings by the seniors will be exhibited at the senior residences for viewing and discussion by other seniors, their families, caregivers and community members.

The workshops will be led by renowned collage artist, photographer and performer, Mansa K. Mussa, Arts Unbound stated.

The projects will take place over 10 weeks starting in September 2018, Arts Unbound stated. It will serve residents of low-income senior residences with income less than 50% of area median income (the income limit for these residences is less than $33,000 for one person, $37,700 for two).

According to Arts Unbound:

“Participatory arts programs like this project have proven positive impacts on seniors’ emotional well-being, level of social interaction and self-confidence. Project participants will gain specific skills, confidence from that learning, and social connection from the group setting and shared experience… Arts Unbound has conducted this personal history project before at the PineRidge senior residence in Montclair. Due to the success of the personal history project at PineRidge, Arts Unbound felt it important to offer it again to another group of underserved seniors facing social isolation, decreased self-worth and confidence, and lack of stimulation. Arts Unbound plans to address each of these challenges through the art-making process.”

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