Focusing on the now: An art tour for people with dementia

ABC RN Producer Wendy Love takes us on a Gallery tour that is about more than just the art. QAGOMA’s Art and Dementia tours offer people living with dementia a chance to socialise, learn, and create their own artworks. The goal is to create a safe and respectful space for people with dementia to visit the Gallery with their carers or loved ones and talk about art. But more than that, being able to spend a good amount of time with an artwork can act as a springboard, triggering memories or feelings we hadn’t felt for a while, or make us feel connected to something we remember from the past.

Listen to Wendy Love talk us through the program

QAGOMA’s Art and Dementia program was developed in 2014 and is tailored specifically for people living with dementia. The power of art unlocks the imagination, is able to elicit memories and feelings, sparks new ideas and discussions, and for people living with dementia and their care partners offers a new space to connect with the artwork and each other.

QAGOMA’s free discussion-based tours aim to support reminiscence, validation and socialisation and focuses on specially selected artworks. Two of the works selected to trigger conversations on this tour was The Blue Alice by Charles Blackman and Morning ride by Kenneth Macqueen.

ABC RN Producer Wendy Love spoke on The Art Show in 2018 (formerly The Hub on Art) presented by Ed Ayres

Taking in the bursts of colour in Charles Blackman’s The Blue Alice 1956-57 / Tempera, oil and household enamel on composition board / 122 x 122cm / Purchased 2000. The Queensland Government’s special Centenary Fund / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art / © Charles Raymond Blackman 1956-57. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney, 2013

Taking in the bursts of colour in Charles Blackman’s The Blue Alice 1956-57 / Tempera, oil and household enamel on composition board / 122 x 122cm / Purchased 2000. The Queensland Government’s special Centenary Fund / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art / © Charles Raymond Blackman 1956-57. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney, 2013 / View full image

Kenneth Macqueen 1897-1960 / Morning ride c.1946 / Watercolour over pencil on paper / 40.9 x 50cm / Purchased 2006. Queensland Art Gallery Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art / © Kenneth Macqueen Estate

Kenneth Macqueen 1897-1960 / Morning ride c.1946 / Watercolour over pencil
on paper / 40.9 x 50cm / Purchased 2006. Queensland Art Gallery Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art / © Kenneth Macqueen Estate / View full image

Using inspiration from the Charles Blackman and Kenneth Macqueen paintings

Using inspiration from the Charles Blackman and Kenneth Macqueen paintings / View full image

Book a free tour

Bookings in advance are required and are subject to availability and tour capacity. Tours are suitable for people living at home, for community and day respite groups or residential aged care homes. Contact the Group Bookings Office at groupbookings@qagoma.qld.gov.au or telephone (07) 3840 7255 to arrange a booking for the next tour.

Featured image: QAGOMA’s Art and Dementia program

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    Making art accessible for all

    A visit to the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) can pose unique challenges for those with accessibility needs. QAGOMA proudly champions access and inclusion, inspiring visitors of all abilities to create lasting connections with art. Through its ongoing commitment to Access programs, such as September Access Month, low-sensory viewings, tours for visitors with hearing loss, and low or no vision, and an award-winning Art and Dementia program, to name just a few, the Gallery strives to create a truly inclusive space for the whole community. Art and Dementia QAGOMA’s Art and Dementia Program began in 2014. The award-winning program is a participant-focused gallery experience designed for visitors living with dementia and their care partner. Slow art viewing of selected artworks incorporates specially curated visual, auditory and narrative prompts that stimulate exploration and reflection. The therapeutic creative making activity invites relaxation and socialisation, supports autonomy, and encourages meaningful engagement. The program is suitable for all visitors who are diagnosed with neurodegenerative disease, including specific dates for people living with younger onset dementia. Auslan Interpreted For some 20 years, Auslan interpreted tours have been available at the Gallery. Free volunteer guided tours for members of the d/Deaf community are scheduled on the last Sunday of the month from January to November. A NAATI accredited Auslan interpreter accompanies our guide on these tours. Hearing Loss Visitors with a cochlear implant, hearing aid or hearing loss are invited to join a small group tour led by a volunteer guide. Assistive listening devices (FM system) are available and tours are scheduled on the fourth Friday of the month from January to November. Low Vision or No Vision Audio-described tours offer a narrated description of the visual elements of selected artworks. A tactile experience is also included where possible. Tours are available for small groups and individuals. Hidden Disability Sunflower Program To support visitors with non-visible disabilities, QAGOMA is a member of the international Hidden Disability Sunflower Program. The Hidden Disability Sunflower is a simple tool for visitors to voluntarily share that they have a non–visible disability or condition that is not immediately apparent. Anyone with a hidden disability or their carer or support person can collect and wear a Sunflower lanyard from the Information Desk on arrival at the Gallery. Low Sensory/Relaxed Viewing Since 2017, low sensory viewing has been scheduled for major exhibitions and on selected days throughout the year. Autistic visitors and people with sensory sensitivity or disability are invited to experience the Gallery in a relaxed environment, and where possible, outside of usual gallery hours. Volumes within the exhibition spaces are lowered or turned off where possible. Sensory Kits are available for use free of charge whilst in the Gallery. Each kit contains a number of resources for self-regulation and calming. Collect a Sensory Kit from the Information Desk on arrival at the Gallery. Physical and/or Cognitive impairment Tours are suited to small groups and tailored to the needs of group members. Customise your visit QAGOMA offers customised programs and events that give visitors with disability the opportunity to connect with art in a safe and supported setting. Its Group Bookings Office can help plan a visit and explain how to tailor an experience specific to your needs or for those in your care. Volunteer guided tours for visitors with disability are available between February and November and are free unless otherwise advertised. Information for your visit Onsite Access & Parking Mobility impaired and wheelchair access is available to both the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art. Accessible parking bays are located in the Cultural Centre car parks. Wheelchairs Wheelchairs are available free of charge for use during a visit. To make a booking, contact the Information Desk between 10.00am and 5.00pm on 07 3840 7303. Assisted Hearing A hearing loop system is installed in the Australian Cinémathèque at GOMA. Headphones or neck loops are available for visitors with cochlear implants or hearing aids. Enquire at the GOMA Information Desk on arrival. Companion Cards Companion Card holders receive concession priced tickets to all paid exhibitions and selected programs, and a complimentary ticket for their companion. Assistance Dogs Guide dogs and registered assistance dogs are welcome. Contact us For all Access programs queries, contact the Group Bookings Office Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.00pm. A minimum of 15 days booking notice is required to arrange a tour. Telephone: 07 3840 7255 Email: groupbookings@qagoma.qld.gov.au Check What’s On Event Calendar for dates. Featured image: Tour for visitors with low or no vision featuring Henrique Oliveira’s Corupira 2023, commissioned for ‘Fairy Tales’, Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) Brisbane 2023-24 / © Henrique Oliveira / Photograph: C Callistemon ©QAGOMA
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    QAGOMA leads the way as a dementia-friendly organisation

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