Discovering what makes great online heritage and cultural events for the dementia community!

One of the many changes that have come about in the past twelve months has been the move from visiting museums, galleries, heritage sites and libraries in-person to enjoy events, to now only being able to access these events online.

Online programming is not just new for the attendees, in most cases, it is also a different way of offering events and engagement workshops for the heritage and cultural institutions. This being so, there is much to learn about how to best deliver these experiences.

The Unlock & Revive programme will run from 6 April – 25 June 2021, all events will be run virtually.  The programme is open to people with dementia living at home and their care givers, also to care home residents.

Download the GLAM/ Art in City and the Sing it Back/ Heritage Share flyers to find out more about what’s available and how to sign up.

Unlock and Revive is a heritage research project, being delivered by partners from the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier University, seeking to discover what makes online heritage and cultural events beneficial and effective for the dementia community.

The stimulating and diverse delivery programme includes singing sessions, Gallery, Gardening, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) Socials, Heritage Share sessions and Art in the City workshops. The delivery programme has been brought together by a wonderful range of Edinburgh-based heritage providers including; National Library of Scotland, University of Edinburgh Museums, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Historic Environment Scotland.

Findings of this research programme will be shared with the heritage and culture sector, to inform training and support them develop and deliver the best possible offer for the dementia community and outcomes will also be highlighted to the health and social care sector, evidencing any social and cognitive benefits of heritage engagement events, for the person with dementia.

Those attending the various events will be invited to participate in a focus group session run by representatives of the project research team from the Business School at Edinburgh Napier University and Lothian Birth Cohorts at the University of Edinburgh.

For more information about ‘Unlock & Revive’ please email Ruthanne Baxter, Museums Manager and Prescribe Culture Lead at the University of Edinburgh – Ruthanne.Baxter@ed.ac.uk