What kind of ‘old’ do you want to be? 

What kind of world do you want to grow ‘old’ in? 

Explore the intriguing answers to these questions by joining The Big Chat about Creative Ageing – a headline event in the Hastings for the Mid North Coast’s Creative Ageing Festival.

Hear expert speakers including artists working in health and aged care, gallery and museum curators, and learn about arts programs, utilising music, dance, theatre and creative writing that support older people to stay fit and well or support people living with chronic conditions such as dementia and Parkinson’s Disease.

Big Chat speakers include Adriane Boag, producer (including drawing with iPads and art and dementia programs), National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; Beverley Peken, president, U3A Sydney; Julie Priest, place facilitator – Aged & Disability, Community & Economic Growth, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council; Lisa Hort, arts and Alzheimer’s specialist; Debbie Sommers, Port Macquarie Museum; Yvonne Kiely and Kim Staples, arts and health practitioners; Chris Mead, artistic director, Creature Tales, Tasmania and Margret Meagher, executive director, Australian Centre for Arts and Health and Chair, Creative Ageing, NSW Ministerial Advisory Committee on Ageing.

As a part of The Big Chat there will be an exclusive screening of the award winning documentary Winter at Westbeth, recently previewed at the Sydney and Melbourne Film Festivals. It is an inspirational story about community, ageing well and the need to keep creating. 

Documenting powerful statements shouted from rooftops, moving dance performances and the reasons for wearing green eyeshadow, Winter at Westbeth is an inspirational story about community, ageing and the power of creativity.

Following the Big Chat, which concludes at 3.30pm, artists and creatives attending will be invited to stay on for a hands on creative ageing workshop given by several guest speakers as an introduction to professional development opportunities for artists interested in working with older people and in aged care facilities and health services, including hospitals here. 

Other Creative Ageing Festival events across the Hastings include:

An artist’s talk at Sea Acres on Wednesday, March 8 at 11am about the Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail, and in particular, the newest kid on the block - Ranger Riley who is an ambassador for threatened species in NSW National Parks. 

Ranger Riley has been painted by local artist Pauline Roods. Twelve badges on the front of Ranger Riley’s uniform depict 12 key threatened species in NSW. 

On the back, Pauline has painted an extraordinary design featuring 37 threatened species (including the original 12) to promote the Saving Our Species Campaign undertaken by NSW National Parks.

This exhibition highlights the crucial role played by music and theatre in the lives of Australians from the First World War to Afghanistan. 

Drawn primarily from Arts Centre Melbourne’s Performing Arts Collection, the exhibition includes photographs, scrapbooks, letters, posters and audio-visual material that are used to tell stories ranging from concert party performers on the Western Front, female impersonators and opera singers in the jungles of New Guinea, to pop stars taking music from home to Vietnam.

This exhibition will showcase digital art done by Seniors on their iPads through a series of workshops held in February when they will visit historic sites and create artworks to interpret the heritage specific landscapes.

As part of the art appreciation tour, participants will be viewing 3 to 4 selected artworks from the current exhibitions. During the tour your specially trained educators will start easy group chats and explore ideas about the selected artworks. $5 per visitor & their companion. Maximum of 5 visitors plus companions. Bookings essential two weeks prior to tour date. Phone 6581 8888 to book.

Take advantage of the Free Entry for Seniors to explore this multi award winning museum. Comprising 14 galleries and display areas you will be surprised once you step inside at how much there is to see and learn. 

The Lunchtime Concert Program is presented by the Conservatorium Mid North Coast Inc with the support of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council through its Place Making Team and the Glasshouse.  

Every Friday you can enjoy an hour of music, and all for free with musicians ranging from 9 to 90, every week is different. March 3 will feature Z Chords, a ukulele group of enthusiastic seniors. 

Sea Acres National Park protects one of the largest remaining coastal rainforests on the Australian east coast, meaning that the rainforest runs all the way to the beach. 

The rainforest is best explored along the boardwalk which is an easy stroll and accessible friendly. Seniors will receive free entry to the Rainforest Boardwalk on presentation of their Seniors Card at the Sea Acres desk. Enquiries 6582 3355.

The aim of the Seniors Expo is to provide a hub for seniors to access information about health, wealth, travel, education and social and cultural activities plus provide newly arrived and newly retired residents an opportunity to join a seniors group and be linked in to the community. For more information visit pmhc.nsw.gov.au/seniorsweek