Creative Aging

 

Creative Aging programs at Brooklyn Public Library

Brooklyn Public Library is a Lifetime Arts creative aging partner   Over the years, our programming librarians have been trained by Lifetime Arts to work with professional teaching artists to plan, deliver, and sustain this program model which supports social engagement, skills mastery, and creative expression. Creative aging programs (whether held in-person or online) usually consist of 6-10 sessions of at least 90 minutes each, and are followed by a celebration where participants showcase their work for family, friends and neighbors. 

Since 2012, Brooklyn Public Library has provided over 50 multi-session art workshops, taught by professional teaching-artists. 

View upcoming creative aging programs here.

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Services for Older Adults is partially funded by Coordinated Outreach Library Services aid from the New York State Education Department, administered by the State Library’s Division of Library Development. All programs are sponsored by Brooklyn Public Library’s Department of Outreach Services.

Additional support for Creative Aging programs at BPL are made possible with support from The Sills Family Foundation; Apple Bank, celebrating over 25 years in Brooklyn and over 155 years of neighborhood banking in greater New York (Visit applebank.com for more information); and several BPL Friends Groups, private funders, and Volunteers.

For more information about Creative Aging, please email jvigo@bklynlibrary.org or call 718-236-1760
 

Upcoming Events

Creative Aging: Artistic Impressions in Watercolor

Fri, May 3 11:00am
Virtual

arts and crafts creative aging Virtual Programming

Join us in this nine week virtual Watercolor series. This is an Intermediate class but everyone is welcome. Nigel Morgan will teach you techniques to make your paintings look even better. This series will end in a culminating event in which you will get to share your beautiful pieces of art with…

Flatlands Presents Chair Zumba For Seniors

Fri, May 3 12:15pm
Flatlands Library

creative aging dance fitness and classes fitness

Attend Chair Zumba at home via zoom or in person!

Register to receive the Zoom link or come to the Flatlands Library, 2065 Flatbush Avenue, to attend the virtual Chair Zumba program with your fellow community members.

Chair Zumba for Seniors is a 30 minute, seated, gentle…

Creative Aging: Charcoal Creations

Mon, May 6 4:00pm
Brighton Beach Library, Auditorium

Artists on Site arts and crafts creative aging

Learn the fundamentals of drawing and shading.  This 9-week charcoal workshop is designed for beginners.  We will explore simple techniques that will certainly help in improving your drawing ability.  This class series will be taught by Nigel Morgan. 

Supplies will be…

Creative Aging: Poetic Collage

Tue, May 7 1:00pm
Spring Creek, Meeting Room

Artists on Site arts and crafts creative aging

This poetry in visual forms workshop approaches language as a tangible entity and the image as literal and figurative word. We will explore the intersection of the drawn, written, & spoken line, considering public space, placement, and design. 

For the workshop we…

Adult Coloring and Puzzles

Tue, May 7 2:00pm
Brownsville Library

arts and crafts creative aging

Do you enjoy coloring? What about crossword, sudoku, word search, or word scramble puzzles? Join us on Tuesdays from 2:00 - 3:00 pm for this known stress reliever.  

Creative Dancing and Movement with Silver Shoes Dance Club

Wed, May 8 10:30am
Brooklyn Heights Library, Multipurpose Room

creative aging dance fitness and classes health and wellness

Do you like music? Do you like to dance? Whether you have experience or not this is the great program for you. You can Cha-cha, Swing, Salsa, and more. Join Daniela from Silver Shoes Dance Club for nine weeks of social dance classes. Feel fit and fabulous learning new dance styles weekly all…

CA: Embracing Artistic Growth: A Journey through Acrylics

Wed, May 8 12:30pm
Crown Heights, Auditorium

Artists on Site arts and crafts creative aging

Our 'Embracing Artistic Growth: A Journey Through Acrylics' program invites Older Adults to explore the vibrant world of acrylic painting over nine weeks. Each session is designed to build upon the last, from foundational techniques to the nuances of personal expression. Participants will…

Creative Writing: Voices of Wisdom

Wed, May 8 1:30pm
Midwood, Basement Meeting Room

Artists on Site creative aging creative writing

All people have a story and somewhere inside them they have the desire to tell it. Many older adults have never had the opportunity to tell their stories and Dave relishes and cherishes the opportunity to help them succeed in writing their stories. 

Come join Dave Johnson as he will…

Ulmer Park presents Creative Aging: Chinese Brush Painting & Calligraphy

Thu, May 9 11:00am
Ulmer Park, Meeting Room

Artists on Site arts and crafts Chinese

Learn how to paint in the Chinese style. Themes of paintings inspired by nature. Bamboo, birds, flowers, fish, scenery, and other subjects. Learn the basic techniques in Chinese painting and develop your own style. A brief introduction to Chinese characters. 

Weekly Lessons:

Creative Writing: Our Story To Tell

Thu, May 9 1:30pm
Virtual

creative aging creative writing Virtual Programming

In this nine week series, we focus each week on a different theme, central to our lived experience of the world. 

Instructor Ari Satok starts each class by bringing in a piece of writing for us to read and discuss. He then introduces the weekly theme and provides various quotes,…