When asked to drum a rhythm to go with his name, Don didn’t miss a beat. The Open Circle member struck the drum with a flourish and a big grin on his face. Everybody in the drum circle smiled right along with him.
“It was a really incredible moment and very validating,” says Mark Rosen, director of therapeutic programming at Open Circle.
Mark admits he thought the concept of communicating one’s name on a drum might be too abstract for members with dementia, but he was glad to be proven wrong.
“Some members are very progressed in dementia and they’re all able to engage in this session,” Mark says. “Finding rhythm is something you retain for a long time.”
A $34,000 Arts Experiences grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board (MSAB) made life-enriching arts programming like this possible at all five of Cassia’s Open Circle locations.
Identifying a Need … and a Solution
Adult day services staff in Princeton had come to Mark with a problem. Their volunteer who had helped with art stopped doing so, making arts programming almost nonexistent. The arts bring joy to members and help them thrive. They missed these programs when they didn’t happen.
“Art is essential to our person-centered programming because it allows people to celebrate their identity and express their emotions and individuality,” Mark says.
Mark connected with Cassia’s director of grants and events, Chris Hinnenkamp, to identify funding options for arts programming. They learned the MSAB was prioritizing rural and urban sites for the Arts Experiences grant. This made it the perfect fit for the Princeton and Buffalo centers, along with the Minneapolis, Apple Valley and Hopkins locations.
They applied for the grant to fund a partnership with COMPAS (Community Programs in the Arts and Sciences), which connects community organizations and schools with more than 100 artists in a vast variety of mediums.
Celebrating and Getting to Work
Open Circle received the full $34,000 grant, by far the largest arts grant the organization has ever received.
“I don’t want to undersell it. It was elation,” Mark says of the response to the news. “We’ve never had the benefit of such a large arts budget to create extraordinary experiences for our members.”
Open Circle staff began selecting what types of arts programming to have at each location. In addition to drum circles, activities include metal working, puppetry, songwriting, jewelry making and social justice poetry.
About 12 artists have been providing residencies, allowing as many Open Circle members as possible to benefit from the programming.
Benefits for Members, Staff
Just like Don, other members can express themselves through art because of this funding.
“They get to share their history, interests, passions and inner emotions,” Mark says. “These different artistic mediums allow them to express who they are in a time when 13 verbal or written expression may be very challenging.”
Arts experiences also build community.
“They’re with other people engaging in some – thing together,” Mark says. “At some level, there is social connectivity. We obviously know there are a lot of emotional and mental health benefits to social connection.”
The grant has allowed Open Circle to provide unique programming that would be challenging to deliver without professional artists. It has also allowed staff to learn from those artists and continue aspects of what they teach going forward.
Open Circle now has a strong partnership with COMPAS, as well. The organization has already contacted Open Circle about additional grant opportunities.
Collaboration at its Finest
“We are creating moments that validate and celebrate life experiences and histories and passions of our members,” Mark says.
Without working together, Open Circle would not have been able to provide these new experiences for members like Don.
Employees from all Open Circle locations, Mark, Chris and staff from COMPAS and MSAB came together to make it all possible.
Thank you MSAB, COMPAS, donors and others for coming alongside us as we find innovative ways to serve all by following One.