DLL’s Community Arts team has designed a range of arts projects to promote and celebrate Global Intergenerational Week (GIW) from 24th to 30th April.

2024 is the fourth year of GIW, the annual worldwide campaign which encourages people of all ages to embrace intergenerational practices and relationships.  The campaign looks to bring people together to form important and lasting connections and friendships, and to enjoy projects with benefits such as improvements in wellbeing, whilst also being educational and fun.

The programme designed by the Community Arts Service will include pupils from Ysgol Borthyn, Ruthin joining the regular Lost in Art Group between 1-3pm at Ruthin Craft Centre to enjoy an afternoon of making.  Lost in Art is a project aimed at people living with dementia, along with their family members and carers, and aims to use visual arts to address issues such as social isolation.    

Paned a Chân, the weekly Welsh Language singing for wellbeing community group at Llanrhaeadr village has been invited to join pupils from Ysgol Bro Cinmeirch primary school on Tuesday, 30th April (10.30am-11.30am) for a fun intergenerational singing session to celebrate GIW in partnership with Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias Music Centre. 

In addition to GIW, the team continues to work on a range of ongoing projects, such as supporting DCC Housing in engaging with their citizens around the county via creative interventions; supporting South Denbighshire Community Partnership to run creative art groups at Canolfan Ni in Corwen and Canolfan Pengwern in Llangollen and working with housing associations to support creative activity in extra care facilities such as Gorwel Newydd (Clwyd Alyn), Awel y Dyffryn and LLys Awelon (Grwp Cynefin).  The team also run Story Pals an intergenerational creative friendship project between different primary schools and care homes and community hospitals in Denbighshire and regularly work in partnership with third sector organisations such as Kim Inspire and Vale of Clwyd Mind to organise all sorts of different creative workshops for people living with mental health challenges in Prestatyn, Rhyl, Corwen and Llangollen.

DLL will also be lighting up buildings in Rhyl in pink in support of GIW.

Jamie Groves, Managing Director of DLL said “DLL are delighted to support Global Intergenerational Week through these inventive and inspiring arts initiatives.  As always our Community Arts Team have worked exceptionally hard to bring together a range of motivational, educational and enjoyable projects for people of all ages across Denbighshire to enjoy.  It’s important to remember that the work of the DLL Community Arts Service is not just limited to GIW, however, and they are busy delivering many similar initiatives on a regular basis, which see positive benefits for many residents across the county.”

If you are interested in getting involved in any of the above projects, please contact Sian Fitzgerald on Sian.Fitzgerald@denbighshireleisure.co.uk.