Core Programs
Community-based arts programs, run by professional artists, can have powerful effects on older adults. Participation in these programs can lead to an overall improvement in quality of life for older adults, including health promotion, disease prevention, independence and a reduction in the need for long-term care.
ESTA's programs support life-long learning opportunities in the arts that help to cultivate and sustain a better quality of life for the participants. They are based on a unique combination of art, reminiscence, and oral history that transforms memories and life experience into a variety of artworks. We provide a broad range of arts programming for older adults, ages 55 and over, within diverse communities, which include:
- Senior Centers
- Libraries
- NORCs (Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities)
- Long Term Care Facilities
- Schools
- V.A. Hospitals
- Museums
ESTA offers programs in three disciplines:
The programs are available in both direct service and training formats. All are facilitated by teaching artists trained in ESTA's methodology and lead to a public presentation (e.g. an exhibition, reading, or performance) in order to share the work with the broader public and build community interaction. The length of each program varies from 4 to 28 sessions. The sites are based throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Staten Island, and the Bronx.