Ageing and arts in Japan with British Council

Earlier this year director Alice Thwaite joined 15 other UK experts from the field of arts and ageing on a study tour to Japan.

Hosted by the British Council the tour aimed to share best practice and gain an understanding of Japans approach to an ageing society.

Jeff Streeter, director of British Council Japan, said: “In both countries we are looking at ageing populations where we need to engage people more fully. Arts is one vehicle for allowing that engagement with the wider community, particularly for people who are isolated through illness or through their age itself.

“We feel this exploration into ageing and the arts is something we can make a real contribution to the UK Japan relationship and above all the many thousands and millions of people in both countries.”

Alice was joined in Tokyo by representatives from West Yorkshire Playhouse, Arts for Health Cornwall, Luminate and National Museums Liverpool and Sadler’s Wells.

She said: “It was fantastic to be able to share the work we are doing here in the region on an international level and alongside other leading arts organisations in the UK making a real difference in the field of creative ageing.

“Japan is hosting the Olympics in 2020 and they are thinking about the Cultural Olympiad being a focus for creative ageing.

“They have the opportunity to change the perception of ageing from being a problem to showing how exciting a time it can be, to celebrate ageing and offer new programmes and interests to their older population.”

Find out more about our projects with older people here.