Output details

INTERarts: intergenerational arts project for older and younger LGBTQ people.

• PaR (website)

This project asks what performance and performative explorations offer to a social intervention with participants from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and genderqueer communities

300 word statement - Information about the research process and/ or content

The research inquiry of this PaR project asks what performance and performative explorations offer to a social intervention with participants from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and genderqueer communities. INTERArts is an intergenerational arts project for older and younger LGBTQ people. Approximately 30 older (50+ yrs) and younger (under 25) people worked together to explore age in relation to gender and sexuality. I was one of two Project Coordinators and planned, facilitated and evaluated all phases with a team of four practitioners.

Through workshop practice, negotiation and critical reflection, the project sought to develop effective strategies to facilitate participants’ intersectional identities as articulated through performance. The project mobilized strong exchange, collaboration and creative outputs among the groups of participants. The workshop findings - such as, for example, the effectiveness of the stimulus material used as part of an exercise to provide a catalyst for participants’ own creative ideas - are analysed and related to the structures and strategies within the project. They serve the overall aim of the research: to develop a model of practice.

This six-month applied research project (Sept 2010 - Feb 2011) was carried out in collaboration with Age UK and funded by Pfizer UK and V-inspired (£14,000). The practice included a series of workshops and culminated in an exhibition of participants’ work (Feb 2011). Public events included the ESRC-funded seminar series, 'Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Ageing - Minding the Knowledge Gap' at University of Surrey. Outcomes of the research inquiry are published also by means of the INTERarts project website, first launched April, 2012. The ‘Research dimension’ pages in particular evidence how the PaR investigation has informed effective structures and strategies for intergenerational engagement using the arts within LGBTQ communities. Evaluation reports produced by the International Longevity Centre UK are available in the portfolio.